Theo Francken posted more on X than the rest of the cabinet combined

Belgian Minister of Defence Theo Francken posted more messages on X than the rest of the federal government combined, averaging a volume that sets him apart from every cabinet colleague, according to an analysis published by De Standaard on October 23, 2026. Reviewing 2,192 posts made between his February 3, 2025 swearing-in and October 9, 2026, the data reveals a communications strategy that routinely crosses ministerial boundaries into justice, asylum, migration, and foreign affairs.

The 2,192 Posts Defining a Digital Mandate

Francken published 2,192 messages on X between February 3, 2025, and October 9, 2026, outpacing the combined output of Bart De Wever’s entire cabinet. De Standaard reported that approximately six out of ten of his posts focus strictly on defence matters, anchored by his high-impact announcement in the early hours of March 1, 2026, when he revealed that Belgian and French military personnel had boarded a vessel from the Russian shadow fleet, generating 11,503 likes and 911,000 views.

Beyond military affairs, Francken addresses asylum, migration, foreign affairs, and internal security roughly four times a week. His communications frequently cross into portfolios held by his colleagues, including Minister of Binnenlandse Zaken Bernard Quintin and Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Prévot. When nationality application fees rose to 1,000 euros on July 1, 2026, Francken celebrated the measure on social media while noting he had originally proposed raising the fee to 3,000 or 5,000 euros.

Proposing a Rijkswacht 2.0 to Handle Street Violence

Reacting to recent street unrest in Brussels, Liège, and France, Francken proposed establishing a militarily trained mobile brigade to reinforce security during riots, detailing the plan on RTL-TVi on October 18, 2026. Theo Francken termed the proposed unit a “Rijkswacht 2.0”, which would receive training through Defensie before being made available to Binnenlandse Zaken when required.

In the case of a geopolitical conflict, these personnel would operate as military units under his direct command, though he lets him be as Minister of Defence more than Charles Michel did at the time, under whom Francken served as State Secretary for Asylum and Migration between 2014 and 2018. Premier Bart De Wever is fully aware of the initiative, with ongoing discussions actively advancing the plans.

“Dit is een schoolvoorbeeld van perceptiepolitiek,” declared Louis Tobback on October 19, 2026, at 18:00, referencing historical milestones including the Pinksterplan, the Octopusplan, and the Integrated Police. Tobback warned that past tragedies like the Heysel stadium disaster, the Dutroux case, and the Brabant killers demonstrated the dangers of inter-service competition, adding that agencies cooperated under frameworks still viewed as successful by police officers and mayors, and noting that if Francken feels existing forces lack adequate capabilities, he remains free to transfer a portion of his own budget to Minister of Binnenlandse Zaken Bernard Quintin.

Francken's Posts Strain Ties with Iran and Russia

Francken’s digital commentary has triggered direct diplomatic repercussions. De Standaard reported that the Belgian ambassador in Iran has been summoned three times based on Francken’s posts on X, while the Belgian ambassador in Russia received formal warnings that the minister’s statements were souring bilateral ties. China similarly monitored communications regarding a joint Belgian-Indian tank development initiative.