2023-10-02 16:23:13
The leadership of the liberal party still cannot agree on the extension of the mandate of Montois whose presidency is causing unease at the top of the party.
The MR met in political office this Monday. On today’s agenda, the party presidency, an issue which gave rise to exchanges described at several sources as heated between several liberal tenors and President Georges-Louis Bouchez. The meeting lasted several hours without a decision being reached.
As a reminder, the presidential mandate of Montois ends at the end of November, and it has been several weeks since the top of the MR cannot agree on the direction to take as the election campaign begins. A consensus seemed to have emerged to extend the presidency of “GLB” for another year rather than organizing an internal election. It remained to define the way in which the party would “frame” its role in the management of lists, government negotiations and the appointment of ministers. The situation has clearly changed.
Worrying survey
Several sources indicate that Willy Borsus, current leader of the party in the Walloon government, would no longer oppose, among other barons, to an internal election. If not everyone in the MR is in favor of it because of the risk of division that it entails, a fed-up with the “Boucher style” seems to be becoming widespread. In question, his media adventures, his communication, a weakness in terms of production of ideas and his inability to agree with other party presidents with a view to forming majorities. “But no one is openly calling for an internal election,” says a tenor.
The RTL-Le Soir poll published Friday evening and giving, at the Walloon level, a comfortable majority to a PS-Ecolo-Engagés alliance has tensed up the liberals. The PS makes no secret of it, following the elections on June 9, he will choose to work without the MR wherever possible.
Several sources indicate that the Michel family, which supported the candidacy of Georges-Louis Bouchez in 2019, “no longer knows what to do with him”. Sophie Wilmès, by far the most popular personality in the partywould not oppose an internal election either, but without wanting to get started.
The war of lists
The discomfort dates back to last summer. Georges-Louis Bouchez then proposed to his troops to communicate the main party candidates in January 2024, either following the extension of his presidential mandaterather than in October this year, as was initially planned.
This extension might seem natural, since the new statutes of the party extended the presidency from 4 to 5 years and that the proximity of the elections speaks for internal stability. But, above all, it would have strengthened the power of Montois in the choice of candidates.
An election without serious challenger might have been organized, but this was not the party’s choice, which reveals the discomfort of liberal leaders with their president.
Internally, some also mention the delicate question of the head of the European list which might go to both Charles Michel and Didier Reynders.
The first is in an uncomfortable situation since his mandate as President of the European Council ends in December 2024, making participation in the elections difficult, but not impossible.
The second, openly a candidate, came out strengthened by his mandate as European Commissioner since President Ursula von der Leyen entrusted him with the Competition portfolio following the departure of Margrethe Vestager. And might jostle on the Belgian scene if he does not obtain satisfaction.
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