Georges-Louis Bouchez

Bouchez was born in Frameries on 23 March 1986 to modest, self-employed parents.{{Cite web|date=2019-11-29|title=Qui est Georges-Louis Bouchez ? Voici le portrait du nouveau président du MR|url=https://www.rtbf.be/info/belgique/detail_qui-est-georges-louis-bouchez-voici-le-portrait-du-nouveau-president-du-mr?id=10377329|access-date=2019-12-30|website=RTBF Info|language=fr-BE}} His grandparents were soldiers and mine workers originally from Italy.{{Cite news|date=2019-12-10|title=Georges-Louis Bouchez, un des informateurs en mission "pour le pays"|url=https://www.lesoir.be/266116/article/2019-12-10/georges-louis-bouchez-un-des-informateurs-en-mission-pour-le-pays|access-date=2019-12-29|newspaper=Le Soir|language=fr-BE}} He grew up in Colfontaine and Quaregnon, and attended l’École des Cannoniers in Mons from 1992 to 1998 and Collège Saint Stanislas in Mons for his secondary studies, where he graduated in 2004.

Bouchez studied law with a minor in political science at the Université Saint-Louis - Bruxelles from 2004 to 2007 and received his master's in public law from Université libre de Bruxelles two years later. His dissertation, under the guidance of Marc Uyttendaele, was titled Suite à la polémique de l’affaire Fortis : Jusqu’où la nécessité politique peut-elle aller dans la violation des règles de droit ?{{Cite web|title=Qui suis-je? {{!}} Georges-Louis Bouchez|url=https://www.glbouchez.be/qui-suis-je/|website=www.glbouchez.be|access-date=2019-12-29|language=fr-BE|archive-date=2019-12-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191230223640/https://www.glbouchez.be/qui-suis-je/|url-status=dead}}

After finishing his graduate studies in 2009, he began to work in the office of Cabinet minister Didier Reynders as an advisor. At the same time, he worked as a legal assistant at the Facultés Universitaires Notre-Dame de la Paix in Namur and later was appointed the law practice officer at UMons.

In December 2011, following the creation of a new government, Bouchez again became an advisor to Reynders, who had been appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs.

At age 20, he ran in his first election, running as a member of the Mouvement Réformateur for local elections in 2006 in the city of Mons. Placed fourth on the party list, he received 397 votes,{{Cite web|title=Elections 2006 - Elections communales de la Région Wallonne|url=http://electionslocales.wallonie.be/2006/fr/local_wallonia/home.html|access-date=2019-12-30|website=electionslocales.wallonie.be|language=fr-BE}} missing election by a few votes.{{Cite news|date=2019-11-29|title=Comment Georges-Louis le trublion est devenu Bouchez le président|url=https://www.lesoir.be/263787/article/2019-11-29/comment-georges-louis-le-trublion-est-devenu-bouchez-le-president|access-date=2019-12-30|newspaper=Le Soir|language=fr-BE}} In the 2010 elections, he was listed 8th on the MR's electoral list for the Senate.

In 2012, Bouchez was chosen by his colleagues in the MR to run at the top of the electoral list for communal elections in Mons.{{Cite web|title=Georges-Louis Bouchez, 25 ans, tête de liste MR à Mons|url=https://references.lesoir.be/article/georges-louis-bouchez-25-ans-tête-de-liste-mr-à-mons/|access-date=2019-12-30|website=references.lesoir.be|language=fr-BE}} He received 2,550 votes{{Cite web|title=Elections 2012 - Communales - Votes Nominatifs Commune de MONS - 1|url=http://electionslocales.wallonie.be/2012/fr/com/preferred/preferred_CGM53053_10.html|access-date=2019-12-30|website=electionslocales.wallonie.be|language=fr-BE}} and served as the Échevin for Budget, Finance, Employment and Sustainable Development for the city under Elio Di Rupo's PS-MR coalition.

During the 2014 regional elections Bouchez was listed as a first substitute{{Cite web|title=Elections de mai 2014: J. Galant tête de liste MR à la Région, G-L. Bouchez premier suppléant|url=http://www.sudinfo.be/art/899557/article/regions/mons/actualite/2014-01-10/elections-de-mai-2014-j-galant-tete-de-liste-mr-a-la-region-g-l-bouchez-premier|access-date=2019-12-30|website=sudinfo.be|date=10 January 2014 |language=fr-BE}} on the MR list and received 4,535 votes.{{Cite web|title=Elections 2014 - Parlement wallon - Votes Nominatifs Circonscription de Mons -|url=http://elections2014.belgium.be/fr/wal/preferred/preferred_WLC53053_4000038.html|access-date=2019-12-30|website=elections2014.belgium.be|language=fr-BE}} When Jacqueline Galant became federal minister of mobility, Bouchez became a Member of the Parliament of Wallonia and a member of the Parliament of the French Community of Belgium.

In April 2016, Jacqueline Galant resigned her role in the federal government following several controversies.{{Cite news|date=2016-04-15|title=Démission de Jacqueline Galant : Retour sur un mandat ministériel très décrié|url=https://www.lalibre.be/belgique/politique-belge/demission-de-jacqueline-galant-retour-sur-un-mandat-ministeriel-tres-decrie-570f3d2a35708ea2d486b64b|language=fr-BE|access-date=2019-12-30|newspaper=La Libre Belgique}} Because Bouchez was Galant's substitute, he lost his seats in both parliaments following her return.{{Cite web|title=Le député Georges-Louis Bouchez quitte le Parlement wallon|url=https://www.rtl.be/info/belgique/politique/le-depute-georges-louis-bouchez-quitte-le-parlement-wallon-810525.aspx|access-date=2019-12-31|language=fr-BE|website=RTL Info|date=15 April 2016 }} Four days later, as Bouchez was set to return to his role as Échevin, Mons mayor Elio Di Rupo changed his coalition partner from the MR to the cdH,{{Cite web|title=Coup de théâtre à Mons : Elio Di Rupo vire le MR de la majorité montoise, Georges-Louis Bouchez doit quitter le collège échevinal... (Vidéo)|url=http://www.sudinfo.be/art/1553252/article/2016-04-19/coup-de-theatre-a-mons-elio-di-rupo-vire-le-mr-de-la-majorite-montoise-georges-l|access-date=2019-12-30|website=sudinfo.be|date=19 April 2016 |language=fr-BE}} making Bouchez a communal councilor.

In June 2016, Bouchez became more involved in internal party politics. He joined the Centre Jean Gol, a liberal think tank, and worked to organize and brainstorm new policy ideas for the MR. At the Mouvement réformateur's 2016 policy convention, he fought against attempts by Louis Michel to get rid of compulsory voting,{{Cite news|date=2016-11-15|title=Supprimer le vote obligatoire? Bouchez dit oui|url=https://www.lecho.be/economie-politique/belgique/federal/supprimer-le-vote-obligatoire-bouchez-dit-oui/9830892.html|access-date=2019-12-30|newspaper=L'Echo|language=fr-BE}} advocated for a universal basic income,{{Cite news|date=2016-06-16|title="Une allocation universelle de 1.000 euros pour chacun"|url=https://www.lesoir.be/45820/article/2016-06-16/une-allocation-universelle-de-1000-euros-pour-chacun|access-date=2019-12-30|newspaper=Le Soir|language=fr-BE}} increased taxation on robots taking peoples jobs,{{Cite web|date=2017-04-22|title=La nouvelle idée de Georges-Louis Bouchez : Taxer les robots qui détruisent l'emploi|url=https://www.dhnet.be/actu/belgique/la-nouvelle-idee-de-georges-louis-bouchez-taxer-les-robots-qui-detruisent-l-emploi-58fa3ef6cd70e80512fd313e|access-date=2019-12-30|website=www.dhnet.be|language=fr-BE}} proposed a second round of elections so citizens could choose from possible coalition options,{{Cite web|date=2017-05-14|title=Changer notre système électoral? Des propositions concrètes sur la table|url=https://www.rtbf.be/info/belgique/detail_changer-notre-systeme-electoral-des-propositions-concretes-sur-la-table?id=9605536|access-date=2019-12-30|website=RTBF Info}} and advocated for the criminalization of those who praise the Nazi occupation of Belgium.{{Cite news|date=2018-08-10|title=Bouchez veut sanctionner la "banalisation" du "régime nazi"|url=https://www.lesoir.be/172352/article/2018-08-10/bouchez-veut-sanctionner-la-banalisation-du-regime-nazi|access-date=2019-12-30|newspaper=Le Soir|language=fr-BE}}

During the 2018 communal elections, rather than run under the Mouvement Reformateur, Bouchez formed a new opposition electoral alliance called « Mons en Mieux ! » (Mons for the Better!). He was joined by members of the cdH (including Opaline Meunier{{Cite news|date=2018-01-16|title=Opaline Meunier rejoint Georges-Louis Bouchez à Mons|url=https://www.lesoir.be/134372/article/2018-01-16/opaline-meunier-rejoint-georges-louis-bouchez-mons|access-date=2019-12-31|newspaper=Le Soir Plus|language=fr-BE}}), the PS and Ecolo, and the alliance was supported by the FGTB and CSC unions{{Cite web|date=2018-02-14|title=Bouchez attire deux syndicalistes à Mons|url=https://www.dhnet.be/regions/mons/bouchez-attire-deux-syndicalistes-a-mons-5a8321bdcd70f924c802b107|access-date=2019-12-31|website=www.dhnet.be|language=fr-BE}} The alliance received 22% of the vote,{{Cite news|date=2018-10-14|title=Mons: les résultats des élections communales 2018|url=https://www.lesoir.be/183097/article/2018-10-14/mons-les-resultats-des-elections-communales-2018|access-date=2019-12-31|newspaper=Le Soir|language=fr-BE}} gaining 11 seats in the local council, with eight of the seats won by people under 35 years old (the most since 1994). Bouchez himself received the third largest number of first preference votes in the city (4,976 votes).{{Cite web|title=Votes nominatifs {{!}} Elections 2018|url=https://elections2018.wallonie.be/fr/votes-nominatifs?el=CG&id=CGM53053&party=419|access-date=2019-12-31|website=elections2018.wallonie.be|language=fr-BE}}

However, the PS and Ecolo decided to form a coalition, shutting Bouchez out of a leadership role locally.{{Cite news|date=2018-11-06|title=Le PS et Ecolo constitueront la future majorité communale à Mons|url=https://www.levif.be/actualite/belgique/le-ps-et-ecolo-constitueront-la-future-majorite-communale-a-mons/article-normal-1050019.html|access-date=2019-12-31|newspaper=Le Vif/L'Express|language=fr-BE}}

On 19 March 2019 Charles Michel, leader of the Mouvement Réformateur, named Bouchez as the party's spokesperson during the federal election campaign.{{Cite web|last1=Alex|first1=Par|last2=re|date=2019-03-19|title=Georges-Louis Bouchez désigné porte-parole de la campagne électorale du MR|url=https://www.mr.be/georges-louis-bouchez-designe-porte-parole-de-la-campagne-electorale-du-mr/|access-date=2019-12-31|website=MR}}

In the 2019 federal elections, Bouchez was placed fourth on the MR electoral list for Hennuyère constituency in Braine-le-Comte, a relatively safe area for the MR electorally.{{Cite news|date=2019-03-20|title=Le MR n'a pas fait de cadeau à Georges-Louis Bouchez|url=https://www.lalibre.be/belgique/politique-belge/le-mr-n-a-pas-fait-de-cadeau-a-georges-louis-bouchez-5c92aaf37b50a60b45372ac1|access-date=2019-12-31|newspaper=La Libre Belgique|language=fr-BE}} He received 16,522 votes in Hainaut province, the second highest number of first-preference votes. However, he was not elected due to vote transfers within the electoral system. Nevertheless, he became a co-opted Senator for the MR,{{Cite news|date=8 July 2019|title=Même s'il n'a pas été élu, Georges-Louis Bouchez sera bien sénateur|url=https://www.lalibre.be/belgique/politique-belge/meme-s-il-n-a-pas-ete-elu-georges-louis-bouchez-sera-bien-senateur-5d230acd9978e215c76ec123|newspaper=La Libre Belgique|language=fr-BE}}{{Cite web|date=8 July 2019|title=Elections 2019: Georges-Louis Bouchez désigné sénateur coopté du MR|url=https://www.lesoir.be/235326/article/2019-07-08/elections-2019-georges-louis-bouchez-designe-senateur-coopte-du-mr|website=Le Soir}} getting sworn in on 12 July 2019.{{Cite web|title=Georges-Louis Bouchez: "Ce n'est pas un poste de substitution!"|url=https://www.telemb.be/article/georges-louis-bouchez-ce-nest-pas-un-poste-de-substitution|access-date=2019-12-31|website=La chaîne locale de la région Mons Borinage|date=12 July 2019 |language=fr-BE}} In the Senate, he worked with his colleagues to increase voting rights for Belgians living abroad in regional elections as well as increasing access to vaccines.{{Cite web|last=|date=|title=Droit de vote des étrangers - Groupe MR du Sénat|url=https://www.mrsenat.be/blog/2019/12/04/etendre-le-droit-de-vote-des-belges-a-letranger/|access-date=|website=|periodical=}}{{Cite journal|last=|date=20 February 2020|title=Le Journal du Médecin|url=https://www.lejournaldumedecin.com/actualite/comment-mieux-vacciner-la-population/article-normal-45739.html|access-date=|journal=Le Journal du Médecin|language=fr-BE}}

In October 2019, Bouchez was one of five candidates who ran to replace Charles Michel as leader of the Mouvement Réformateur.{{Cite web|date=2019-10-03|title=Georges-Louis Bouchez: "Je suis candidat à la présidence du MR"|url=http://sambre-meuse.lanouvellegazette.be/448841/article/2019-10-03/georges-louis-bouchez-je-suis-candidat-la-presidence-du-mr|access-date=2019-12-31|website=Édition digitale de Sambre Meuse|language=fr-BE}} On 28 November 2019 Bouchez was elected leader of the party, beating rival Denis Ducarme in the second round with 62% of the vote.{{Cite news|date=29 November 2019|title=Georges-Louis Bouchez devient le nouveau président du MR|url=https://www.lalibre.be/belgique/politique-belge/presidence-du-mr-selon-les-premieres-tendances-georges-louis-bouchez-l-emporte-facd-a-denis-ducarme-5de128939978e272f9427e9c|access-date=December 31, 2019|newspaper=La Libre Belgique|language=fr-BE}}

On 10 December 2019 Bouchez was appointed Informateur by King Philippe along with Joachim Coens, leader of CD&V, in an attempt to find a workable government coalition following the 2019 federal election.{{Cite news|date=10 December 2019|title=Le Roi nomme Bouchez et Coens comme informateurs: pourquoi ce choix du Palais?|url=https://www.lalibre.be/belgique/politique-belge/le-roi-nomme-bouchez-mr-et-coens-cdv-comme-informateurs-5deffbf1d8ad58130dcfbe41|access-date=2019-12-31|newspaper=La Libre Belgique|language=fr-BE}} After being unable to find a solution, both men were discharged from their informateur duties on 31 January 2020.

{{Criticism section|date=February 2025}}

{{Undue weight section|date=February 2025}}

On January 8, 2022, Georges-Louis Bouchez declared: “Valérie Pécresse has been a Chiraquienne, a Sarkozyste, a Macroniste, and now she's bringing out the karcher. I have more respect for Zemmour than for Pécresse. I'd rather have someone whose ideas I disagree with, but who at least has consistency in his ideas, than someone who changes his mind all the time according to the poll curve”, before adding: ‘I'd vote for Macron, even though he's disappointed me a lot ’.{{Cite web |last=Gauvain |first=Pinto Ferreira Dos Santos |date=2025-01-15 |title=Georges-Louis Bouchez: "Même si je combats ses idées, j'ai plus de respect pour la constance d'Eric Zemmour que pour Valérie Pécresse" |url=https://www.lalibre.be/belgique/politique-belge/2022/01/08/georges-louis-bouchez-meme-si-je-combats-ses-idees-jai-plus-de-respect-pour-la-constance-deric-zemmour-que-pour-valerie-pecresse-EIY3M2CKFVC3FK7VQXVOUYMYCU/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=La Libre.be |language=fr}} This statement was denounced a few days later by Denis Ducarme, who described it as creating deep unease and regretted that the president of his party was “praising the extremist Éric Zemmour ”.{{Cite web |last=Gauvain |first=Pinto Ferreira Dos Santos |date=2025-01-15 |title="Un profond malaise", "Très malvenu", "Ce n'est plus possible": Ducarme fustige les propos de Bouchez sur Zemmour |url=https://www.dhnet.be/actu/societe/2022/01/10/un-profond-malaise-tres-malvenu-ce-nest-plus-possible-ducarme-fustige-les-propos-de-bouchez-sur-zemmour-E2VDPS2EYJHA7IRTDXFNZFJQWE/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=DHnet |language=fr}} The same is true of the Brussels Ecolo MP Ahmed Mouhssin: “With his outrageous speech questioning Islamophobia and supporting Éric Zemmour, he is polarizing society. This kind of discourse undermines solidarity “.{{Cite web |last=Rédaction |date=2025-01-15 |title=Bouchez réclame les excuses d'un député Ecolo : "Je ne vais plus tolérer ce genre de bassesses" |url=https://www.lalibre.be/belgique/societe/2022/02/11/votre-president-remet-en-question-lislamophobie-et-soutient-eric-zemmour-ahmed-mouhssin-charge-le-mr-4U7CDEYGCRAYZE5FBYLBTGEDOA/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=La Libre.be |language=fr}}

On April 21, 2022, Georges-Louis Bouchez debated the president of the Flemish far-right party Vlaams Belang on VRT's “Ter Zake” program. The debate was intended as a sort of replica of the Macron-Le Pen debate broadcast on French channels the day before the second round of the presidential election. The choice of Georges-Louis Bouchez was immediately criticized as a breach of the media cordon sanitaire against the far right, to which all French-speaking parties in Belgium had subscribed.{{Cite web |date=2022-04-22 |title=Débat Bouchez-Van Grieken: les réactions critiques des autres partis francophones |url=https://www.lesoir.be/437633/article/2022-04-22/debat-bouchez-van-grieken-les-reactions-critiques-des-autres-partis-francophones |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Le Soir |language=fr}}{{Cite web |last=Vif |first=Le |date=2022-04-22 |title=Débat avec l'extrême droite flamande: Georges-Louis Bouchez a enfreint un texte qu'il a... lui-même signé |url=https://www.levif.be/belgique/debat-avec-lextreme-droite-flamande-georges-louis-bouchez-a-enfreint-un-texte-quil-a-lui-meme-signe/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Le Vif |language=fr-BE}}

According to political scientist Dave Sinardet, its discourse is sometimes similar to that of the N-VA or Vlaams Belang, in that it regularly attacks Vivaldi.{{Cite web |last=Rédaction |first=La |date=2025-01-15 |title="L'attitude de Georges-Louis Bouchez peut faire des dégâts en Flandre" |url=https://www.lalibre.be/belgique/politique-belge/2023/01/17/le-politologue-dave-sinardet-attaque-georges-louis-bouchez-son-discours-ressemble-a-celui-de-la-n-va-ou-du-vlaams-belang-GU7QKMZITFAAVDOFXXIFB7AUXE/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=La Libre.be |language=fr}} This analysis is also shared by the press, as well as its political opponents, who recognize the “extreme-ritization” of the MR's (and its president's) discourse and proposals.{{Cite web |last=Decker |first=Nicolas De |date=2022-11-02 |title=Le MR de Georges-Louis Bouchez flirte-t-il avec l'extrême droite ? |url=https://www.levif.be/belgique/le-mr-de-georges-louis-bouchez-flirte-t-il-avec-lextreme-droite-la-droite-doit-arreter-de-se-cacher/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Le Vif |language=fr-BE}}{{Cite web |last=Marneffe |first=Adrien de |date=2025-01-15 |title=Le PS "communautariste", le MR qui "flirte avec l'extrême droite": dans les quartiers populaires de Bruxelles, une campagne à couteaux tirés |url=https://www.lalibre.be/belgique/politique-belge/2024/04/22/le-ps-communautariste-le-mr-qui-flirte-avec-lextreme-droite-dans-les-quartiers-populaires-de-bruxelles-une-campagne-a-couteaux-tires-YTD4HDCQBZCMTNNFP75D3IACLU/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=La Libre.be |language=fr}}{{Cite web |last=Marneffe |first=Adrien de |date=2025-01-15 |title="Si le MR continue d'avoir un discours proche de l'extrême droite, ce sera compliqué de gouverner avec eux" |url=https://www.lalibre.be/belgique/politique-belge/2023/09/17/si-le-mr-continue-davoir-un-discours-proche-de-lextreme-droite-ce-sera-complique-de-gouverner-avec-eux-UFXNBZHVY5FPRFQ7OGU6TBU4UU/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=La Libre.be |language=fr}}{{Cite web |last=Barkhuysen |first=Guillaume |date=2025-01-15 |title=Des activistes dénoncent "l'extrême-droitisation" du MR avec de l'affichage et des envois de mails : voici qui se cache derrière cette campagne |url=https://www.lavenir.net/actu/belgique/politique/2024/04/23/des-activistes-denoncent-lextreme-droitisation-du-mr-avec-de-laffichage-et-des-envois-de-mails-voici-qui-se-cache-derriere-cette-campagne-EMZ7VQ6PCJATVFYJREVG7TFMJI/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=lavenir.net |language=fr}} A joint analysis by UCLouvain and the University of Antwerp confirms these views.{{Cite web |last=Clevers |first=Antoine |date=2025-01-15 |title="On assiste à un virage à droite assez spectaculaire du MR" : comment le paysage politique belge a fortement évolué en cinq ans |url=https://www.lalibre.be/belgique/elections-belges/2024/05/21/on-assiste-a-un-virage-a-droite-assez-spectaculaire-du-mr-comment-le-paysage-politique-belge-a-fortement-evolue-en-cinq-ans-OUATF5S3XBE5JFPUK7SUQI3V4U/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=La Libre.be |language=fr}}{{Cite web |title=Les coulisses du pouvoir : en 5 ans, le monde politique a basculé vers la droite |url=https://www.rtbf.be/article/a-droite-toute-en-5-ans-les-partis-politiques-belges-ont-bien-evolue-11376570 |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=RTBF |language=fr}}

On September 24, 2024, during an appearance on Radio Judaïca, he described as a “stroke of genius” the beeper and walkie-talkie explosions in Lebanon on September 17 and 18, attributed to Israel and resulting in the deaths of 42 people and over 3,458 injuries.{{Cite web |title=L'attaque d'Israël sur les bippers du Hezbollah, 'un coup de génie', selon George-Louis Bouchez |url=https://www.rtbf.be/article/l-attaque-d-israel-sur-les-bippers-du-hezbollah-un-coup-de-genie-selon-george-louis-bouchez-11439272 |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=RTBF |language=fr}}

   I think this attack, on the contrary, is a stroke of genius. It's an extremely intelligent method. From the moment they had the beacons, it's clear that these people are part of the organization. What's more, this attack had another virtue. It completely revealed Hezbollah's organization chart [...] To say that this is a terrorist attack... Who are we talking about? At some point, people have the right to defend themselves against terrorists.

   Georges-Louis Bouchez, September 24, 2024

This statement was the subject of a current affairs question in the plenary session of the House of Representatives. Georges-Louis Bouchez caused a scandal by violating the rules of the House while the speakers were speaking, to the point of going up to the Speaker's rostrum without authorization.{{Cite web |last=NWS |first=VRT |date=2024-09-26 |title=Discussie over bieper-uitspraken van MR-voorzitter Bouchez verhit gemoederen in Kamer: "Schande voor parlement" |url=https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2024/09/26/brussels-gemeenteraadslid-team-ahidar-dient-klacht-in-egen-mr-vo/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=vrtnws.be |language=nl}}{{Cite web |title=Guerre au Proche-Orient : les déclarations de Georges-Louis Bouchez sur l'attaque aux bipeurs enflamment la Chambre |url=https://www.rtbf.be/article/guerre-au-proche-orient-les-declarations-de-georges-louis-bouchez-sur-l-attaque-aux-bipeurs-enflamment-la-chambre-11440344 |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=RTBF |language=fr}}

Following this statement, Brussels town councillor Mourad Maimouni lodged a complaint against Georges-Louis Bouchez for apologie for terrorism.{{Cite web |last=Kaesmacher |first=Charlotte |date=2025-01-15 |title=Un conseiller communal bruxellois dépose plainte contre Georges-Louis Bouchez pour "apologie du terrorisme" |url=https://www.lalibre.be/belgique/politique-belge/2024/09/26/un-conseiller-communal-bruxellois-depose-plainte-contre-georges-louis-bouchez-pour-apologie-du-terrorisme-BGZCLWXUZNGRRMPSPVGSOA7THA/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=La Libre.be |language=fr}}

In April 2024, the newspaper Le Vif wrote that Georges-Louis Bouchez had had an article suppressed from Moustique (IPM group), headlined Une enquête pointe les liens entre Georges-Louis Bouchez et les sociétés de paris sportifs.{{Cite web |last=Hermann |first=Benjamin |date=2024-04-03 |title=Georges-Louis Bouchez a-t-il fait supprimer un article? "Je jure que ce n'est pas le cas" |url=https://www.levif.be/belgique/politique/georges-louis-bouchez-a-t-il-fait-supprimer-un-article-je-jure-que-ce-nest-pas-le-cas/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Le Vif |language=fr-BE}} The depublication of this article was considered a “serious attack on press freedom” by Ecolo MP Gilles Vanden Burre.

The article in question is a French translation of the Humo investigation, which, through the testimony of leading figures from the OpenVLD, MR and Vooruit parties, demonstrates that Georges-Louis Bouchez has close links with several sports betting companies, including Ladbrokes.{{Cite web |last=Liekens |first=Raf |date=2024-03-28 |title=Het lobbywerk van de gokbedrijven: ‘Georges-Louis Bouchez laat zich als rallyrijder sponsoren door Ladbrokes’ |url=https://www.humo.be/nieuws/het-lobbywerk-van-de-gokbedrijven-georges-louis-bouchez-laat-zich-als-rallyrijder-sponsoren-door-ladbrokes~b0949ca7/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Humo |language=nl}} Groen MP Stefaan Van Hecke points out that Georges-Louis Bouchez is “sponsored by Ladbrokes as a rally driver”, while Melissa Depraetere, president of Vooruit, highlights the existence of “links between the MR and the boards of certain gambling companies ”.

On the other hand, Georges-Louis Bouchez is also accused of using his role as president of the MR to minimize the measures set out in the draft Royal Decree on the severe limitation of gambling advertising. Melissa Depraetere describes this decision as “highly questionable”, given the exemption of amateur soccer clubs from these measures, such as Royal Francs-Borains, also sponsored by LadBrokes, of which Georges-Louis Bouchez is chairman.{{Cite web |date=2023-10-20 |title=Le nouveau logo des Francs Borains à l'image de Georges-Louis Bouchez ? Il répond |url=https://www.lesoir.be/544758/article/2023-10-20/le-nouveau-logo-des-francs-borains-limage-de-georges-louis-bouchez-il-repond |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Le Soir |language=fr}}

In January 2022, the newspaper Le Vif pointed out that Georges-Louis Bouchez had been in an illegal situation since the summer of 2019 by combining his position as president of the SparkOH! science discovery park with his position as senator.{{Cite web |last=Decker |first=Nicolas De |date=2022-01-13 |title=Enorme bourde libérale : Georges-Louis Bouchez ne peut pas cumuler la présidence de Sparkoh ! (ex-PASS) et son siège de sénateur |url=https://www.levif.be/belgique/enorme-bourde-liberale-georges-louis-bouchez-ne-peut-pas-cumuler-la-presidence-de-sparkoh-ex-pass-et-son-siege-de-senateur/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Le Vif |language=fr-BE}} While Georges-Louis Bouchez declares that “there are dozens of officials who felt it wasn't a problem”, it turns out that, according to the Senate website, it's normally up to elected officials to check that their situation complies with the law. What's more, during his campaign for the MR presidency, GLB promised that he would step down from his position as co-opted senator if he were elected, something he has not done since.

On January 24, 2022, Georges-Louis Bouchez decided to resign as President of SparkOH! in order to remain a co-opted senator. While this illegal accumulation of mandates is not described as the “affair of the century”, it does reflect the tensions generated around Georges-Louis Bouchez's actions. PS provincial deputy Pascal Lafosse declared that Georges-Louis Bouchez “unacceptably places himself above the law and gives the impression that the law should only apply to others, not to him ”.{{Cite web |date=2022-01-24 |title=Georges-Louis Bouchez renonce à la présidence de Sparkoh! à Frameries |url=https://www.lesoir.be/419903/article/2022-01-24/georges-louis-bouchez-renonce-la-presidence-de-sparkoh-frameries |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Le Soir |language=fr}}{{Cite web |title=Georges-Louis Bouchez a choisi : il quitte la présidence du Sparkoh! pour rester au Sénat |url=https://www.rtbf.be/article/georges-louis-bouchez-a-choisi-il-quitte-la-presidence-du-sparkoh-pour-rester-au-senat-10921624 |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=RTBF |language=fr}}

In November 2021, a statement by Georges-Louis Bouchez concerning the presence of travellers in Harmignies led to a seizure by Unia.{{Cite web |last=G.La |date=2025-01-15 |title=Gens du voyage à Mons: Georges-Louis Bouchez prône un "harcèlement policier" |url=https://www.dhnet.be/regions/mons/2021/11/08/gens-du-voyage-a-mons-georges-louis-bouchez-prone-un-harcelement-policier-EZATZ4B5HJGSTM574EVIKEWHRQ/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=DHnet |language=fr}} In August 2024, he again targeted travellers as part of the campaign for local elections. According to Unia, these new remarks contribute to the stigmatization of this community.{{Cite web |last=Santos |first=Gauvain Dos |date=2025-01-13 |title=Interrogé sur Julie Taton, Georges-Louis Bouchez bifurque sur les gens du voyage : "Humiliation permanente", réagit la communauté |url=https://www.dhnet.be/actu/elections-belges/elections-communales/2024/08/29/interroge-sur-julie-taton-georges-louis-bouchez-bifurque-sur-les-gens-du-voyage-humiliation-permanente-reagit-la-communaute-QR65GZ5THRB43K7GR7X2RHS3DQ/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=DHnet |language=fr}}

To sit in the new De Croo government, Georges-Louis Bouchez proposed two ministers: Sophie Wilmès - former Prime Minister - and David Clarinval, former Minister for the Civil Service, as well as a Secretary of State, Mathieu Michel, President of the Provincial College of Walloon Brabant, son of Louis Michel and brother of Charles Michel.{{Cite web |title='Image dégueulasse', 'fonctionnement de clan mafieux': malgré les déclarations-choc, Georges-Louis Bouchez reste président du MR |url=https://www.rtbf.be/article/bureau-du-mr-le-president-georges-louis-bouchez-joue-t-il-sa-tete-10600793 |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=RTBF |language=fr}} He also appointed Denis Ducarme as minister to replace Valérie De Bue in the Walloon government, but quickly had to backtrack as an internal rule required at least a third of ministers to be women.{{Cite web |last=Marneffe |first=Adrien de |date=2025-01-15 |title=Colère noire des barons du parti, Georges Louis-Bouchez fait marche arrière : "C'est un énorme bordel en interne, le MR est humilié" |url=https://www.dhnet.be/actu/belgique/2020/10/01/colere-noire-des-barons-du-parti-georges-louis-bouchez-fait-marche-arriere-cest-un-enorme-bordel-en-interne-le-mr-est-humilie-ZJNYWLLZWRANPJFFDIVDPOIIKE/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=DHnet |language=fr}}

A number of female MR members show their support for Valérie De Bue.{{Cite web |last=Marneffe |first=Adrien de |date=2025-01-10 |title=Ça chauffe pour Georges-Louis Bouchez, les députées wallonnes manifestent leur soutien à Valérie De Bue: "Il faut revoir le fonctionnement" |url=https://www.dhnet.be/actu/belgique/2020/10/02/ca-chauffe-pour-georges-louis-bouchez-les-deputees-wallonnes-manifestent-leur-soutien-a-valerie-de-bue-il-faut-revoir-le-fonctionnement-ZSKBU2RH4VC3PFLZO3TAZKVEVA/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=DHnet |language=fr}} This episode created unease within the MR, with some party executives criticizing the lack of consultation and collegiality surrounding the appointments. On October 6, 2020, Georges-Louis Bouchez apologized in a video posted on social networks.{{Cite web |date=2020-10-06 |title=Tensions au MR: Georges-Louis Bouchez s'excuse (vidéo) |url=https://www.lesoir.be/329898/article/2020-10-06/tensions-au-mr-georges-louis-bouchez-sexcuse-video |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Le Soir |language=fr}} To put an end to the internal crisis, the party's executives decide to set up a “G11”, the aim of which is to create a forum for discussing decisions and ensuring a better exchange of information between the various players in the Mouvement Réformateur.{{Cite web |date=2020-10-06 |title=Tensions au MR: Georges-Louis Bouchez reste président, encadré d'un 'G11' |url=https://www.lesoir.be/329686/article/2020-10-06/tensions-au-mr-georges-louis-bouchez-reste-president-encadre-dun-g11 |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Le Soir |language=fr}} Willy Borsu declared that “this is Georges-Louis Bouchez's last chance ”.{{Cite web |last=Chardon |first=Frédéric |date=2025-01-11 |title=Denis Ducarme s'oppose à un changement de nom du MR : "Après une crise, il importe de garder les mêmes références" |url=https://www.dhnet.be/actu/belgique/2021/08/18/denis-ducarme-soppose-a-un-changement-de-nom-du-mr-apres-une-crise-il-importe-de-garder-les-memes-references-IRKQUDAXXBDHBKAOXZYYRVV33I/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=DHnet |language=fr}}

French-speaking Georges-Louis Bouchez is criticized for his poor understanding and use of Dutch, one of his country's official languages.{{Cite news |last=Segers |first=Jan |date=2020-01-23 |title=Bouchez et Rousseau, deux monolingues qui en disent long sur la Belgique - DaarDaar |url=https://daardaar.be/rubriques/opinions/bouchez-et-rousseau-deux-monolingues-qui-en-disent-long-sur-la-belgique/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20230615021946/https://daardaar.be/rubriques/opinions/bouchez-et-rousseau-deux-monolingues-qui-en-disent-long-sur-la-belgique/ |archive-date=2023-06-15 |access-date=2025-01-15 |work=DaarDaar |language=fr-FR}}{{Cite web |last=Mertens |first=Bastien |date=2022-01-15 |title=G.-L. Bouchez "plus conservateur que libéral", selon Van Quickenborne |url=https://www.moustique.be/actu/belgique/2022/01/15/bouchez-quickenborne-liberal-conservateur-jalousie-presidents-224063 |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Moustique |language=fr}} In his opinion, the Walloon education system is to blame for the fact that he doesn't speak Dutch when he leaves school.{{Cite web |last=A.Ca |date=2025-01-15 |title=Georges-Louis Bouchez : "Si je ne parle pas le néerlandais, c'est la faute du système scolaire wallon" |url=https://www.lalibre.be/belgique/politique-belge/2022/05/24/georges-louis-bouchez-si-je-ne-parle-pas-le-neerlandais-cest-la-faute-du-systeme-scolaire-wallon-M75RKLZT2BGKZHPMVV2JJMZWRY/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=La Libre.be |language=fr}}

In August 2024, Georges-Louis Bouchez was singled out by the press following a product placement posted on his social networks.{{Cite web |last=Gautier |first=Guillaume |date=2024-08-14 |title=Éthique? Quand Bouchez fait la pub de compléments alimentaires |url=https://www.levif.be/belgique/politique/quand-georges-louis-bouchez-fait-la-pub-de-complements-alimentaires-nouveaux-sponsors-des-francs-borains-lethique-limite-du-president-du-mr/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Le Vif |language=fr-BE}} The “new sponsor of the Francs-Borains” raises questions not only about the ethics and transparency that an elected official should adopt, but also about the link between the MR president and the sponsor's founder, Fabien Debecq, cited by the Panama Papers for owning accounts and shell companies in numerous tax havens.{{Cite web |date=2016-04-11 |title=Panama Papers: les trois offshore du président du Sporting Charleroi |url=https://www.lesoir.be/34993/article/2016-04-11/panama-papers-les-trois-offshore-du-president-du-sporting-charleroi |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Le Soir |language=fr}}

At the end of August 2024, Georges-Louis Bouchez's Wikipedia page became the subject of suspicions of self-promotion, in violation of Wikipedia's terms of use. These suspicions concern the modifications of a user whose eponymous linkedin page states that he has been a “SEO consultant” since January 2024 at Onlyne, the company that handles Georges-Louis Bouchez's communications.{{Cite web |last=info |first=R. T. L. |date=2024-09-03 |title="Cet article peut avoir été modifié en échange d'une rémunération ou d'avantages": Georges-Louis Bouchez épinglé par Wikipédia |url=https://www.rtl.be/actu/belgique/politique/cet-article-peut-avoir-ete-modifie-en-echange-dune-remuneration-ou-davantages/2024-09-03/article/706612 |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=RTL Info |language=fr}}{{Cite web |date=2024-09-03 |title=" Je vous le demande pour la dernière fois " : Georges-Louis Bouchez dans le collimateur… de Wikipédia ! |url=https://www.sudinfo.be/id875901/article/2024-09-03/je-vous-le-demande-pour-la-derniere-fois-georges-louis-bouchez-dans-le |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=sudinfo.be |language=fr}}{{Cite web |title=Tentatives d'influence sur Wikipédia : comment l'encyclopédie collaborative régule-t-elle les pages des personnalités politiques ? |url=https://www.rtbf.be/article/tentatives-d-influence-sur-wikipedia-comment-l-encyclopedie-collaborative-regule-t-elle-les-fiches-de-personnalites-politiques-11428396 |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=RTBF |language=fr}} On September 3, 2024, Georges-Louis Bouchez's spokesman admitted to the newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws that there had been a desire to modify the page, stating “you can see that the page is not complete ”.{{Cite web |last=Dupon |first=Yorin |date=2024-09-03 |title=Wat is er aan de hand met Wikipediapagina van Bouchez? Na aanpassingen prijkt er bovenaan rode waarschuwing |url=https://www.hln.be/binnenland/wat-is-er-aan-de-hand-met-wikipediapagina-van-bouchez-na-aanpassingen-prijkt-er-bovenaan-rode-waarschuwing~aac5d931/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Het Laatste Nieuws |language=nl}}

In September 2020, the daily Het Belang van Limburg described him as a “master saboteur, the Sarkozy of the Rue de la Loi who sees himself as greater than he is ”.{{Cite web |last=Lestanguet |first=Francois |date=2019-10-18 |title=Nicolas Sarkozy à Bruxelles à la rencontre de ses admirateurs |url=https://lesfrancais.press/nicolas-sarkozy-a-bruxelles-a-la-rencontre-de-ses-admirateurs/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=LesFrancais.press |language=fr-FR}}{{Cite web |title=Négociations fédérales : la presse flamande se déchaîne sur Georges-Louis Bouchez |url=https://www.rtbf.be/article/negociations-pour-un-gouvernement-federal-au-lendemain-de-l-echec-georges-louis-bouchez-est-le-nom-le-plus-cite-dans-la-presse-10590300 |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=RTBF |language=fr}}

On January 15, 2022, Belgian Federal Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne declared in the Flemish newspaper Het Laatste Niews that “Georges-Louis Bouchez barks while we act”. He described Georges-Louis Bouchez as someone who “always returns to the past”, and said of the MR that “it is not the Mouvement réformateur, but rather the Mouvement réactionnaire ”.{{Cite web |last=Vif |first=Le |date=2022-01-15 |title="Georges-Louis Bouchez aboie pendant que nous agissons" |url=https://www.levif.be/belgique/georges-louis-bouchez-aboie-pendant-que-nous-agissons/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Le Vif |language=fr-BE}}

On March 6, 2022, at an MR event in Namur, Georges-Louis Bouchez was “flogged” by Gilets Jaunes activists.{{Cite web |date=2022-03-06 |title=Georges-Louis Bouchez enfariné par des "Gilets jaunes" lors d'un brunch du MR à Namur (vidéo) |url=https://www.lesoir.be/428250/article/2022-03-06/georges-louis-bouchez-enfarine-par-des-gilets-jaunes-lors-dun-brunch-du-mr-namur |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Le Soir |language=fr}}

In 2023, he appeared on the reality show “Special Forces: qui ose gagne” on the Flemish channel VTM. As part of the show, several celebrities travelled to Morocco to take part in the Special Forces military training program, reputed to be the toughest in the world.{{Cite web |last=Marise |date=2023-05-02 |title="Un poids mort" : Georges-Louis Bouchez moqué après son passage dans une émission de téléréalité |url=https://www.moustique.be/actu/belgique/2023/05/02/un-poids-mort-georges-louis-bouchez-moque-apres-son-passage-dans-une-emission-de-telerealite-261436 |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Moustique |language=fr}} In it, an initial assessment of the candidates is made, and concerning the MR president, it is stated that he “thinks of himself first, not the team”. “You're dead weight. It's one thing for you to mean nothing to the team. But the fact that you're hurting it on top of that, that's unacceptable,” he is quoted as saying. He left the show after two episodes.{{Cite web |last=Rédaction |first=La |date=2025-01-14 |title=Georges-Louis Bouchez moqué après son passage dans une émission de téléréalité, le président du MR répond: "L'analyse de comptoir n'est pas morte..." |url=https://www.dhnet.be/actu/belgique/2023/05/02/georges-louis-bouchez-moque-apres-son-passage-dans-une-emission-de-telerealite-le-president-du-mr-repond-lanalyse-de-comptoir-nest-pas-morte-OLD2RFQLLJFOHIUGVROXWKFQXM/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=DHnet |language=fr}}{{Cite news |date=2023-05-22 |title=En Belgique, le plantage télévisuel de l'ambitieux dirigeant politique Georges-Louis Bouchez |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/m-le-mag/article/2023/05/22/en-belgique-le-plantage-televisuel-de-l-ambitieux-dirigeant-politique-georges-louis-bouchez_6174303_4500055.html |access-date=2025-01-15 |language=fr}}

In September 2023, Georges-Louis Bouchez was pied in the face at a book signing at the Fnac in Liège.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-02 |title=Georges-Louis Bouchez entarté en pleine séance de dédicaces (vidéo) |url=https://soirmag.lesoir.be/534722/article/2023-09-02/georges-louis-bouchez-entarte-en-pleine-seance-de-dedicaces-video |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Soirmag |language=fr}}

Apart from his political career, Bouchez is the owner and chairman of Challenger Pro League Boussu football club Francs Borains.

• G.-L. Bouchez, L'aurore d'un monde nouveau, Éditions du CEP, 2017. {{ISBN|978-2390070313}}

{{Commons category-inline}}

• {{Official website|https://www.glbouchez.be/ }}
• [http://www.mr.be Le Mouvement réformateur]
• [http://www.mrsenat.be Le Groupe MR du Sénat]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bouchez, Georges-Louis}}

Category:Members of the Parliament of the French Community

Category:Members of the Parliament of Wallonia

Category:Université libre de Bruxelles alumni

Category:People from Frameries

Category:Reformist Movement politicians

Category:1986 births

Category:Living people

Category:Members of the 56th Chamber of Representatives (Belgium)