"Keep it up, Mr Bouchez, we're counting on you!" "When will you bring the MR to Flanders?" "Could we take a photo with you?" "We should have someone like you in Flanders!" "Let them talk..."
Pats on the back and warm reactions like these are gradually becoming the norm whenever Georges-Louis Bouchez is in Waregem.
On Tuesday 2 September, he took part in the Heart for Brain horse race at Waregem Koerse. Georges-Louis Bouchez took his seat in a sulky alongside an experienced jockey to race against well-known Flemish figures at the Gaverbeek racecourse. The proceeds went to the non-profit Heart for Brain, which supports people with neurological conditions.
Four out of ten people will at some point be affected by a neurological condition such as epilepsy, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, brain tumours, dementia or multiple sclerosis. This year, the organisation drew special attention to brain tumours.
Georges-Louis was happy to accept the invitation from young entrepreneur Jonas Van Poucke to be co-driver for his participating company Poucke, which specialises in rural fencing. The two had met in June at a talk given by Georges-Louis Bouchez at Unizo West-Vlaanderen in Waregem. This is not the first time the MR President has been to Waregem Koerse. In 2022, he was already a guest at the racecourse of the Waregem town council and in the tent of the late Willy Naessens.
After his race, Bouchez visited several partner companies of Waregem Koerse and mingled with the festive crowd. The racecourse almost seemed to have become his second home. People came up to him everywhere, wanting to chat or take a photo.