Belgians would also like Vandenbroucke to stay in the federal government because Forward is the only left-wing party of the five that could form a center-right government, he said. “So for his party, it would be very bad news if he went to the Commission.”
That’s in part because the Belgian nomination process for top jobs relies on a points-based system, and a European role costs a party more points than a national ministerial post.
“If you have a European commissioner, you’ll probably have a minister less,” Sinardet said. “And if you’re marginalized because of your ideological position, it’s not necessarily a…
