French-speaking Belgium's Culture Minister Elisabeth Degryse has hit back at Georges-Louis Bouchez' comment that "I don't see why [Belgium] needs a Culture Minister".
The remark has provoked backlash, with artists defending their contribution to society and political opponents condemning the "Trumpian" drift of the MR leader.
Elisabeth Degryse, Minister-President and Culture Minister for the Brussels-Wallonia Federation (FWB), also know as the French Community Government, contributed to the debate on Tuesday.
She stated that the comment is an "occasion to identify that for us, Les Engagés, culture is essential. I do not agree with what Mr. Bouchez said."
FWB Minister-President Elisabeth Degryse. Credit: Belga / Bruno Fahy
In the Le Soir interview that contained the controversial comment, Bouchez justified his opinion by pointing to the United States, where he says there is no Culture Minister yet American blockbusters "dominate the world."
However, the US created the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) in 1965, two cultural agencies charged with promoting the arts during the Cold War.
"Culture cannot be left solely to market forces," Degryse states. She previously stated on social media that "you have to compare apples and apples. There are great museums in Washington that are funded by the US Federal Government."
She also rejected the notion that cultural subsidies are superfluous and reiterated her support for artist status.
