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Hadja Lahbib

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Hadja Lahbib
Official portrait, 2024
European Commissioner for Preparedness, Crisis Management and Equality
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 December 2024
PresidentUrsula von der Leyen
Preceded byJanez Lenarčič
Minister of Foreign and EU Affairs
In office
15 July 2022 – 30 November 2024
Prime MinisterAlexander De Croo
Preceded bySophie Wilmès
Succeeded byBernard Quintin
Personal details
Born (1970-06-21) 21 June 1970 (age 54)
Boussu, Belgium
Political partyMR (2022–present)
SpouseOlivier Lemaire
Children2
Alma materUniversité libre de Bruxelles
Occupation
  • Politician
  • Journalist
  • Presenter

Hadja Lahbib (French pronunciation: [adʒa labib]; born 21 June 1970) is a Belgian journalist, television presenter, director and politician, serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs since July 2022.

Early life

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Francophone Hadja Lahbib was born on 21 June 1970 in Boussu, near the city of Mons, to a family of Algerian Kabyles.[1][2]

Her parents are practicing Muslims, but she says she is more attracted to Buddhism.[3]

Career as a journalist

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Lahbib graduated in journalism from the Free University of Brussels and worked for a long time for the Belgian Radio-Television of the French Community (RTBF). In particular, she was a special correspondent in Afghanistan and the Middle East, and presented the television news for two decades. In May 2013, she presented the final of the Queen Elisabeth Competition.

Political career

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Journey to Crimea as a Journalist

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See also: Political status of Crimea and Crimea Platform

Before starting her political career, Hadja Lahbib visited politically disputed Crimea between Russia and Ukraine in July 2021.[4] She did not tell how exactly she got there and did not recognize Crimea as the territory of Ukraine.[4] She went to the "Global Values" festival, which is organized by the Sevastopol Academic Russian Drama Theater named after Lunacharsky and organized by Katerina Tikhonova, daughter of Vladimir Putin.[4][5] In 2021, it was held on 23–25 July. On Instagram, she published fragments of a choreographic performance from the festival. After the trip, she was asked by RTBF whether she was coming back from Russia or Ukraine. Lahbib did not answer clearly, but said: "To land at Simferopol airport, a Russian visa is required."[4][6][7]

Minister of Foreign Affairs

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Lahbib with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, 30 November 2022

Prior to her appointment as foreign minister on 15 July 2022, Lahbib was only politically active with the socialist organisation, Solidaris,[8] and she was not a member of the liberal Reformist Movement (MR), whose leader Georges-Louis Bouchez unexpectedly nominated her for the post of Belgian Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs to replace Sophie Wilmès. She took the oath before King Philippe on the same day. At the press conference at which she was introduced, she said about her political position:

"I am not left, not right, but fundamentally free".[9][10]

After the interview, Georges-Louis Bouchez asked her to join MR, and she did so. Since then, she has repeatedly declared herself to be fully liberal.[11]

In her capacity as Foreign Minister, she condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine, expressed full support for Ukraine[12] and called the occupation of Crimea illegal.[13] In a letter addressed to the Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs on July 28, 2022, she expressed her support for Ukraine and described Russia's occupation of Crimea as "illegal."[14] Dmytro Kuleba, her counterpart at the time, acknowledged "Belgium's sincere and loyal commitment to Ukraine's territorial integrity."[15]

On 7 October 2022, Lahbib and two lawmakers – Darya Safai and Goedele Liekens – cut their hair in parliament, in solidarity with anti-government demonstrations in Iran triggered by the death in police custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.[16]

Lahbib with Mariya Gabriel in 2024

On 26 November 2022, Lahbib and prime minister Alexander De Croo visited Ukraine.[17]

In September 2023, MR, through the voices of Hadja Lahbib and David Clarinval, asked the Ministry of Defense to reconsider the possibility of delivering F-16s to Ukraine. Hadja Lahbib explained, “The best way to protect Belgium is by sending F-16s to Ukraine.”[18]

On October 7, Hadja Lahbib swiftly condemned the terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad against Israel. Since that day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been calling for the release of all hostages.[19]

In May 2024, during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Belgium, the Minister of Foreign Affairs announced that 30 F-16 fighter jets would be delivered to Ukraine by 2028.[20]

During the Belgian presidency of Europe during the first semester of 2024, she urged to "deprive Hungary — which took over the presidency in July— of voting rights" in the European Union.[21]

In July 2024, she criticized Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories, saying that "Belgium will always stand up for the respect of international law."[22] In August 2024, she "strongly" condemned the Al-Tabaeen school attack in Gaza by Israel.[23]

Issues

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In June 2023, Lahbib won a vote of no-confidence in parliament after granting visas to delegations from Iranian and Russian cities, including the mayor of Tehran known as the butcher of Tehran,[24] to attend a mayors' convention in Brussels earlier that month. Her MR party had threatened to leave the government if she had to resign, which would have made the government collapse.[25]

In November 2022, she met with the Qatari labor minister Ali bin Samikh Al Marri, who is accused of corruption, to discuss human rights, women's rights and LGBTQIA+ rights.[26][27][28][29]

European Commissioner

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The president of the MR-party, Georges-Louis Bouchez proposed Lahbib as Belgian candidate to replace Didier Reynders for the second Von der Leyen Commission after missing the August 31st deadline previously set by the President of the Commission.[30] Lahbib's nomination fulfilled a specific request from President von der Leyen, who had emphasised the importance of Member State governments proposing female candidates.[31]

On September 17, 2024, Ursula von der Leyen nominated Hadja Lahbib as the European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid, Crisis Preparedness and Management, Civil Protection, and Equality.

Works

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  • Afghanistan, le choix des femmes, 2007, 55 min. A portrait of two leading female figures from the Afghan landscape. Nominated for the Albert Londres Prize.
  • Le cou et la tête, 2008, 26 min. Documentary about the women's village Umoja in northern Kenya.
  • Patience, patience, t'iras au paradis, 2014, 85 min. Documentary about six immigrant women in Belgium. The movie won the prestigious Iris Europa Award 2015.

Honors and awards

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State decorations

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Awards and prizes

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References

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  1. ^ "Qui est Hadja Lahbib, nouvelle ministre des Affaires étrangères ?". Moustique (in French). Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  2. ^ "Hadja Lahbib, ministre des Affaires étrangères : "À cette proposition audacieuse, j'ai répondu par une audace"". RTBF (in French). Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  3. ^ "Hadja Lahbib, ex-présentatrice du JT de la RTBF, succède à Sophie Wilmès: "J'aurai l'honneur d'être le visage de la Belgique à l'étranger"". sudinfo.be (in French). 15 July 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d "Нова глава МЗС Бельгії у 2021 році їздила в окупований Крим і відмовилася назвати його Україною". www.eurointegration.com.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  5. ^ "Crimean Plume. Ukraine Clashes with the Belgian Foreign Minister over a Visit to the Occupied Peninsula". European Pravda. 28 July 2022.
  6. ^ "Це була моя робота": нова глава МЗС Бельгії відвідала Крим і назвала його "російським". Фокус (in Ukrainian). 20 July 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  7. ^ "Нова міністерка закордонних справ Бельгії їздила до окупованого Криму у 2021–му і не називала його українським | Громадське телебачення". Hromadske (in Ukrainian). 20 July 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  8. ^ "Onvrede binnen MR na aanstelling Hadja Lahbib als opvolger van Sophie Wilmès als minister van Buitenlandse Zaken".
  9. ^ "Hadja Lahbib devient ministre des Affaires étrangères : "Elle était mon premier et unique choix" précise Bouchez". RTBF (in French). Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  10. ^ "Hadja Lahbib, nouvelle ministre des Affaires étrangères, a prêté serment devant le Roi (photos)". Le Soir (in French). 15 July 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  11. ^ "Hadja Lahbib lors des vœux du MR : 'Je me sens pleinement à ma place parmi vous'". RTBF (in French). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  12. ^ The need for unwavering EU support for Ukraine, after two years of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine: opening statements by Hadja LAHBIB, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the European Commission
  13. ^ "Hadja Lahbib écrit une lettre à son homologue ukrainien : " La Crimée est illégalement occupée par la Russie "". Le Soir. 28 July 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  14. ^ "Hadja Lahbib écrit une lettre à son homologue ukrainien: "La Crimée est illégalement occupée par la Russie"". Le Soir (in French). 28 July 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  15. ^ "Hadja Lahbib a rencontré pour la première fois son homologue ukrainien". Le Soir (in French). 31 August 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  16. ^ Charlotte Van Campenhout (7 October 2022), Belgian foreign minister cuts hair in parliament in support of Iranian women Reuters.
  17. ^ "Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo in Ukraine". The Brussels Times. 27 November 2022. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  18. ^ Chardon, Frédéric; de Marneffe, Adrien (23 September 2024). "À la demande du MR, la Défense va réexaminer la possibilité de livrer des F-16 belges à l'Ukraine : "C'est un devoir moral"". La Libre.be (in French). Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  19. ^ "La Belgique " condamne fermement " les attaques du Hamas sur Israël". Le Soir (in French). 7 October 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  20. ^ Times, The Brussels. "Belgium to deliver 30 F-16 fighters to Ukraine by 2028". www.brusselstimes.com. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  21. ^ Belgium appoints FM Hadja Lahbib as EU commissioner
  22. ^ "'Impunity must end': World reacts to ICJ ruling against Israeli occupation". Al Jazeera. 20 July 2024.
  23. ^ "Targeting civilian infrastructure is 'unacceptable': Belgium". Al Jazeera. 10 August 2024.
  24. ^ The "Butcher of Tehran" makes Iranians in Belgium shudder
  25. ^ Marine Strauss and Charlotte Van Campenhout (29 June 2023), Belgian foreign minister survives no-confidence vote in Parliament Reuters.
  26. ^ Belgium’s on-again, off-again hunt for the men accused of corrupting the European Parliament; November 22, 2023 [1]
  27. ^ "Qatargate: via son compagnon, Hadja Lahbib était probablement au courant des liens entre le juge Claise et Marie Arena." Hadja Lahbib probably aware about the links of the judge and Marie Arena; June 27, 2023 [2]
  28. ^ "Nadat rechter zich terugtrekt uit onderzoek Qatargate: zo verweven blijken politiek en justitie in ons land" [3]
  29. ^ "Nadat rechter zich terugtrekt uit onderzoek Qatargate: zo verweven blijken politiek en justitie in ons land". Het Laatste Nieuws (in Dutch). 26 June 2023. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  30. ^ "Belgium appoints FM Hadja Lahbib as EU commissioner". POLITICO. 2 September 2024. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  31. ^ "Von der Leyen fait pression sur les pays de l'UE pour qu'ils remplacent leurs choix de commissaires par des femmes". POLITICO (in French). 3 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
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Media related to Hadja Lahbib at Wikimedia Commons

Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Foreign Affairs
2022–2024 		Succeeded by
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