Brussels (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): No State Government is functional in Belgium preventing the agreed period for nominations of European Commissioner from being achieved. Notable contenders comprise Didier Renders and Sophie Wilmes of MR, Frank Vandenbroucke of Vooruit and Yvan Verougstrate of Les Engagés among others.
While everyone is concentrating on the troubled formation of the Federal Government in Belgium it must also turn its attention to electing its next European Commissioner. The scenario whereby Bart De Wever (N-VA) is supposed to meet the King without any coalition agreement by Thursday evening might jeopardize the first deadline set for formation. Von der Leyen has reached out to Belgium calling for them select a Commissioner by next week end. She sent this message directly to De Wever insisting that the new government should nominate their candidates and not the previous one.
Who will Belgium choose as its next European commissioner?
On 18th November from our source in Belga News Agency it was stated that N-VA, CD&V, Vooruit, MR and Les Engagés are yet to discuss this. The lack of definition on the matter makes it difficult for progress to be attained in those talks. If the situation continues like this Belgium might eventually be left as an outlier in selecting a Commissioner. Based on Euronews report 21 states have already made their choices while the rest five Bulgaria, Denmark, Italy, Luxembourg and Portugal seem nearly ready with theirs. As at present it remains that Belgium is not able to provide an indulgent nominee for the role of a European Commissioner among other nations in this bloc. Several other names have been mentioned namely Didier Reynders from MR could continue as commissioner but on the other hand his party mate and another governing member Sophie Wilmes would also qualify for the same seat in due course. There have been talks about Frank Vandenbroucke of Vooruit as well as Yvan Verougstraete who has just been newly elected into the European Parliament under Les Engagés party movement.
