As a guest on “22h Rochebin” on LCI, MR President Georges-Louis Bouchez defended a clearly universalist and secular vision of society, while warning of new geopolitical threats.
Regarding the film about Samuel Paty, he denounced the mockery and criticism from certain political figures, stating that “we are sowing discord” when we can no longer even achieve unity on major causes such as defending teachers and freedom of expression.
Georges-Louis Bouchez warned against identity-based drifts that involve granting rights or special status based on visible characteristics. In his view, this fuels racism and strengthens the far right, contrary to the fight for equal rights championed by the liberal tradition. He reaffirmed his commitment to a strict secularism of the state and his opposition to religious symbols within the police and administration.
Asked about police violence, he rejected a purely identity-based reading of the debate: the only real question, in his view, is whether violence exists and how to prevent it, while also acknowledging violence against police officers.
On the international front, Georges-Louis Bouchez recalled the strategic importance of the Ukrainian conflict and the need to “reverse the balance of power” against Russia in order to secure Europe durably. He also stressed the rise of hybrid threats and the “light warfare” waged notably through drones, calling for Belgian and European defence systems to be adapted to this new reality.