Belgium's Michel To Take European Council Job After Political Breakdown At Home

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel, who is set to become the president of the European Council, a format that brings together EU leaders, has been through several tough months at home, punctuated by the break-up of a ruling coalition and his party losing some seats in the federal election

BRUSSELS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd July, 2019) Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel, who is set to become the president of the European Council, a format that brings together EU leaders, has been through several tough months at home, punctuated by the break-up of a ruling coalition and his party losing some seats in the Federal election.

A lot of press coverage in the past three weeks has been focused on the nomination of Germany's Ursula von der Leyen as the head of the European Commission. The appointment made by the European Council had to be confirmed by the European Parliament, and its approval had not been a given. The decision was reportedly not an easy one for the council, either. By contrast, Michel's appointment, which does not need the parliament's approval, seemed to elicit little drama.

"There was not much contest on the name of Charles Michel, probably because he is not known by many, and ... he is saying all the right words in the right order," Gilles Lebreton, a member of the European Parliament for the French National Rally party, told Sputnik.

According to Lebreton, Michel had ensured that he had the backing of French President Emmanuel Macron, while German Chancellor Angela Merkel "did not mind as long as she got a German in the seat of the most important job, president of the commission."

Belgian politics is notoriously complicated, with several different governments and the need to maintain balance between the French-speaking and Flemish-speaking communities. Michel will be leaving behind a difficult situation at home when he starts his new job in December this year.

The Belgian government formed by Michel after the 2014 election was made up of his Reformist Movement (MR), The New Flemish Alliance (N-VA), the Christian Democratic and Flemish party and Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats party. The center-right coalition fell apart in December after the N-VA quit in protest against Michel's decision to sign a global compact on migration.

Michel handed in his resignation shortly afterward but remained a caretaker prime minister until the election held in May.

MR retained 14 seats in a 150-seat Chamber of Representatives, but lost six. The N-VA won the most seats of all parties 25 but nevertheless fell short of a majority.

Didier Reynders of MR and Johan Vande Lanotte of the Socialist Party Differently were tasked with exploring options for a new government and reporting back to the king. A new cabinet has not been announced yet.

"So Charles found a great way to escape. Remarkable," Mischael Modrikamen, a former leader of People's Party, told Sputnik.

Charles Michel comes from a family with a certain political weight his father, Louis Michel, was a foreign minister and a European commissioner as well as a key member of MR.

Charles Michel became the youngest regional minister ever in Belgium when he was appointed minister of home affairs in the Walloon government in 2000. He was 24 at the time. In 2007, Michel became the minister of development cooperation in the federal government.

"The relentless and aggressive support of the father, Louis Michel, propelled Charles rapidly, but you must admit that it would have been impossible if Charles had not been intelligent and competent," a former minister of the Belgian government, from the same MR party, told Sputnik on the condition of anonymity.

According to this politician, Michel could be reproached only over knowing very little of "the real life of people, whatever their social class."

"He lives in a bubble," the former minister said.

Meanwhile, Modrikamen believes that Michel is well-suited to become the head of the European Council.

"His qualities will make him probably a great secretary of the European Council; that is all the function actually means," the Belgian politician said.

As the head of the European Council, Michel will be responsible for organizing and chairing the meetings of EU leaders. He will also represent the bloc at the international summits.