Elected representative of the Green party, Jessika Soors, has been criticised for subtitling a video in which she invited people to the Federal Parliament for a 'national dialogue' in Dutch, French and Arabic.
Soors, a former deradicalisation official, said that choosing Arabic as the third subtitle language was a deliberate choice. "This way I can involve as many people as possible in an accessible way. I want to show that everyone is welcome in the Parliament to participate in our politics," she said.
Ik zal alle talen die ik spreek benutten om burgers maximaal bij politiek te betrekken en dialoog aan te gaan. Deze keer was dat Nederlands, Frans, Arabisch. Volgende keer doe ik het in het Duits, Spaans of Russisch. #allemaalmensen #samensemblehttps://t.co/p87MJnx0h1
— Jessika Soors (@JessikaSoors) October 24, 2019
"I will speak all the languages I know to involve as many citizens as possible in politics. This time it was Dutch, French and Arabic. Next time I will do it in Spanish and Russian," she said on Twitter.
However, Soors received a lot of criticism on Twitter for her video.
Van wanneer is het Arabisch een officiële landstaal @JessikaSoors? Redelijk discriminatorisch tegenover de Duitstaligen? Achua Groen is onder @MeyremAlmaci toch al een Moslimpartij #Dhimmi #Kiesvee pic.twitter.com/FQxrqqyEts
— Christophe den Keekenfretter (@ChristoS9206) October 24, 2019
Translation of Tweet: "Since when is Arabic an official national language? Pretty discriminatory towards German-speakers? Oh well, Groen is already a Muslim party under @MeyremAlmaci anyway."
Volgens Groen parlementslid Jessika Soors is Arabisch onze nieuwe landstaal. Wanneer is het aan Turks, Bulgaars en Congolees? pic.twitter.com/an3lthqpvy
— Süleyman Çelik (@celiksuley) October 24, 2019
Translation of Tweet: "According to MP Jessika Soors Arabic is our new national language. When will it be Turkish, Bulgarian and Congolese?"
Maïthé Chini
The Brussels Times
