Government formation: Parties meet to discuss EU commissioner nomination
The five parties working for a new federal government are meeting in Brussels on Thursday afternoon, led by formateur Maxime Prévot.
On Monday and Wednesday, Prévot met the negotiators from N-VA, CD&V, Vooruit, MR and Les Engagés separately. The five leaders are now meeting in plenary for the first time since Bart De Wever stepped down as formateur last week.
According to a source, the only item on the agenda is the appointment of Belgium’s European commissioner. Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has requested Belgium’s nomination by the end of the week. If a name is not submitted by then, there is little chance that Belgium’s commissioner will be assigned a major portfolio.
With none of the five parties officially interested in the post, Didier Reynders is likely to continue in the role, a close source said on Wednesday. Reynders, of francophone liberal party MR, has been Justice commissioner for five years.
Von der Leyen wants to ensure a gender balance in the next Commission, but few female candidates have been nominated by the member states.
CD&V leader Sammy Mahdi ahead of a meeting to discuss a possible federal coalition, 29 August 2024 in Brussels © BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK
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