On Monday 8 January, the Belgian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Hadja Lahbib, spoke to a group of journalists in Brussels in support of the Belgian model, which could be applied at European level.
According to the Minister, there are three things that make Belgium special: the “plantrekkers” and the Belgian art of compromise, the power of diversity and access to opportunities.
The Minister began by highlighting the ability to find solutions, the Belgian art of compromise, which she defined using the Flemish term ‘plantrekkers’ and the French expression ‘compromis à la Belge’. In her words, it’s about “finding a solution to every problem. Not being intimidated when faced with big challenges”. For Ms Lahbib, Belgium’s ability to find common ground will also help during the 6 months of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU.
She also believes that Belgium embodies diversity. “Belgium is a mix of languages and cultures, which makes us stronger, not weaker. On one condition: we have to open up to each other and avoid a bunker mentality”, she explained, believing that the EU motto “unity in diversity” was Europe’s strength. But only if “we move beyond our differences, build bridges and look for common ground”, she added. “That’s what we’ve been doing in Belgium for nearly 200 years. And that’s what we’ll do in Europe in the next 6 months”, she promised.
Finally, Ms Lahbib explained that Belgium “offers opportunities”, noting that Belgium is one of the most egalitarian countries in Europe. She felt that this particularity was also important for the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU, because “we need to put people first”. “It’s about the 450 million Europeans who are concerned about their security, their income, and their future. And that’s the real meaning of our baseline: Protect, Strengthen and Prepare”, explained Ms Lahbib, echoing the motto of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)