Oskar Sentjens (25) from Voorweg, the youngest ever committee chairman in the House of Representatives, and Vlaams Belang, MR and N-VA also put up pawns.

It’s a regular event after elections: the 11 standing committees in the House of Representatives will have a new chair. These positions are allocated to factions based on the Dhont system, which is also used to distribute seats in the House of Representatives. Political groups elect committee chairs based on their size.

The largest party, N-VA, puts Steven Vandeput in the lead for the Finance and Budget Committee. Peter Boisrooge remains chairman of the National Defence Committee.

Vlaams Belang will also have two chairmen. Frank T. Roosters will chair the mobility committee, and Ortwin Depoortier will remain in his post in home affairs.

The largest French-speaking party, the Revolutionary Movement, is demanding social affairs and the constitution, and is putting Denis Ducarme and Philippe Jovin in the presidency respectively.

Each of the smaller parties is appointed one chairperson. Vooruit chooses newcomer Oskar Seuntjens (25). According to the council’s services, he will be the youngest committee chairperson ever. Seuntjens will chair the Energy and Climate Committee.

According to faction leader Joris Vandenbroucke, Voorwet’s choice of a young and fresh face is a conscious and future-oriented choice: climate is a topic that fascinates many young people. Moreover, Siuntjens has an affinity for the subject: as a young student he took part in climate marches and will defend his PhD on sustainability in school buildings at the University of Antwerp as an industrial engineer in the fall.

Sintjens was first elected to the Federal Parliament in June, but he is not the youngest member of parliament in this legislative body. That honour goes to Britt Huybrechts (Vlaams Belang).

The other parties allowed to appoint a president are choosing more experienced names. For example, CD&V keeps Ilse Van Hoof in a post in foreign relations. Les Engagés puts former Walloon budget minister Jean-Luc Crocq at the head of the justice committee. The health committee will now be led in the right direction by the outgoing defence minister Ludivine Dedondre (PS).

Finally, PVDA has elected Roberto D’Amico to the Economy Committee.

Open VLD, Groen and Ecolo did not obtain enough votes on June 9 to appoint a committee chair. They cannot therefore claim to chair any committee during this legislative period. The same applies to DéFI, although this party has not had such a party in recent years.