The gender balance in the board of directors of the National Bank of Belgium (BNB) “can and must be improved” Finance Minister Johan Van Overtveldt (New Flemish Alliance, N-VA) said on Friday on Twitter. He said he would propose reforms at the institution to the Government. However, when pressed for details, the minister’s office declined to say what the reforms would entail.
Van Overtveldt had proposed former Minister of Finance Steven Vanackere (Christian Democratic and Flemish party, CD&V) to the BNB’s Council of Regents to replace the only woman in the Board of Directors, Marcia De Wachter.
However, on Friday, he tweeted that, “beyond the present proposal (of Vanackere), advanced by one of the governmental parties, the male-female ratio at the National Bank can and must be improved.”
Deputy Prime Minister Jan Jambon (N-VA) said the CD&V alone had taken the decision to propose Vanackere’s name.
Within the Government, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (Open Vld) has asked for the decision, which now only needs to be formally approved by Prime Minister Michel’s team, to be reviewed.
The CD&V’s feminist movement, Vrouw & Maatschappij, has also voiced dissatisfaction at the absence of women in the BNB’s governing body.
The Brussels Times
