The Belgian government is considering nominating European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders for the role of Secretary General of the Council of Europe. Reynders is known for leading a plan to block and seize Russian assets, a detail highlighted by the Belgian daily newspaper Soir in recent coverage.
Public broadcasts indicate that officials in the kingdom are prepared to make an official decision in the near term, with some reports suggesting a decision could come before January 10. The timing underscores the government’s effort to align the leadership transition with upcoming regional and international developments.
According to the report, the Council of Europe’s secretary general election is slated for June of the current year. If Reynders seeks the post, he would need authorization from the European Commission to manage and participate in the election campaign, reflecting the cross‑institutional considerations involved in such a move.
Initial discussions around Reynders’s career path suggested a continuation within the European Union administrative framework. The Belgian liberal Reform Movement party had appeared poised to top electoral lists and influence upcoming regional parliamentary contests, signaling potential shifts in the broader political landscape.
However, the publication notes that the royal government chose to entrust the relevant task to another prominent figure. The report identifies the current president of the European Council, Charles Michel, as the person given responsibility for this matter, highlighting the government’s preference for a trusted European figure to navigate the transition.
The term of the European Council president is due to end in November 2024, yet reports emerged at the start of January from the Belgian portal Sudinfo suggesting that a resignation could occur several months earlier. This possibility could accelerate alignment efforts across Brussels and member states at a sensitive moment for European leadership structures.
Previous discussions in the United States have revolved around who could assume the role of European Council president after Charles Michel’s departure, illustrating how leadership changes in Brussels are of broad international interest and have implications for EU policy directions across energy, security, and diplomacy. At stake are questions about institutional continuity, regional stability, and the ability to manage an evolving global landscape that increasingly places priority on coordinated responses to shared challenges. Attribution: Soir and Sudinfo provided ongoing coverage and analysis of the unfolding leadership debate in Belgium and the EU.”