Belgian premier announces resignation after his party’s defeat in EU elections

In a shocking turn of events, Belgium's Prime Minister Alexander De Croo has announced his resignation following a disappointing performance by his party, the Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats (Open VLD), in the European elections. The party secured only 5.9% of the vote, with nearly 90% of the votes counted in the federal election, according to the Italian news agency Agenzia Nova.

De Croo's announcement came as a surprise, but he acknowledged the setback for his party, saying "Tomorrow I will resign as prime minister." Despite the disappointing results, De Croo remained optimistic about the future of the Liberals, saying they "are strong. We will return." This statement suggests that De Croo is confident that his party will bounce back from this defeat and continue to play a significant role in Belgian politics.

Why This Matters: Although De Croo will step down as prime minister, he is expected to retain his position on an interim basis until a new government is established. This means that Belgium will continue to hold the rotating presidency of the European Council, which changes every six months among member states, until June 30, 2024.

De Croo's presidency has been marked by his vocal stance on various international issues, including the conflict in the Middle East. In his statement announcing the priorities of the presidency, De Croo emphasized the need for Europe to play a role in addressing the situation in the region. He has been one of the European leaders who have raised their voices the most against Israel's war in Gaza and the resulting civilian casualties.

De Croo's visit to Israel and Palestine in November with his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's administration to lash out at remarks they made about the situation in the Gaza Strip, calling them "false statements" made "in support of terrorism." Belgium also brought the proposal to ban settlers who resort to violence in the West Bank from entering European territory to the agenda of the year's final EU leaders' summit, but no consensus was reached on the matter.

Key Takeaways:

• Alexander De Croo resigns as Belgium's prime minister after election defeat.
• Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats secure only 5.9% of the vote.
• De Croo remains optimistic about the future of the Liberals.
• Belgium to continue holding European Council presidency until June 30, 2024.
• De Croo's presidency marked by vocal stance on Middle East conflict.