Belgian FM expected to survive no-confidence vote

Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib is facing a no-confidence vote on Thursday after granting visas to Iranian and Russian delegations in the framework of a mayor’s convention earlier this month, but parties say they won’t vote for it as it could destabilise the Belgian government.

The presence of Tehran’s mayor Alireza Zakani – an ultra-radical of the Iranian regime – at the Brussels Urban Summit (12-15 June), which was run by the international organisation Metropolis, raised questions, notably following the arbitrary detention of Belgian citizen Olivier Vandecasteele in Iran for 455 days.

The latter had been released after intense negotiations, but the regime still detains several EU nationals. Since the Iranian delegation was invited, Lahbib (French-speaking liberal Reformist Movement, MR) has been in turmoil, with several politicians calling for her resignation.

The French-speaking Socialist Party (PS), the French-speaking (Ecolo) and Flemish Greens (Groen) have announced they would not vote for Lahbib’s dismissal, arguing it could destabilise the government, Belga reports. However, they point out that trust in the Belgian minister has not been restored.

“We do not want to jeopardise the country’s stability,” said Wouter De Vriendt (Groen). “For us, however, Lahibib must promise to reform the visa procedure, reaffirm the fight for human rights in Iran, and put the Iranian ambassador on the spot.”

Additionally, the minister received Prime Minister Alexander De Croo’s support.

“We have to put political responsibility where it lies. Despite a negative opinion [from the Federal government], [the city of] Brussels still decided to invite [the Iranians] and even to pay for their stay. That’s where the responsibility lies,” De Croo told VTM last week.

In his view, the Federal government’s position towards the Iranian authorities is clear, and the issuing of visas to an Iranian delegation that included the mayor of Tehran does not change that position.

Brussels Secretary of State Pascal Smet (Flemish social democratic party Vooruit), in charge of International Relations, was also criticised and resigned over the all-expenses-paid trip for the Iranian and Russian delegation.

On Monday, Lahbib explained herself and apologised for her role in granting the visas, admitting she had made a mistake.

The PS also remains critical. “The crisis we are in now was caused by Lahbib’s inability to provide accurate information to parliament, which had to endure her mistakes, untruths and many attempts to dodge her responsibility,” said Malik Ben Achour (PS). “Our party finds it unacceptable that the MR has repeatedly tried to blame the Brussels government and shift the responsibility to others in the federal government,” he added.

On Wednesday, Head of the PS parliamentary group in the House of Representatives Ahmed Laaouej said on La Première that his party chose the stability of the government but that Lahbib should resign, like Smet did, calling her to “take her responsibility”.

For Peter De Roover (Flemish nationalist and conservative party NV-A) to restore the government’s credibility, Lahbib should resign.

In his view, the visas of “Alireza Zakani, better known as the ‘Butcher of Tehran’, and [a] delegation of agents of the Ayatollahs’ regime in Iran” were issued before the State Security screening.

“We suffered our first humiliation with a fellow countryman held hostage for 455 days, whom we only managed to free by fully satisfying Iran’s demands, and two weeks later, our foreign minister seems to be saying that everything has been forgotten and forgiven. She is even rolling out the red carpet and drawing a line under the past. What a sign of weakness towards this regime,” he deplored last Friday.

(Anne-Sophie Gayet | EURACTIV.com)