No punishment can yet be meted out against Kathleen Depoorter (Flemish nationalist N-VA) MP, who drove a golf buggy through the streets of the jet-set West Flemish seaside resort of Knokke, while drunk at the wheel. As an MP Depoorter enjoys parliamentary immunity. With her support her immunity was lifted by parliament but for proceedings in the wrong court.
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Lawmaker escapes punishment for drunken jaunt in golf buggy through jet-set Knokke for now
Colin Clapson
Published:
It was in June 2023 that police in Knokke-Heist stopped a golf cart on the public highway. Kathleen Depoorter, federal member of parliament for the Flemish nationalist N-VA was at the wheel. She appeared to be drunk, is not wearing a seatbelt and there are more people in the golf cart than permitted. Moreover, the vehicle is not insured.
The lawmaker faces prosecution for all these offences in a police court, but because she is a member of parliament, her parliamentary immunity must first be lifted.
It is this procedure that went wrong. The public prosecutor's office asked the speaker of the chamber of representatives to lift Depoorter's immunity so that she can be summoned to appear before a criminal court, rather than the police court.
Back to square one
Because Depoorter's offences must indeed be dealt with by the police court, the whole procedure now needs to be repeated.
This does not mean that Depoorter will escape prosecution, but the proceedings will have to start all over again. The public prosecutor's office will now again have to request the speaker of the lower house of parliament gets the lawmaker’s parliamentary immunity lifted for prosecution before a police court. Hopefully, lawmakers will now be able to take a decision that can allow prosecution.