The chairman of the CD&V, Joachim Coens, reacted with horror to the knife attack suffered on Saturday, his party colleague Dirk De Fauw, the mayor of Bruges. The flemish minister-president Jan Jambon (N-VA) also said he was shocked. According to the public prosecutor, the bailiff, rushed to the hospital, is in a stable state. It is not yet clear the reasons of the author.

"We are incredibly shocked but relieved that his condition is stable," said Mr Coens to the agency Belga. "We wish Dirk a speedy recovery and much strength to his family. Dirk is a good mayor. We do not expect such a gesture, certainly not against a person, if loved, and little polarizing. "