The disgraced Clerk of the Walloon Parliament Frédéric Janssens has addressed 22 allegations of misconduct against him, admitting fault but rejecting sole responsibility.
Janssens was suspended in September 2022 following 13 separate counts of bullying. Subsequent investigations revealed the extent of his abuses during his time in office. As well as workplace misconduct, the regional official was found to have carried out widespread abuses of power, overseeing a huge misallocation of public funds and in some cases profiting heavily.
The Parliament approved a "proposal for disciplinary action" on 25 October. The ensuing 41-page report details 22 separate grievances committed by Janssens. "Trust is irreparably broken," the document states.
Whilst Janssens has acknowledged certain errors – namely in his workplace relations – he insists that he has "always acted in accordance with the rules and in the interests of the institution." Moreover, he has sought to exempt himself from sole blame by asserting that certain decisions that showed up in the investigations were made with the full knowledge of other political actors.
He consequently expressed shock at becoming what he sees as a "scapegoat" for misdemeanours within the parliament.
Power, money, abuse
From his appointment in May 2018 until his suspension in September 2022, Janssens' responsibilities included assisting the President, overseeing meetings, and implementing decisions taken by the Parliament. The report argues that during his tenure, the clerk's decision-making role went "beyond what is permissible" and highlights a "deficient" approach to communicating these decisions to Parliament, which "justifies serious sanctions."
In particular, Janssens stands accused of misusing public funds for restaurant bills and travel. Records show that he spent an astonishing €74,000 on meals between 2019 and 2021. €27,261 of this was spent in 2019 – amounting to €110 per working day. In the same three-year period, French motorway charges cost the Parliament €2,442.60 (Janssens owns a second home near Marseille).
Separately, he amassed €25,000 in roaming costs while on holiday in Costa Rica in 2015, but this has been dropped from the official investigation.
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Janssens defends the expenses in question, arguing that at least €37,942.20 of the final figure is justified as it was used for the day-to-day running of the administration and the "gastronomic activities" of the Parliament. "As a result, over a period of 44 months, the maximum amount of expenses incurred was €36,046.72, or €819.24 per month," he stated.
Responding to the revelation that he spent €1,543.29 on taxis between 2017 and 2022 despite having a personal driver, Janssens reasoned that he uses taxis on occasions "when meetings drag on into the evening" to let his driver go home.
He is also suspected of giving preferential treatment to certain private companies.
Credit: Belga / Bruno Fahy
Regarding the 13 separate reports of harassment that triggered the first wave of scandal, Janssens is remorseful about his lack of empathy in the past but denies that he ever bullied anyone. "I made mistakes and I regret them. I regret the suffering they may have caused among assistants.
"I apologise to those I have disappointed. But I repeat that I am not a bully."
