This Sunday, on the set of Rendez-Vous, Pierre-Yves Jeholet (MR) made comments considered by some to be racist. While he was debating with Nabil Boukili (PTB) on the wearing of the Islamic veil, the minister-president of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, in disagreement with his opponent, told him that he was “not obliged to remain in Belgium”. What do the population think?
The RTL info team went to meet the Belgians in order to gather their feelings on the comments of Pierre-Yves Jeholet which have sparked controversy since this Sunday.
“Regardless of the position taken for or against the veil, the final answer, I do not appreciate it at all”indicates this passer-by from Liège.
To obtain his opinions, we put the sentence in context by going back in this debate on the neutrality of the State. “It’s quite clumsy, you have to admit,” admits another resident. “It is perhaps also simply an excess of language or a little irritation on the part of Pierre-Yves Jeholet in my opinion.”
“Let’s not go too far, Boukili is as Belgian as Jeholet”this citizen annoys. “He’s a Belgian, where does that go to him? Home is Belgium.”
“I think that Pierre-Yves Jeholet was perhaps a little lacking in arguments in the face of the debate perhaps”analyzes a young man, while the remarks amuse some. “A politician who expresses himself like that! No, eh!”, laughs this lady. Has he gone too far for her? “Yes, honestly, he didn’t think…”
UNIA’s opinion
The Center for Equal Opportunities and the Fight against Racism, UNIA, obviously also looked into this video. “He addresses Mr. Boukili because of his origin, for what he is, not for what he says, not on his arguments”explains Patrick Charlier, director of UNIA. “In this sense, it is problematic. It is a form of ordinary racism. It is not against the law, we cannot consider that it is an incitement to hatred, violence or discrimination.”
elections 2024 politics Pierre-Yves Jeholet controversy
