Former State Secretary for Asylum and Migration Theo Francken (N-VA) was the political studio guest at ‘VTM News’ this afternoon. From his explanation it could be concluded that, according to him, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lahbib is “insufficiently competent” to be foreign minister. In addition, he also advised “not to vote for Vlaams Belang at federal level, but for N-VA, since Vlaams Belang and its party can never form a federal majority”.
LOOK. Theo Francken (N-VA) calls Lahbib “insufficiently competent”
Tomorrow, Minister Lahbib will have to answer to parliament again for the visas she has issued to the mayor of Tehran and an Iranian delegation, but Francken is convinced that the government will go further with her: “With the mantle of love, they leave it that way.”
According to Theo Francken, today’s National Security Council is therefore a diversionary maneuver since, according to him, there is no threat to Belgium at all and a Security Council is not planned in “any other European country”. “A total lightning rod”, it sounds.
“Lahbib is insufficiently competent as foreign minister”
When asked why N-VA chairman Bart De Wever and he immediately demanded the resignation of Minister Lahbib when the matter came to light and all the facts were not yet known, he says that this is not a political game. “She has not told the truth in parliament. It is very clear to us from the beginning that issuing visas to Iran, to such figures within that system, who have held Olivier Vandecasteele hostage for more than a year, is totally unacceptable.” According to Francken, it is therefore very logical that the party takes a clear position.
Next year, our country will assume the presidency of the EU and, according to Francken, Lahbib is therefore not the right person to fill this presidency with her position as Minister of Foreign Affairs. “I think she is not competent enough. She has too little political experience.” According to Francken, a foreign minister in Belgium can normally function in the shadows, but “due to the war in Ukraine and everything that is going on internationally, Foreign Affairs has become a very important department”. Francken is therefore convinced that in these times we need someone with a lot of experience “like at the time with Didier Reynders and Sophie Wilmès. Now we have someone who has never been in a parliament and has no experience at all”. According to the N-VA politician, there is a good chance that a similar issue could arise again.
“Magnette will have to talk to us”
Paul Magnette lashes out in several interviews this weekend: “If the Flemish people want independence, they should organize a referendum”, says the PS chairman. Furthermore, Magnette indicated that he does not want to talk about confederalism and that after the elections he will do everything he can to avoid cooperation with N-VA. “That is very unfortunate, but he should know that. We are the N-VA, the strongest party in Flanders and we will try to convince all Flemish people to choose us and then Magnette will have to talk to us. That will not be a choice.” If N-VA wants a confederal model with more Flemish self-government, Franken is aware that they will “have to talk to other parties on the other side of the language border”.
“Voting for Vlaams Belang at federal level is useless”
On our side of the language border, Francken advises not to vote for Vlaams Belang at federal level, which he says is “useless” and “a lost vote”. “If we want more Flemish self-government, then you have to vote for N-VA. Vlaams Belang and N-VA will never achieve a federal majority. In the Flemish Parliament, a majority with Vlaams Belang is possible, but nothing is decided about the state structure there.” According to Francken, a vote for N-VA at the federal level gives the opportunity to take steps towards Flemish self-government.
Watch the full studio conversation with Theo Francken below:
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