The president of the Liège federation of the PS Frédéric Daerden, in turn, called on Sunday, on the set of the program “It’s not every day on Sunday”, for the resignation of the entire office of the Walloon Parliament, its president Jean-Claude Marcourt (PS) included, thus following the remarks made on Friday by its party president Paul Magnette.
This week, we discovered the astronomical amount of the luxurious trip to Dubai by Jean-Claude Marcourt, the President of Parliament and the Clerk, Frédéric Janssens. Said clerk who incidentally had expensive tastes donning work trips and restaurants. All at taxpayer expense. Should Jean-Claude Marcourt and the office resign as Paul Magnette wishes? Will these expenses put a further strain on the Walloon budget, which is already dying?
“It’s an important gesture”
Frédéric Daerdenne, vice-president of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation but also a member of the Liège PS like Jean-Claude Marcourt, revealed that on the set of “It’s not every day on Sunday” that the president of Parliament would be ready to resign : “I think the five board members should resign. I have the impression that the PS and the two members of the PS office agree to follow this logic. I think he (Marcourt) is ready to follow this logic. It’s not an admission of guilt, but for the institution, it’s an important gesture.”
“The president of the PS expressed something wise on Friday. The office, and its president, should step aside (…) I would be surprised if the majority parties (PS-MR-Ecolo, editor’s note) n don’t go that way”, added the one who is also Minister of the Budget in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. Jean-Claude Marcourt has not yet spoken on this subject.
“Have I been to Dubai? No”
The option of the resignation of the entire office is however contested by the partners of the Walloon majority. Ecolo deputy Manu Disabato announced that he would resign from his post as a member of the bureau… if President Jean-Claude Marcourt remained in place. “Like Paul Magnette, we believe that the president’s situation has become untenable and his maneuver to include everyone is unfair”did he declare.
“Beyond the trip to Dubai, he (M. Macrourt, editor’s note) bears primary responsibility for the actions of the clerk against the staff. He showed a lack of proactivity and delays in dismissing the clerk and on the reforms.essential rms that could have been put in place much earlier, the affair broke out 3 months ago)”. Have I been to Dubai? No, I suggested that no one go. Have I held back consolidation and reforms? No, I took the initiative. But let’s be clear: if the president remains in office, I will resign.”
“Put the blame on others is not the right thing to do”added Walloon Budget Minister Adrien Dolimont (MR), speaking in a personal capacity.
To his eyes, “certain shortcomings are highlighted in the head of the clerk and the president“. He judged”not appropriate” a resignation of the entire Bureau calling instead for “recovering serenity”. On Friday, PS President Paul Magnette called for the resignation of the entire Bureau of the Walloon Parliament, President Jean-Claude Marcourt (PS) included. The latter has not yet spoken.
In the evening, the other PS member of the Bureau, Sophie Pécrials, had announced her resignation from the body.
In September, the Bureau had decided to suspend for 6 months, with immediate effect, the clerk of parliament Frédéric Janssens, in the turmoil following a complaint for harassment and the explosion of the expenses of the assembly. In other words, the clerk keeps his salary during his suspension.
Since then, revelations published last week in Le Soir on controversial trips, including one made last year to Dubai by the clerk of parliament and its president as part of the Universal Exhibition, have also caused controversy. Finally, the explosion of parliamentary expenditure within the framework of the building sites of the parliamentarians’ house and the pedestrian junction between the car park and the assembly is also scandalous.