“Freya” is one of those people about whom everyone has an opinion. Her political career got a kick-start after her obvious talent (and model looks) were spotted in a political TV show. She became a federal minister in 2003, only three years after her first steps into the political arena. By 2005, she was the socialist viceprime minister and federal budget minister. Even her own father said that was too much, too soon.

Maybe that is the reason why many people do not take her seriously. Throughout her career, Van den Bossche always had to face up to rumours about her intellectual capacities. These became even more hostile after she did not answer when quizzed about the square root of 25.

After the socialist party sp.a lost the federal elections, she refused to become opposition speaker. She was not sure she could handle this, she wrote in an embarrassing note, which a journalist found and made public. In 2009, however, she was appointed Flemish minister for energy and housing.

In the past decade, Van den Bossche has made headlines time and again, not just because of her high-speed career, but also because of her ditto chaotic personal life, which included a glamorous but short-lived Thai wedding. After her former partner became the godfather of her youngest child, a news site posted a poll asking the public whether this was “a good idea”, “a bad idea” or “typical Freya”.

Recently she was (anonymously) criticised for her absence from the Flemish government following the birth of her youngest child. She had been criticised before for returning to work too soon after a previous birth. Somehow, whatever she does, Van den Bossche can’t get it right.

Last week, Van den Bossche had to defuse a potentially explosive issue about language demands attached to the sale of social apartments in Vilvoorde. She came up with a solution in the nick of time, but, according to government sources, she very nearly bungled it. Whether there is any truth to this is hard to tell, but it fits neatly into the image she has created. Typical Freya.