One thing is certain: we continue to appoint incompetent men – in all areas. Has Françoise Giroud’s caricatured prophecy come true, thereby “advancing” the women’s cause? Some say so because Belgian political history has also allowed women to access leadership positions without having the necessary qualifications.
Regrettably, it is sometimes difficult to separate a person’s qualities from the function they perform. But a quick investigation seems to lead to the same conclusion regarding the personality that Belgium, under the leadership of Georges-Louis Bouchez, president of the MR, has proposed as future European Commissioner: Hadja Lahbib. It is clear that she has not or has not had the time to demonstrate her skills as Minister of Foreign Affairs. Ursula von der Leyen has decided to assign her the portfolio of Humanitarian Crisis Management and European Civil Protection. The Commissioner-designate will spend weeks studiously, so as not to fall on the obstacle of the hearing before the competent committee of the European Parliament, to which, like all the other candidates, she will be submitted within a period that, fortunately for her, could be extended.
European Commission: here is the portfolio assigned to Hadja Lahbib
An endearing personality
The woman who was, just over two years ago, just a journalist, has experienced a meteoric rise. To the point, perhaps, of being struck down by her own destiny? In any case, this is the conclusion reached by the vast majority of our interlocutors, including those who defended her appointment on 15 July 2022 to the post of Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs, Foreign Trade and Federal Cultural Institutions.
There is a constant in the small investigation that we conducted. The qualifiers are complimentary to evoke the endearing, spontaneous, radiant personality of Hadja Lahbib. Her humor too, her authenticity, her spontaneity. Attentive to others, she does not wear a mask, does not submit to codes. Frank, disarming, she remains herself, true. Her friendships are strong, long solid. Rigorous, incisive, in the presentation of the JT that she assured for many years, she was never satisfied with this exercise. The reports that she made in her career as a journalist, in particular on Afghan women (Afghanistan, Women’s Choice) and Moroccan (Patience, patience, you will go to heaven) were noticed and praised. She then launched into presenting other cultural programs: Vlaamse Kaai, Tout le bazar, Quai des Belges.
She could have continued this career, preparing the celebration of Belgium’s two hundredth anniversary until the day Georges-Louis Bouchez left her a message on her mobile phone. She hadn’t asked for anything. It took her two days to call him back: he gave her his plan and his argument. Let’s change!I, who, in front of young girls, advocated change, who criticized people attached to their position, I found myself faced with this dizzying choice, I will always remember this moment, I was confronted with my own convictions. It was there that I felt for the first time how difficult it is to put into action what one thinks, to do rather than say” she told us a year ago.
Hadja Lahbib: “It was a misfortune that saved me”
In the interview published in the series “États d’âme”, she explained: “I remembered a speech by Barack Obama that said, in essence: there are those who say how to do it, who give their opinion, who are very good analysts. And then there are those who say: I will do it. I thought a lot. Everything was going in the direction of yes. It would have been much more comfortable for me to say no. The only courageous position for me was to accept“.
Thus, the daughter of an illiterate shepherd, originally from Kabylie, who grew up in Boussu then in Saint-Josse and finally in Schaerbeek became one of the most important figures in the Belgian government.
It must be said that her academic career was brilliant. Enrolled somewhat by chance in a nuns’ school, the Institut Saint Thomas, in the Marolles, she quickly demonstrated intellectual abilities superior to her classmates, she whom her mother first saw attending sewing and cooking classes. Her teacher advised her to enroll at university, at the ULB, in Romance philology to move towards journalism. She then left for Paris.I needed something to move, something to shine in my life… It seemed to me that this job could satisfy my desire for discovery, for literature.”.
Diplomats grimace
Until the day Georges-Louis Bouchez, therefore, made that famous phone call to offer her the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs. Coached by the outgoing Minister, Sophie Wilmès, she somehow managed to weather the first media storms that were unleashed against her: the granting of visas to a delegation from Tehran City Hall invited by the city of Brussels to a summit of mayors. On that occasion, one of her trips as a journalist to annexed Crimea, with a Russian visa, was also brought out.
At the time, she found in the person of Alexander De Croo a first-rate defender. He stepped up to the plate in a dignified and serene manner. Hadn’t he written, a few years ago, a magnificent little book entitled: The 21st century will be the century of women.
But little by little, the diplomats, often convinced that ministers come and go and the administration remains – which is the strict truth – grimaced. Because the new minister, although well supported, seemed, according to some of her advisers, to act with more empathy with her foreign interlocutors than with diplomacy. She is in the habit of saying: “Thanks to Buddhism, I see my worst enemy as my best friend“. A quality that sometimes does not fit with the firmness required in her role. Her perfectible command of English often made her advisers feel uncomfortable. Claiming a certain freedom of tone and behavior, she had some difficulty in following the codes of an administration recognized throughout the world for its rigor. So that after two years, it is perilous, if not impossible, to find people who will miss her at Foreign Affairs when apparently, she seems satisfied with her work. This seems to be her main weakness. She does not study her files or deviates from them. Certainly, the Belgian presidency of the Council of the European Union was a success. But to whom do we owe it? To the minister or to her administration?
A minister explains: “Sometimes when she comes to present a file to the Council, most of her colleagues lower their heads or check their phones. It lacks clarity.“It also happened that journalists after an interview with the minister did not write a word.
Convinced of her rights and the correctness of her work, Hadja Lahbib (versions differ) seemed to want to stay in her post in the next government. And not “go back down” to the Brussels government while she had presented herself on the regional electoral lists of the MR.
Everything was in favour of Didier Reynders
It was then that the party president, Georges-Louis Bouchez, him again, had this idea: why not offer the post of European Commissioner to Hadja Lahbib, since Sophie Wilmès, Mrs. 540,000 votes in the European elections, had repeated several times that she did not wish, for personal reasons, to be part of an executive.
Yet everything argued in favour of keeping Didier Reynders as European Commissioner. The excellent management of the files he was in charge of and… the support of the other parties. But which parties? Who was actually supposed to choose the Belgian Commissioner, whose name was expected by the end of July? The former Vivaldi majority, led by Alexander De Croo or the party presidents who are negotiating the Arizona government, which once formed – the future will tell – should be led by Bart De Wever?
Political backstage: by sending Hadja Lahbib to the Commission, Bouchez signs the end of the Reynders/Michel era
The other countries had been invited to propose two names (one woman, one man), except in the case of a reappointment of an existing commissioner. Some countries, not very concerned about the parity demanded by Ursula von der Leyen, did not follow the recommendations. Didier Reynders, sensing the trap coming, made the necessary contacts in August to ensure his reappointment to the Commission. Even the PS agreed. Pierre-Yves Dermagne, the socialist deputy prime minister, proposed that Belgium slip two names into the envelope: Alexander De Croo and Frank Vandenbroucke. But it was difficult to support the former prime minister De Croo (whose Open VLD party had suffered a severe defeat and who is not participating in the Arizona negotiations). And Vooruit did not seem keen to “sacrifice” a Belgian ministerial position for that of European commissioner. The position was therefore to remain in the hands of the MR. Bart De Wever, who was rather inclined to support Didier Reynders, is said to have skillfully kept himself away from this nomination. No doubt to avoid, once again, falling out with the president of the MR.
Georges-Louis Bouchez, crowned with his overwhelming victory in the June 9 election, has thus killed two birds with one stone: he exfiltrated Hadja Lahbib, who was no longer in the good books of Foreign Affairs, and he abruptly asked the older generation of the MR (Didier Reynders) to pack up and leave. Question: who will inherit this prestigious post in the next government? Some have mentioned the name of the President of the European Council Charles Michel, at the end of his term, whose future is uncertain.
The feeling, not really expressed in the MR, is that Georges-Louis Bouchez is using people as pawns: look at Julie Taton who is trying in vain to give credibility to her domicile in Mons for the local elections. But here it is: Georges-Louis Bouchez is the only master on board, he decides alone and defends tooth and nail the choice of Hadja Lahbib for the Commission. He repeats: she is brilliant and Ursula von der Leyen wanted to feminize her team. QED A few days earlier, the MR Deputy Prime Minister, David Clarinval, in front of his stunned colleagues had he not declared: “Didier Reynders is unfortunately not a woman”…
We will have to convince the European deputies
The same questions come up, as during her appointment to Foreign Affairs: will Hadja Lahbib be up to it? Some say: she risks having a bad quarter of an hour during her hearing before the European Parliament. Possible. From there to her being rejected? An observer explains: there are agreements between the parliamentary groups. Some elected officials will undoubtedly want to scalp one or the other commissioner. Generally, they choose the weakest. But not always. It is therefore possible that Hadja Lahbib will undergo a difficult hearing and end up succeeding. And perhaps she will flourish in this new job by having prepared very well for it. Let us note that in passing, Hadja Lahbib put the MR of Schaerbeek in a famous embarrassment by withdrawing from the head of the list. Audrey Henry, who replaces her, has obvious qualities. But does not have the popularity of the minister.
Let’s end on a positive note, even if, as you will have understood, you have to look hard to find praise, not for the person, but for the way in which they carried out their role.She is not a politician. But fundamentally, she is an honest woman, who has a heart of gold and a sense of duty. And that is probably what is most important. Essential even in life.“.
