Marin will continue as Prime Minister of the Ministry of Supply for the time being. He is due to give up his post very soon after the new government is formed.
Seiska published in May of the articlewith a 30-year-old Belgian Democratic leader Conner Rousseau, 30, was speculated to be Marin’s new partner. For a while, relationship rumors were also mentioned in the story about Rousseau Wikipediain the article. The information was later deleted.
Conner Rousseau says that he gets along well with Marin both at work and in his free time. However, in an interview with , he makes it clear that the relationship is not that close.
Rousseau’s rise to the top of politics has been fast. He can be considered Belgium’s own Sanna Marin for many reasons.
In this story, we tell you who Belgian rising star Conner Rousseau is and what he has in common with Marin and other new generation politicians.
Caught the handle of power at a young age
Rousseau became the chairman of the Vooruit social democratic party in Flanders when he was only 26 years old. Since then, he has challenged citizens’ perceptions of politicians.
Like Marin, Rousseau shares everyday life as well as celebrations on social media – and collects both admiration and hatred.
Professor of communication at the University of Tampere Pekka Isotalus according to social media publicity is useful for a politician.
– If the voters are in IG, it is to the politician’s advantage to be there and build the image as he wants.
Rousseau and Marin belong to a new generation of politicians who rule the social game. The youngest prime minister in Denmark’s history, for example, belongs to the same caste Mette Frederiksen and the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi. By following their Instagram, people can get much closer to politicians than in the time before social media.
Conner Rousseau, like Marin, has shocked the media and the nation just by living an ordinary life in his thirties while pursuing a visible political career.
Conner Rousseau became the chairman of the Flemish Social Democratic Party (SP. A.) four years ago. In 2021, the party’s name changed to Vooruit, meaning “Forward”.
Under Rousseau’s leadership, the party has grown support From 10 percent to 17. The right-wing populist Vlaams Belang and the conservative N-VA are ahead of Vooruit in the Gallup poll.
Rousseau strives to be himself on social media. On his Instagram account, he shares pictures of himself both at work and in his free time. Among the pictures there are also so-called thirst traps, i.e. flirtatious content.
Communication professor Pekka Isotalus says that the Instagram era favors a new type of politician.
– Different communication skills are required from politicians than before. This discussion was already held on television at one time and again with regard to Twitter, for example. Because of its visual appeal, Instagram favors politicians who naturally know how to post selfies and have a pleasant appearance.
Rousseau has 140,000 followers on Instagram and his videos have received 1.7 million likes on Tiktok.
– I managed the contents and private messages of my Instagram account independently. On that platform, I am by far the most popular politician in the country.
– I am approachable – especially on social media. I spend several hours every day answering messages. That’s why I know the concerns of young people better than others.
Conner says that even in public he has stuck to his own personality and style.
When Sanna Marini was criticized for her appearance in the Trendi magazine fashion photo, Rousseau defended this right to appear in fashion photos in a jacket revealing cleavage.
– Everyone should be able to dress as they want, whether they are in politics, business or leisure. When I saw the adoring reactions generated by Marin’s photo, I realized that there is still a lot to do with it.
According to Pekka Isotalus, Rousseau and Marin’s Instagram content has a lot in common.
– The person himself appears in almost every picture.
Conner enjoys being with Marin at work and in his free time
Conner Rousseau has published pictures of his meetings with Sanna Marini on his Instagram account. The latest update is from Februarywhen Rousseau visited Finland to follow the start of SDP’s parliamentary election campaign.
Rousseua describes her relationship with Sanna Marini as follows:
– We are of the same generation. We are young, ambitious, want to make an impact and speak the vernacular.
– We get along well both at work and on our free time. We keep in touch occasionally on Instagram.
Celebrates like his peers
Rousseau tells that partying brings him and Sanna Marini together.
– This summer we will go to Tomorrowland together.
Tomorrowland is an electronic dance music festival organized in Belgium, which is attended by more than half a million guests every year.
Conner Rousseau also organizes a small Walhalla festival focusing on machine music himself.
Caused a stir with a dance video
Like Marin, material from Rousseau’s private life has also spread on social media, sparking public criticism.
As depicted in July 2020 on video he danced without a mask at a wedding in France amid corona restrictions.
Last August, a video of Sanna Marin dancing with her friends and acquaintances in a private apartment was leaked to the public. Later, a video of Marin’s partying at Teatteri night club was also published.
The videos caused an uproar because the prime minister had never been seen celebrating so wildly before.
According to communication professor Pekka Isotalus, becoming a super celebrity on social media requires uproar that arouses emotions in people. Marin would hardly have gained a million Instagram followers if her fashion photos or party videos had not sparked heated debates for and against.
There were rumors about the relationship between Rousseau and Marin on the discussion boards
In May, it was written on Finnish-language discussion forums that Rousseau would be Marin’s new partner. The rumor mill started when Sanna Marin and Markus Räikkönen announced their separation on Instagram on May 10.
Yelle Rousseau refrains from commenting on her love relationships.
In Belgium, the public debate surrounding his relationships has become heated. That’s why Rousseau published on Thursday the video, in which he says that he is still searching for his sexual identity. He says he feels attracted to both women and men.
– Speculations around me feel like a chase. I get phone calls asking if I’m in a relationship with person X, even though I’ve never heard of the whole guy, Rousseau says in the video.
– I hope people will leave this area of my private life alone, he writes on Instagram.
You can discuss the topic until Tuesday, June 20 at 11 p.m.