Federal Energy Minister plans legal action for defamation against the leader of the Francophone liberals.

Earlier this week, Mr Bouchez said that he believes that a commission of enquiry should be set up to examine Ms Van der Straeten and the former CEO of the electricity grid management company Elia, Chris Peeters’ handling of the extension of the working life of Belgium’s nuclear power plants. Mr Bouchez claims that lies were told.   

In the newspaper interview, Ms Van der Straeten told ‘De Standaard’ that "This is slander. Twice Mr Bouchez has said that I am lying, that I have instrumentalised Elia's analyse (of the impact of closing the nuclear plants) and that a commission of enquiry should be set up. We are talking about a commission that has the same powers as an examining magistrate, including the power to conduct searches. Is it really the case that such a commission should be set up because the leader of the MR has a different opinion about the policy to be pursued?". 

"If Mr Bouchez want the political debate to take place through the judiciary then I will file a complaint against what he has said and moreover I have the legal grounds to do so”. Even in the run up to an election it would be quite unprecedented that a Minister take legal action against the leader of a party that is a coalition partner.

The Flemish green minister accuses Mr  Bouchez of “bully politics”. 

"A government is a team, but Mr Bouchez does nothing but make full-on personal attacks using comments that are completely unfounded. This is a new low in politics".

Ms Van der Straeten added that after the election she doesn’t see herself playing a part in a new federal government coalition if it includes the MR led by Mr Bouchez. "I would like to continue my work, but with the MR behaving like this? No way."