The choice of Hadja Lahbib, 54, was made to the detriment of Didier Reynders, the French-speaking liberal who was the outgoing Belgian commissioner, in office since 2019.
It was up to the French-speaking liberal party (the Reform Movement, MR) to propose one of its figures, as part of arrangements between the different parties currently negotiating the constitution of the future government.
Former journalist
MR President Georges-Louis Bouchez wanted “a new face”, a party spokesperson told AFP.
He stressed that Hadja Lahbib had “more than proven herself” during the Belgian presidency of the EU in the first half of 2024, which qualified her in the eyes of her party for European functions.
This former journalist, born in French-speaking Belgium to a family of Algerian origin, became Minister of Foreign Affairs in the De Croo government in July 2022.
Until then, she was a novice in politics, without a mandate. On June 9, Hadja Lahbib was elected as a member of the Brussels regional parliament but did not wish to sit as long as she was a minister.
In April, the minister had declared that Belgium would recognize the Palestinian state.
Ten women out of 27
After this proposal, the future college of 27 European commissioners (one per member state) could include ten women, including Ursula von der Leyen and Estonian Kaja Kallas, the future head of EU diplomacy. The counter was at eight before Monday, the day of the Belgian choice but also the day when Romania also made a U-turn by proposing a woman rather than a man.
The appointment of the future college of commissioners will have to be validated by a vote of the European Parliament, after each has defended their skills during hearings before MEPs which should be held in October.
This article is originally published on /information.tv5monde.com
