Breaking down the new Belgian federal government: Part 2

This week we continue our look at Belgium's new federal government, headed by prime minister Charles Michel in a centre-right coalition.

Maggie De Block, Minister of Social Affairs and Health
Age: 52
Party: Open VLD (Liberal Democrats; centre right; colour: blue)
Hometown: Merchtem, Flanders
Qualifications: Prior to entering politics, De Block completed her studies in medicine and worked as a general practitioner for 25 years. In 1999, she was elected to the Belgian Chamber of Representatives for the district of Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde. Then, in 2011, De Block left the Chamber to join the Di Rupo government as Secretary of State for Asylum, Immigration and Social Integration. Earlier this year, she also briefly held the position of Minister of Justice before becoming Minister of Social Affairs and Health in the Michel Government.
Special mentions: While some point to De Block’s weight (which is not unsubstantial) as evidence that she is an inappropriate choice for the top position on public health, others say that the Minister’s 25 years of experience a doctor, as well as over 15 years in the Belgian government make her amply qualified for her job.

Marie-Christine Marghem, Minister of Energy
Age: 51
Party: MR (Liberal party; centre right; colour: blue)
Hometown: Tournai, Wallonia
Qualifications: Starting off as member of, PSC, the Christian Social Party (today’s cdH, the Humanist Democratic Centre party), Marghem joined what would become the MR in 1998. She has served in the Chamber of Representatives since 2003, using her background in law as member and chairperson of the Chamber Justice Committee.

Jacqueline Galant, Minister of Mobility
Age: 40
Party: MR (Liberal party; centre right; colour: blue)
Hometown: Mons, Wallonia
Qualifications: By the age of 27, Galant had already worked for then-Minister of Foreign Affairs Louis Michel (father of current Prime Minister Charles Michel) and had beat out her father, Jacques Galant, for the seat of mayor of Jurbeke. By 29, she was elected to the Chamber of Representatives, where she served until this year, when she ran and won a seat in the Wallonia Parliament. She has since turned down this seat, however, in order to take up the federal role of Minister of Mobility.

Hervé Jamar, Minister of Budget
Age: 59
Party: MR (Liberal party; centre right; colour: blue)
Hometown: Huy, Wallonia
Qualifications: In 1995, at 30 years old, Jamar was at the time the youngest person in Belgium to be elected mayor in his town of Hannut, a post which he has since held up until his recent federal appointment. In addition to his mayoral role, Jamar has held a number of other positions, including as a member of the Walloon Parliament and as Secretary of State for the Modernisation of Finance and the Fight against Fiscal Fraud under Finance Minister Didier Reynders.

Daniel Bacquelaine, Minister of Pensions
Age: 61
Party: MR (Liberal party; centre right; colour: blue)
Hometown: Chaudfontaine, Wallonia
Qualifications: Involved in the local politics of his hometown of Chaudfontaine since the 1980s and as , Bacquelaine joined the Belgian Chamber of Respresentatives in 1994. He has been head of what today is the MR party (comprised by a union of three parties – PRL, FDF and MCC – in 2002) since 1999. Like De Blok, Bacquelaine holds a background in medicine, having worked as a general practitioner in Chaudfontaine.
Special mentions: Along with his medical practice, Bacquelaine also holds a diploma in mesotherapy, a somewhat controversial cosmetic therapy popular in France that treats complaints such as excess weight, cellulite and hair loss through the subcutaneous injection of medicines, vitamins and minerals into the skin.

Steven Vandeput, Minister of Defence
Age: 57
Party: N-VA (Conservative, Flemish Nationalist party; right; colour: yellow)
Hometown: Hasselt, Flanders
Qualifications: An entrepreneur in the building sector by trade, Vandeput has also served as N-VA chairperson for the province of Limburg. In 2010, he was elected to the Belgian Chamber of Representatives. As Minister of Defence, Vandeput will be the grappling with big questions concerning Belgium’s involvement in military actions taken again the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). He is also charged with overseeing the Civil Service.

Johan Van Overtveldt, Minister of Finance
Age: 59
Party: N-VA (Conservative, Flemish Nationalist party; right; colour: yellow)
Hometown: Mortsel, Flanders
Qualifications: A newcomer to the political world, Van Overtveldt first had three-decade-long career in journalism, most recently as editor-in-chief for the magazines Trends and Knack. In 2013, he entered politics as a party leader in the N-VA.
Special mentions: Van Overtveldt also holds a PhD in Applied Economics as well as an MBA from the University of Leuven.

Koen Geens, Minister of Justice
Age: 56
Party: CD&V (Christian Democrats; centre right; colour: orange)
Hometown: Brasschaat, Flanders
Qualifications: As a politician, businessman, academic and lawyer, Geens has his hand in every pot. After studying law at Leuven and Harvard Universities, he joined the law faculty in Leuven and co-founded Belgium’s largest independent law firm Dieux Geens. From 2007 to 2009, he acted as Chief of Staff to Minister-President Kris Peeters in the Flemish government. In 2011, he joined the Board of BNP Paribas Fortis as a representative of the federal government, which owns 25 percent of the bank. Geens left the board in 2013 in order to serve as Di Rupo’s Minister of Finance, replacing Steven Vanackere who resigned in the midst of a scandal of the Flemish labour organisation ACW and its dealings with the government-rescued Belfius bank.