The Prime Minister, Bart De Wever (Flemish nationalist N-VA), has severely criticised the US Ambassador in Belgium, Bill White, following his attacks on Flemish socialist leader Conner Rousseau and Deputy Premier Frank Vandenbroucke (Flemish socialist Vooruit).
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Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever censures US Ambassador Bill White
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Can Bill White still function as American ambassador in Belgium? ‘In diplomatic circles, it is the foreign minister Maxime Prévot (Francophone centrist) who takes responsibility for ensuring that an ambassador functions properly in our country,’ the Belgian leader, Bart De Wever, has said.
However, he immediately added: ‘It is not the job (of an ambassador) to constantly stir things up in domestic politics.’
De Wever went on to say that he has followed the controversy over the past week ‘from a distance, but with great surprise’. Ambassador White asked the Belgian governent to condemn Flemish socialist leader Rousseau after he drew parallels between Germany's 30s Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and the policies of US President Donald J. Trump.
‘Americans have a different diplomatic tradition than we do. In our country, an ambassador is usually someone who has made a career in the diplomatic service and eventually becomes an ambassador. The Americans have a tradition of sending out confidants of the president, some of whom – as we have experienced in the past – have very strong political opinions and are not afraid to express them.’
‘This ambassador is clearly doing this and also goes out of his way to seek controversy with national political figures. This we have not experienced earlier. It makes no sense whatsoever. It serves no purpose. Here we have an independent judiciary and freedom of expression.’
Ambassador White says Conner Rousseau is banned from the US.
‘You can say that you don't like what a politician has to say' De Wever notes. 'That falls under freedom of speech. But to attach political sanctions to it seems to me to be something we have never experienced before, and which does nothing to contribute to the normal functioning of two allies on the diplomatic level.’
‘None of this is pleasant to deal with, having an ambassador causing trouble in your own country,’ concludes De Wever. ‘I don't think that's his job. It contributes absolutely nothing and it should stop immediately, and I think Minister Prévot has made that clear.’