Georges-Louis Bouchez, president of the Mouvement Réformateur (MR) party, attended a public meeting organised by the CSC trade union federation on Wednesday evening.
The meeting, held in Saintes, Walloon Brabant, aimed to clarify proposed reforms at various levels of government and their impacts on citizens.
Bouchez engaged briefly with union activists during the event, which proceeded without incident.
During the meeting, around 15 CSC members, including permanent staff, delegates, and activists, staged a symbolic protest to express their concerns and those of the workers they represent. The group represented sectors such as education, public services, and non-market services.
“We feel that hardly anyone voted for the measures being taken by the government regarding public services, labour rights, and social security,” the participants said before Bouchez’s arrival.
Upon arriving at the meeting, Bouchez approached the unionists, who voiced their concerns to him.
The MR leader responded by saying that reforms were essential to continue funding public services and noted that unions had supported education reforms.
The unionists countered that the MR had promised to reward workers, but the announced reforms would penalise them.
Bouchez acknowledged that he understood some concerns, but considered others to be unfounded.
He reminded attendees that the MR had promised to harmonise pension schemes, citing some differences as unjustifiable. He also expressed willingness to meet with unionists to discuss and clarify issues further.
Some police officers were present at the event, which remained peaceful.
