<picture class="article__media"> <img src="https://img.lemde.fr/2023/11/28/0/0/1500/1099/664/0/75/0/bf2a57b_314701-3349289.jpg" alt="Images Le Monde.fr" width="100%" height="auto"> </picture> <noscript> <img src="https://img.lemde.fr/2023/11/28/0/0/1500/1099/664/0/75/0/bf2a57b_314701-3349289.jpg" alt="Conner Rousseau, announcing his resignation as president of Vooruit, Brussels, November 17, 2023."> </noscript> <figcaption class="article__legend" aria-hidden="true">Conner Rousseau, announcing his resignation as president of Vooruit, Brussels, November 17, 2023. JAMES ARTHUR GEKIERE/BELGA VIA AFP </figcaption>

Wearing impeccably white sneakers and an equally immaculate shirt with an unbuttoned collar, one day in December 2019, Conner Rousseau took care to present a rather unusual look for a visit to the Palace of Brussels, where King Philippe was waiting for him, anxious to facilitate the establishment of a government for his country. The former head of communications for his party became its president at the age of just 26. He was quickly dubbed "KingConnah" by the press, rejuvenating the image of an old-fashioned socialist party, going as far as changing its name to Vooruit ("forward") in 2021.

Thanks in particular to a massive presence on social media, the young president was racking up success after success, improving both the image and the popularity of the old party founded in 1885. Asked one day about his ambition to become prime minister of the kingdom, the "King" replied with a smile: "It's not [my] goal, but why not."

Now, six months ahead of the Belgian elections, the young law expert's fine career has taken a new turn. Conner Rousseau announced his resignation from the party presidency on November 17, following the revelation of remarks made at a drunken party in front of police officers in his home town of Saint-Nicolas, in East Flanders.

The patrol was called out for a night-time disturbance, and was taken to task by the politician, with the confrontation recorded by a body camera. The daily newspaper <a href="https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20231117_96422687" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="Nouvelle fenêtre">Het Nieuwsblad</a> published the transcript on November 16: "In my building, everyone is racist and I can understand that. It's always those brown people. As far as I'm concerned, you have to attack them harder. You have to use your truncheons a lot more (...) Otherwise, no respect." "Every fucking day, there are these Roma or other Gypsies with their mattresses or their deep fryers near the glass bubble [glass recycling container]. (...) There's nothing else left to be done with these bastards."

After also attacking a punk whose yellow Mohawk is famous in the city – "You've got to use the truncheon to beat the shit out of that ugly fat bastard" – Rousseau called out the policemen, shouting, "I know you all vote for the Vlaams Belang," the far-right party favored in the Flanders polls for the June 2024 federal parliamentary elections. The officers were also threatened with reprisals: "Try putting me in a cell! It won't be your best day." The scene ended with a sexist comment about one of his friends, who tried to calm him down.

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The 30-year-old was forced to resign as Vooruit president after making racist remarks, particularly against the Roma community. A major blow for the socialists in the run-up to the general elections.{ai:summary}Conner Rousseau, former president of Vooruit party, resigned after making racist remarks during a drunken party with police officers in East Flanders. He called for harsh treatment of "brown people" and attacked Roma and Gypsies. Rousseau also threatened the officers and made sexist comments. #politics