Career diplomat Bernard Quintin succeeds Hadja Lahbib (Francophone liberal) in Belgium’s outgoing federal government. The Francophone liberal party MR announced its choice on social media at the weekend. ‘The international situation does not allow us not to have a full-time foreign minister, not even for a few weeks,’ MR leader Georges-Louis Bouchez wrote, explaining the party’s choice.
Hadja Lahbib becomes the new European Commissioner for equality, crisis preparedness and management. Bernard Quintin will double as Belgian foreign minister, minister of European affairs and foreign trade minister in Alexander De Croo’s caretaker administration until Bart De Wever (Flemish nationalist) takes over.
‘The international situation makes it impossible to work without a full-time foreign minister, even for a few weeks,’ MR leader Georges-Louis Bouchez said.
‘Bernard Quintin is immediately deployable and knows the dossiers perfectly. I am convinced he is the right person, at the right time, in the right place.’
‘I am honoured by this proposal and the confidence it expresses. I will immediately do everything to continue Ms Lahbib's work. The coming weeks will be intense,’ Mr Quintin noted in his reply.
Bernard Quintin takes the oath of office in the presence of King Filip this morning.
Quintin has a lengthy diplomatic career behind him
Bernard Quintin is an historian by training and has worked at the foreign ministry of many years. As a diplomat, he served in Warsaw, London and Kinshasa. He has also worked at Belgium’s Permanent Representation to the European Union.
According to MR leader Bouchez, Mr Quintin ‘will be able to take on ongoing files efficiently and immediately, represent Belgium and remain committed to defending Belgian interests abroad.’
Between 2012 and 2016, Quintin was consul-general in Rio de Janeiro and Belgium's ambassador to Burundi between 2016 and 2019. He has also worked for several Belgian ministers. Mr Quintin was chief of staff to secretary of state and minister Olivier Chastel in 2011 and 2012, when the latter prepared Belgium’s EU presidency and served as international development minster and chief of staff to foreign minister Philippe Goffin in 2019 and 2020.
Subsequently, he was elected as deputy director general for Africa at the European Diplomatic Service (EEAS), a position he left after three years before returning to the Belgian foreign ministry to lead the Belgian presidency of the Council of the European Union as director general of European Affairs.