Meet Belgium's new Foreign Minister, Philippe Goffin
The Francophone liberals of MR have chosen 52-year-old Philippe Goffin to take over from Didier Reynders, the new European Commissioner for Justice, as Foreign Minister. Goffin will also take over the Defence department from Reynders.
It was the new MR president Georges-Louis Bouchez who settled the matter. Goffin has been Mayor of Crisnée (Liège) since 2001 and was elected as a federal MP in 2010. In this respect, he became the president of the Chamber's Justice Comission in 2014.
Goffin is relatively unknown in Flanders. Bouchez said that he "proved his worth in recent debates within the party". Another plus are his Dutch language skills and his experience as chairman of the Justice Commission.
Didier Reynders is taking office today. He was also deputy PM, a place that will be taken by Budget Minister David Clarinval.