This career has had strong moments and sadder moments. The sudden death of Jean Gol in 1995; the electoral victory of 2007 – historic for the liberals –; the banking crisis that Didier Reynders faces as minister; the revolt within the MR led by the “Renaissance group” which forced him to give up the presidency of the party; his tears, on this early morning in October 2014, when he understands that he will not be able to “go up” to the European Commission, not this time anyway…
Didier Reynders, an exceptional career and big disappointments for this “candidate for everything”
No consequences in Kazakhgate
Didier Reynders, throughout his long career, was also implicated in cases that went far beyond the hum of government management or the classic conflict between parties. In Kazakhgate, for example. According to the initial thesis, France would have put pressure on Belgium so that the businessman Patokh Chodiev would be freed from his legal troubles here. In 2011, Parliament adopted a law expanding the law allowing plea bargains. An extension which will be conveniently used by the billionaire in order to put an end to the proceedings against him.
Didier Reynders, at the end of his mandate in Finance, and part of his entourage were accused of having ensured the adoption of these provisions offering a way out for Chodiev. But this reading of the file gradually disintegrated. In 2018, a parliamentary commission of inquiry resolved the issue in a final report which considered that the process of adopting legal provisions regarding penal settlements had not been subject to manipulation.
The shadow of Kazakhgate moves away from Didier Reynders
The accusations of an “ex-spy”
Another serious accusation against the liberal, released in 2019 in the press just before the confirmation of his appointment to the post of European Commissioner: a judicial investigation had been opened against the man who was then Deputy Prime Minister. Nicolas Ullens de Schooten, a former State Security agent, had expressed to the PJ a series of allegations of corruption and money laundering against Didier Reynders.
-During his police interview, the former “spy” mentioned the payment of bribes in several cases. He cited, in particular, the move of the federal police to the Administrative Center in Brussels, Kazakhgate and a case relating to the “Libyan funds” file. But everything quickly deflates and the King’s Prosecutor decides to “close the case without further action”fault of the slightest offense“.
As a reminder, on March 29, 2023, the same Nicolas Ullens from Schooten will shoot his mother-in-law, Myriam Ullens, 70, six times, fatally hitting her. Nicolas Ullens’ father, Baron Guy Ullens, was present on the day of the tragedy.
Disbelief at MR: “I’m hallucinating”
Be careful, therefore, with regard to these new accusations. Given the stature of the character and the fact that the various “affairs” concerning him have not led to anything conclusive, the revelations concerning the recent searches at Didier Reynders’ home leave the blues wondering. Even skeptical. “I don’t understand anything about this story, I can’t even imagine its implication“, confides a decision-maker who knows the liberal well. Another close friend also says he is frightened: “I’m hallucinating. I can’t believe something like that.“Same thing for a third size from the “Reynders galaxy”: “I don’t see him going to buy fifty Lotto tickets at the tobacconist“…
“I don’t see him going to buy fifty Lotto tickets at the tobacconist…“
However, another senior MR official said he was troubled by the information revealed Tuesday evening. And Didier Reynders’ silence is worrying because it leaves room for speculation, analyzes this source. “I fall out of my chair with every piece of information that comes out in this file, look for example at the Lottery explanations…“On Wednesday afternoon, the body in charge of games of chance in Belgium issued a press release confirming the report of a single suspicious behavior in recent years which could be linked to money laundering. And it It’s definitely Didier Reynders…
