Hadja Lahbib (MR) was Martin Buxant’s guest on bel RTL Matin. The new Belgian European Commissioner spoke about her various missions.
Hadja Lahbib gave her first interview as European Commissioner to Martin Buxant this Thursday morning. His portfolio within the European Commission is crisis preparedness and management, and equality.
What do you say to those who might say that “it’s quite light”?
“If you think that gender equality, the inclusion of disabled people, the protection of the fundamental rights of LGBTQIA+ or the management of more humanitarian crises… If you think that the preparation and management of pandemics, wars, terrorist attacks, it’s weak… I don’t understand what is the most important… Will I be a “heavyweight” of this European Commission I think we can say it like that? tendency to say that it is the economy, the industry, the competitiveness… But what is competitiveness and industry if a pandemic comes? Remember the price we paid because we were not ready for the pandemic. My role will be to prepare the Union. European and the whole world because we are requested by other countries, for example the DRC which faced an epidemic of mpox, and we were the first in September to bring the vaccines.
How can we better prepare, for example, when there are floods in Spain?
“There is a European crisis center which sent signs saying that there was bad weather coming. When the bad weather arrived, we sent satellite images which showed the extent of the damage. Afterwards, Spain activated the European Civil Protection Mechanism, which allowed several European countries to provide aid, making it possible to clear out and find survivors.”
Are you “Madame Crises”?
“Yes, because we know that pandemics and natural disasters do not stop at borders. They must be managed comprehensively. Until everyone is protected, no one is safe.”
What is the budget?
“It is the only budget that has not decreased over the previous 5 years. It has continued to increase because the threat is increasing. It could be the nuclear threat. It is being brandished more and more by Vladimir Putin .”
You also have the equality portfolio. On Wednesday, in Strasbourg, the president said that you had crossed a lot of glass ceilings.
“This means that the glass ceiling, for example for women, still exists. There is a recent survey which reveals violence against women, which continues to be very present. This ceiling continues to leaving behind a very important skill, that of women.”
And added: “I will work on equal pay, on work-home balance, and therefore allow women not to pay the price of maternity. A whole series of laws must be transposed within two years My role will be to make a difference and work with grassroots associations so that these legislations become reality.”
Hadja Lahbib European Commissioner Politics Europe
