Speaker

Didier REYNDERS

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs - Belgium

A father of four, Didier REYNDERS was born in Liège on 6^th August 1958. In 1981, he obtained a degree in law at the University of Liège. Guest lecturer at the universities of Liège and Louvain, he has never really left the academic life.

After presiding the Belgian railways and the Belgian Airways Agency, he was elected Deputy Chairman of the PRL (Liberal party), before becoming a Member of Parliament in 1992.

On 12^th July 1999, he became Minister of Finance and, on 18^th July 2004, (concurrently) Deputy Prime Minister.

On 23^rd December 2007, he was also made responsible with the National Lottery, the Federal Holding and Investment Company and insurance companies.

He chaired the Eurogroup (meeting of the Ministers of Finance of the euro area) from 1st January until 31st December 2001, and the Ecofin (meeting of the Ministers of Finance of the European Union) from 1st July to 31st December 2001 and from 1st July until 31st December 2010.

He was Chairman of the Mouvement Réformateur (party alliance) from 11^th October 2004 until 14^th February 2011.

He was Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and European Affairs from 6th December 2011 until 11th October 2014.

He became Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs, in charge of Beliris and Federal Cultural Institutions on 11th October 2014.