Kris Peeters (CD&V) leaves the European Parliament – and active politics – to become vice-chairman of the European Investment Bank.
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It was a position that CD&V chairman Joachim Coens had secured during the government negotiations of Vivaldi – in addition to the government posts -: the Benelux seat of vice-chairman at the European Investment Bank (EIB). The EIB borrows money on the markets and then lends it out to banks and companies in order to realize European projects.
Belgium and the Netherlands may take turns filling in the position of one of the eight vice-presidents. It was up to our country three years ago, but due to disagreements in the Michel government, the fall of that government and the protracted government negotiations, the position was vacant all that time.
The Belgian government is now nominating CD&V figurehead Kris Peeters. That reported The time Thursday evening and Peeters confirms The standard. “The entire appointment procedure will take a few more months,” said Peeters. ‘In the meantime, I will remain active in the European Parliament, where I will continue to monitor Brexit, among other things.’
Peeters then moves to Luxembourg, where the EIB is located. The mandate of 58-year-old Peeters will run until the end of 2023, after which it will in principle once again belong to the Netherlands.
For Kris Peeters, the appointment may mark the end of his active political career. He was successively Flemish minister, Flemish prime minister and then federal deputy prime minister in the Michel government. After a failed adventure in the local elections in Antwerp, he pulled the CD&V list in last year’s European elections.
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