"Mother of the Nation": Belgian PM Sophie Wilmes' Rhetoric of Authority during the Covid-19 Pandemic

What is it about?

How did world leaders construct their authority in their discourse at the beginning of the pandemic to get people to adhere to safety measures that went against democratic values of freedom of movement? This article looks at how Belgian PM Sophie Wilmes constructs her authority in her three first press meetings on the pandemic, in March 2020. It shows that, contrary to her neighbor Emmanuel Macron, she bases her authority on the collective instead of her own persona - she insists on the unity of the federal government, the close collaboration with the experts, empathy with the population and solidarity within the population, to construct a strong sense of collectivity in a country marred by division. In accordance with Belgian pragmatic political culture, her arguments are rational and pragmatic. She actively avoids grand narratives such as the rhetoric of war, wildly espoused throughout the pandemic by other leaders. I also look at the press coverage on these speeches, and find she's portrayed as a maternal, rational, and authoritative leader seeking consensus.

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Photo by Glen Carrie on Unsplash

Photo by Glen Carrie on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The example of Sophie Wilmes shows one can be an authoritative leader during a major crisis without resorting to pathos and fear. It contributes to wider research about women politicians' managing of the pandemic.