Sophie Wilmès has been named Belgium’s first female prime minister, replacing Charles Michel, who is set to take over as European Council president.
ADVERTISEMENTSophie Wilmès has been named Belgium’s first female prime minister, replacing Charles Michel, who is set to take over as European Council president.
The 44-year-old liberal francophone was selected as the caretaker prime minister by a small ministerial committee.
Belgium has not had a fully-functioning federal government since a coalition headed up by Michel collapsed in December 2018.
Negotiations to form a new coalition have stalled since parliamentary elections in May produced fragmentary results.
Since early October, talks between the French-speaking socialist PS party and the Flemish nationalist N-VA party to form a new government have collapsed.
The parties must first bridge their differences before they can form a government and bring in other parties.
The first report of on their negotiations must be submitted to Belgium’s King Philippe on November 4.
Belgium, which hosts NATO and the EU, went a record 541 days without a government in 2010-11.