Belgium had not really had a Minister of Foreign Affairs since April. Since Sophie Wilmès, former Prime Minister, had gone on leave for personal reasons, the function was provided by Alexander De Croo, who combined with his duties as Prime Minister. The Prime Minister, who therefore exercised the function ad interim, was replaced by a television journalist with no political affiliation and from a family of Algerian Kabyle origin. Hadja Lahbib was sworn in before King Philippe this Friday, July 15, a choice that the new minister herself describes as daring.
With our correspondent in Brussels, Pierre Benazet
Hadja Lahbib was for years a face of RTBF, Belgian public television, where she presented the newspapers. And even if she claims not to have any political color, she was designated by the MR, the liberal party, for this portfolio of Minister of Foreign Affairs. This is not the first time that this party has chosen a personality from the small screen to wear its colors.
A strategic choice?
In the mode of operation of Belgian-style parliamentary democracy, each party is in a way the owner of the ministerial portfolios allocated during the coalition agreement. And the president of the French-speaking liberals does not hide it: he affirms that the nomination of Hadja Lahbib is good for the party before saying that it is good for the country.
Welkom minister van Buitenlandse Zaken @HadjaLahbib. Ik kijk er naar uit om samen de Belgische belangen in het buitenland te verdedigen.
Welcome to the Minister of Foreign Affairs @HadjaLahbib. Look forward to defending Belgian interests abroad together. pic.twitter.com/ms8sXWNUM4
— Alexander De Croo ???? (@alexanderdecroo) July 15, 2022
RTBF considers that the choice of a leading public figure, coming from a family originating from the Maghreb, is necessarily an electoral calculation with the approach of the general elections of 2024. Even if Belgian political life does not lack these surprising passages between journalism and politics, Hadja Lahbib therefore risks being expected at the turn by the opposition, and not only for her lack of political or diplomatic experience.