At 30 years old, Conner Rousseau has announced on Facebook that he will be running for reelection as the head of the Dutch-speaking Social Democratic Party. The presidential election for Vooruit is expected to take place in early June, several months ahead of schedule. Rousseau was elected president of the SP.A in November 2019 for a 4-year term, which he has since transformed into Vooruit. He quickly gained popularity with Generation Y on social media and is known as “King Connah” on Instagram. Despite criticism from the French-speaking side, Rousseau is positioning himself as a bulwark once morest Vlaams Belang, a far-right party leading in the north of the country, with polls indicating that Vooruit is the third political formation in Flanders.
Rousseau has also faced suspicions of a pre-agreement with the N-VA to form the future backbone of the federal government and the Flemish executive, but he has denied any such agreement. In his presidency statement on social media, Rousseau has expressed his concerns regarding education, care, and the climate, promising to take responsibility for these issues along with the defense of purchasing power, health, and the increase in wages and pensions. Some speculate that with his popularity, Rousseau may even succeed Alexander De Croo as Prime Minister, a position for which the president of the French-speaking socialists, Paul Magnette, has already declared himself a candidate.
At 30, Conner Rousseau has no intention of stopping there. He declared himself, this Thursday evening on Facebook, officially a candidate for his own succession at the head of the Dutch-speaking Social Democratic Party.
Vooruit’s presidential election is expected to be held in early June, several months ahead of schedule.
The young thirty-year-old was elected in November 2019, for 4 years, to the presidency of the SP.A, which he has since transformed into Vooruit. Beyond the name change, the political formation has evolved both in substance and in form.
Omnipresent on social networks, King Connah (his Instagram pseudonym) quickly won over Generation Y, while not hesitating to mix politics and entertainment. The president of Vooruit, for example, did not hesitate to dress up as a rabbit to participate on VTM in the “Mask Singer” show, assuming the mix of genres.
A straightening of the discourse
On the merits, the socialist did not hesitate to right his speech on several occasions, with very critical remarks on the FGTB, Wallonia or the unions. “When I walk in Molenbeek, I don’t feel like in Belgium“, he also said.
Ahmed Laaouej, leader of the PS group in the Chamber, had reproached him in particular for the repetition of remarks “as stupid as they are xenophobic, intended to speak to part of Flemish public opinion.”
Despite criticism, particularly from the French-speaking side, this seductive BV (bekende Vlamingen, famous Flemish) is positioning itself as a bulwark once morest Vlaams Belang, while the polls place this party in the lead in the north of the country.
The posture is not devoid of foundation, to read the latest polls. Vooruit collects 15.2% of voting intentions and records a margin of progress of 4.4 points compared to 2019. The Flemish socialists, admittedly far behind the Vlaams Belang (24.8%) and the N-VA (21, 5%), thus appear as the third political formation in Flanders, clearly ahead of the Open VLD (12.1%) and the CD&V (9.6%).
Given his popularity, some are even talking regarding the possibility of Conner Rousseau succeeding Alexander De Croo as Prime Minister. A position for which the president of the French-speaking socialists, Paul Magnette, has already declared himself a candidate.
A pre-agreement with the N-VA?
Suspicions of a pre-agreement between Vooruit and the N-VA to form the future backbone of the federal government and the Flemish executive have also been widely discussed in the Flemish press, following a lunch between Bart De Wever and Conner Rousseau in a “ trendy restaurant”, last year.
The denials followed, without however convincing.
In his presidency statement on social networks, Conner Rousseau looks ahead to the 2024 elections. He cites the work of ministers Frank Vandenbroucke, whom he himself brought out of retirement to entrust to him with the management of the Covid crisis. , and Caroline Gennez to the federal government, ensuring “keep his word” for the defense of purchasing power, health, as well as the increase in wages and pensions.
But he also says he is concerned regarding education, care and the climate… So many subjects on which he says he wants to take responsibility.
As Conner Rousseau declares himself a candidate for his own succession at the head of the Dutch-speaking Social Democratic Party, his popularity only continues to grow. Despite criticism and suspicions, the young president of Vooruit has positioned himself as a bulwark once morest the far-right party, Vlaams Belang. With the possibility of future leadership roles, including potentially succeeding Alexander De Croo as Prime Minister, Rousseau’s future in politics looks bright. His focus on education, care, and the climate shows a dedication to important issues that will impact the people of Flanders. Only time will tell what lies ahead for Conner Rousseau and the Vooruit party, but his ambition and determination will no doubt continue to contribute to the political landscape of Belgium.
