Political Career
From 1967 to 1977, he was chairman of the Young Liberals in the district of Nivelles. Then he became alderman in Jodoigne from 1977 to 1983, "secretary-general" of the Parti Réformateur Libéral (PRL) political party from 1980 to 1982 and chairman of the PRL from 1982 to 1990 and from 1995 to 1999.
He was a member of the Belgian federal parliament from 1978 to 2004, first as a representative (1978–1999) and then as a senator (1999–2004).
He was the Belgian foreign minister and Vice Prime Minister from 1999 to 2004, until in July 2004, the Verhofstadt government appointed Michel as its candidate for the Belgian seat on the European Commission led by José Manuel Durão Barroso, to replace former commissioner Philippe Busquin. He was nominated on 12 August 2004 to become EU commissioner starting in November 2004.
As part of a political agreement, Busquin resigned early in September 2004 to give Louis Michel an early opportunity to serve on the European Commission. He completed Busquin's term as the European Commissioner for Science and Research and now serves as the European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Development.
He is also the mayor of the municipality of Jodoigne in Walloon Brabant and has been since 1983.
Louis Michel has withdrawn himself from the EU between the 12 May and the 10 June 2007 to take care of his political party because of the elections of 10 June 2007.
He resigned as Commissioner in July 2009 to become a Member of the European Parliament.
Louis Michel co-presides over the ACP–EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly which advises on the orientations of cooperation policies between the EU and its partners in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific.
He is also a member of the Fondation Chirac's honour committee, ever since the foundation was launched in 2008 by former French president Jacques Chirac in order to promote world peace.
Read more about this topic: Louis Michel
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