The Friedman family in Belgium has been strange for a long time. Moshe Friedman made a lot of trouble as an extremist with the Neturei Karta. He was not just anti-Zionist, but after the local community in Antwerp suffered from him as well, the community put him in cherem. At some point Friedman wanted to send his sons to the local girls school and sued to be permitted to do so, thus causing the local Haredi all-girls school to become somewhat co-ed (practically it might only have been his sons there among the girls, so I am not sure if it remains co-ed or if other boys went there as well).

At some point, after a lot of fighting and trouble, Friedman left the Neturei Karta. Some claim he became not frum, some say he just dropped his extremism. Pictures of him and his family were seen dressed in a far more modern style, and there were snippets in the news of him becoming involved in other issues of activism and politics not related to Israel.

His daughter, Raizy, is running for city council in Antwerp under the banner of the CD&V party. According to Actualic, Friedman has been quoted as saying that she has no problem shaking hands with men - this issue was contentious as a previous Jewish candidate was dropped from the party for saying he would not shake hands with women. I have no problem with that as there is a variety of piskei halacha on the matter and plenty who can be relied upon say in formal settings with no expression of intimacy shaking hands is fine.

The other issue Raizy Friedman was asked about is the possibility of banning kosher shechita. Friedman responded saying that she would have no problem with that if it were the law. She said specifically that animals need to be treated well and if the law requires slaughtering animals after they are stunned or otherwise unconscious, then that is the way it must be.

Friedman is definitely not representing the local Jewish community in her position as a candidate for this party. She might even be considered a rodef of the Jewish community if she is really going to be a part of a plan to ban kosher shechita. This is very strange. I can only hope she is saying this so as to not hurt her chances, or even to help her chances, of being elected, and then plans to work to help kosher shechita rather than hinder it. Or else I hope there was some other mistake and misunderstanding. This is bizarre.