Federal Ministers Zakia Khattabi (Ecolo), Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo), Karine Lalieux (PS) and Petra De Sutter (Groen) came out of their reserve to denounce them. A notable fact knowing that ministers are often very cautious when it comes to commenting on political statements. Several members of Vooruit, such as Alderman for Education Jef Van Damme or Brussels MP Hilde Sabbe, have dissociated themselves from their president. Many Ecolo-Groen elected officials have sought to bounce back from this spotlight on Molenbeek to show its more glorious facets. The Brussels PS did not take off. The president of the French-speaking socialists provided a more nuanced reading, acknowledging that the “common places” conveyed by Rousseau “were aimed at defending investments in education and public services”. From the commentator’s bench, the president of MR, Georges-Louis Bouchez, carved out in recent days for having debated with the far right, tweeted ironically: “ With him, can I debate or not? It must be nice to live together on the premises of the PS.” Vooruit and PS sit in the same building.
