Belgium faces challenges with EU Commissioner nomination amid government formation talks
As Belgium navigates the complex negotiations to form its federal government, the urgency surrounding the appointment of the next European Commissioner has intensified. With the deadline for nominee submissions nearing, the question of whether current Belgian Commissioner Didier Reynders will continue in his role is at the forefront of the discussion.
Of the 27 EU member states, 22 have already submitted their Commissioner-designates to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. However, Belgium, along with Portugal, Denmark, Italy and Bulgaria, has yet to announce its choice. The expectation was that Italy might be the last to present a nominee, but the reality suggests that Belgium is facing a challenge in meeting the 30 August deadline.
Federal government formation
The difficulty stems from Belgium’s ongoing political deadlock following the federal elections in June, which coincided with the European elections. A coalition of five parties—Flemish nationalist N-VA, the Reformist Movement (MR), Les Engagés, the Christian Democrats (CD&V), and Vooruit—is currently negotiating to form a government. These talks remain complicated, particularly with issues pertaining to taxation. N-VA leader Bart De Wever even offered his resignation to King Philippe as the negotiations became increasingly strained.
"Why not extend the Commissioner’s term, too?"
As the deadline approaches, there is increasing pressure on Belgian politicians to propose a candidate. Didier Reynders, the current European Commissioner for Justice is the name that keeps coming up. He has publicly expressed his desire to continue in the role, citing his established relationship with von der Leyen as a significant advantage. "We are going to extend the mandate of the President of the European Court of Justice, Koen Lenaerts, who is Belgian," Reynders said in a recent interview. "We have already decided to extend the mandate of the Belgian representative at the European Court of Auditors, Annemie Turtelboom. Why not extend the Commissioner’s term, too?"
The decision is not straightforward, however. The post of European Commissioner is a coveted position that requires careful negotiation among the coalition parties. The political cost of securing this role is substantial, as it is equivalent in weight to a deputy prime minister position. Geoffrey Grandjean, president of the political science department at the University of Liège, pointed out, "It is hard to imagine a small government party getting the post. Or if it does get it, it means that it will have to be compensated for later when allocating other ministerial or state secretary positions."
Other possible candidates
While Reynders remains a strong contender, other names have been thrown in the mix, including Sophie Wilmès, the former prime minister and current MEP, and Frank Vandenbroucke, the outgoing minister for social affairs and health.
In the final days before a candidate must be chosen, MEP Yvan Verougstraete (Les Engagés) sums up the situation by saying, "It has been Belgium’s custom for several decades to take on a lot of responsibility and to carry it out masterfully, whatever the portfolio."
Current European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders © BELGA PHOTO HATIM KAGHAT
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