Six Belgians of Moroccan origin were elected to the Belgian House of Representatives during the federal, regional, and European elections held in Belgium on Sunday 26 May.
The new deputies are: co-president of environmental party Ecologist Francophone (Ecolo) Zakia Khattabi, president of the Socialist Francophone Group in the lower chamber Ahmed Laaouej, president of Flemish-Socialist Group of the same chamber (Spa) Meriam Kitir, member of Belgian Labour Party (PTB) Nabil Boukili, and members of the Democratic Christian Flemish Party (CD&V) Nahima Lanjri and Nawal Farih.
Regional parliaments will receive 21 new Belgo-Moroccan deputies: 15 in the Parliament of Brussels, three in the Parliament of the Wallonia, and three in the Flemish Parliament.
Women’s rights activist Darya Safai has become the first Iranian immigrant in Belgian parliament, elected to the Chamber of Representatives in Brussels, representing center-right Flemish-separatist party, the N-VA (New Flemish Alliance).
The far-right, previously holding only 3 seats, has won 18 seats in Sunday’s elections in the lower house.
Also in the right-wing is the Belgian federal parliament’s first observant Jew, Michael Freilich, who wants to address is immigration. Freilich feels strongly about the Marrakech Pact, which seeks to reduce the root causes of migration while making it safer for people who choose to move across borders.
In 2015, more than a million people streamed into Europe, often by foot and under painful conditions. By signing the pact, countries pledge to respect the human rights of refugees and economic migrants, reduce the detention of migrants, and offer them basic social services.
Freilich said, “The chaos with uncontrolled migration is no longer possible,” said Freilich. “The Marrakech Pact has been the deciding factor for me. I advocate a controlled migration to the Canadian [immigration] model.”
Belgian King Philippe began consultations Sunday to form the government.
