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Sophie Wilmès
1718636579270 20240612 WILMES Sophie BE 02B.jpg
Official portrait, 2024
Vice-President of the European Parliament
Assumed office
16 July 2024
President Roberta Metsola
Prime Minister of Belgium
In office
27 October 2019 – 1 October 2020
Monarch Philippe
Deputy Koen Geens
Alexander De Croo
Didier Reynders (2019)
David Clarinval
Preceded by Charles Michel
Succeeded by Alexander De Croo
Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
1 October 2020 – 15 July 2022
Prime Minister Alexander De Croo
Preceded by Philippe Goffin (Foreign)
David Clarinval (Deputy)
Succeeded by Hadja Lahbib (Foreign)
David Clarinval (Deputy)
Minister of Budget
In office
22 September 2015 – 27 October 2019
Prime Minister Charles Michel
Preceded by Hervé Jamar
Succeeded by David Clarinval
Member of the European Parliament for
Belgium
Assumed office
16 July 2024
Constituency French-speaking electoral college
Member of the Chamber of Representatives
In office
15 July 2022 – 9 June 2024
In office
25 May 2014 – 22 September 2015
Personal details
Born (1975-01-15) 15 January 1975 (age 50)
Ixelles, Brussels, Belgium
Political party Reformist Movement
Spouse
Chris Stone
(m. 2002; died 2023)
Children 3
Parent Philippe Wilmès (father)
Alma mater Saint-Louis University, Brussels
IHECS
Signature

Sophie Wilmès (born 15 January 1975) is a Belgian politician. She made history as the first woman to become the Prime Minister of Belgium. She served in this important role from 2019 to 2020. Later, she became the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2020 to 2022.

Sophie Wilmès is a member of the Reformist Movement political party. She was first elected to the Chamber of Representatives in 2014. Before becoming Prime Minister, she was the budget minister from 2015 to 2019. In 2020, she joined the government of Prime Minister Alexander De Croo as foreign minister. In 2024, she was elected as a Member of the European Parliament and became one of its Vice-Presidents.

Early Life and Education

Sophie Wilmès was born in Ixelles, Brussels, Belgium, on 15 January 1975. Her father, Philippe Wilmès, was a banker and a professor. He was also involved in politics.

Sophie Wilmès studied applied communication at IHECS. She also earned a degree in financial management from Saint-Louis University, Brussels. Before entering politics, she worked for the European Commission. There, she was a financial officer. She also worked as an economic and financial adviser at a law firm.

Political Journey

Sophie Wilmès began her political career in 2000. She became a councillor in Uccle. From 2006 to 2014, she was in charge of finance, budget, and education for the town of Sint-Genesius-Rode. She also served as a provincial councillor for Flemish Brabant province from 2014 to 2015.

In October 2014, she was elected to the Chamber of Representatives. This is like the main parliament in Belgium.

Becoming Budget Minister

In September 2015, Sophie Wilmès was chosen to become the Minister of Budget. She took over this role from Hervé Jamar. In December 2018, her role expanded. She became the Minister of Budget, Civil Service, National Lottery, and Scientific Policy.

First Female Prime Minister

On 27 October 2019, Sophie Wilmès made history. She became the first female Prime Minister of Belgium. She took over from Charles Michel. At first, she led a temporary government. This was while political parties tried to form a new government.

On 16 March 2020, the main political parties agreed to give her government full powers. This was to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic. She was given special powers to deal with the health crisis. These powers helped manage the economic and social effects of the pandemic.

Secretary Blinken Meets with Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmes in Brussels (51081878646)
Wilmès (right) with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in March 2021

Role as Foreign Minister

On 1 October 2020, Sophie Wilmès took on new roles. She became the deputy prime minister and foreign minister. This made her the first female foreign minister in Belgium's history. She joined the new government led by Prime Minister Alexander De Croo.

In April 2022, Sophie Wilmès announced she would take a break from her government duties. She wanted to spend more time with her family. Her husband had been diagnosed with a serious illness. On 14 July 2022, she officially resigned from the government. However, she remained a member of parliament.

European Parliament

In January 2024, Sophie Wilmès was chosen to lead her party for the European elections. She received many votes, setting a new record in French-speaking Belgium. Her party did very well in this election.

On 16 July 2024, she was elected as a Vice-President of the European Parliament. This is an important role in the European Union.

Personal Life

In 2002, Sophie Wilmès married Chris Stone. He was an Australian businessman. They had three daughters together: Victoria, Charlotte, and Elizabeth. Chris Stone also had a son from a previous relationship.

In October 2020, Sophie Wilmès shared that she had tested positive for COVID-19. She was admitted to the hospital for a short time but recovered.

In July 2022, she stepped down from her government role to care for her husband. He passed away in November 2023.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Sophie Wilmès para niños

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