Former Prime Minister of Belgium Sophie Wilmès was confirmed on Sunday as the lead candidate for the upcoming European Parliament elections on 9 June by Belgium’s Mouvement Reformateur (MR) party.
The announcement was made on Saturday by the party’s leader, Georges-Louis Bouchez, during a press conference. He also declared that former Higher Education Minister, Valérie Glatigny, will lead the Brussels’ list for the Chamber.
This decision came after the candidacy of Charles Michel, President of the European Council, for the European Parliament was withdrawn, whilst Didier Reynders, another prominent European figure from the MR, opted not to stand in these elections.
Wilmès, whose name had been circulated since 2022 as a likely federal candidate, stepped down as Foreign Minister last year to care for her unwell husband. Subsequently, she claimed and secured the lead position in the party’s European list. Citing her choice as a mix of personal and team decisions, this move came following the withdrawal of Michel.
When asked about a possible return to federal politics after the election, Wilmès jokingly noted that the European Parliament is "only two metro stops away from our party, so I’m not too far away."
Glatigny, who was also thought to be a strong candidate for the European list, acknowledged the team decision, deeming Wilmès "the most legitimate choice". She will continue her work in federal affairs, underlining the importance of teamwork and acceptance that you might not always get your first role in a talent-filled party.
Valérie Glatigny’s addition to the MR’s federal line-up was said to provide the "power and impact necessary" for Brussels to gain an extra seat. This move also allows regional leaders David Leisterh and Hadja Lahbib to keep their current posts, explained Bouchez.
The MR also introduced new member Pierre Jadoul, former rector of Saint-Louis University and vice-chancellor of UCLouvain. Jadoul, a 64-year-old legal expert, is one of the architects of the two universities’ merger and will be the first reserve on the Brussels federal list.
Defending the length of time it took to announce the list’s heads, Bouchez argued it was logical for a large political organisation to take two to three weeks to make the best choices and ensure cohesion, especially when faced with changes in its electoral line-up.
The rest of the lists are still to be finalised. Discussions with Open VLD for a joint federal list in Brussels "continue and are going well," stated Bouchez, with uncertainty still surrounding the position of State Secretary Alexia Bertrand from Open VLD.
