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Vlaams Belang politician Frédéric Erens trapped in toilet of Flemish Parliament for hours

Frédéric Erens, a member of the Flemish Parliament for Vlaams Belang, was trapped in a toilet for thirteen hours and had to be taken to the hospital.

16 September 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: Vlaams Belang politician Frédéric Erens trapped in toilet of Flemish Parliament for hours — Archive photoPhoto: Vlaams Belang · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Frédéric Erens, a member of the Flemish Parliament for Vlaams Belang, was trapped in a toilet at the Flemish Parliament in Brussels for thirteen hours overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday. The incident occurred after Erens decided during a committee meeting that he needed to quickly use the restroom before heading home.

However, the door to the toilet turned out to be blocked. During his period of confinement, Erens reported that he tried to breathe by creating holes in the door. It was not until 6 a.m. that he was rescued by a cleaning lady who offered assistance using a crowbar.

After his rescue, he experienced difficulty breathing and needed to be taken to Sint-Jans Hospital in Brussels for medical examination. The Flemish Parliament has announced that a technical investigation into the door will take place following the incident, which has been classified as a serious case of misfortune.

The events have raised questions about safety and accessibility within the parliamentary building, with critics calling for immediate action to ensure such incidents do not occur again.

Authorities are reviewing the circumstances surrounding the incident and will implement measures to prevent future occurrences.

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