6 Belgo-Moroccans Elected to Belgium’s House of Representatives

The lower house of the Belgian Parliament is seen during its plenary session  (Reuters)
The lower house of the Belgian Parliament is seen during its plenary session (Reuters)
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6 Belgo-Moroccans Elected to Belgium’s House of Representatives

The lower house of the Belgian Parliament is seen during its plenary session  (Reuters)
The lower house of the Belgian Parliament is seen during its plenary session (Reuters)

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, Moroccan News Agency (MAP) reported.

The newly-elected 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.

Some 20 Belgo-Moroccan deputies were elected to regional parliaments: 15 in the Parliament of Brussels, three in the Parliament of the Wallonia, and three in the Flemish Parliament.

Left-wing Francophone and Green Parties nominated in Brussels the more commonly known as “diversity” candidates, and to a lesser extent in Wallonia and on average among the “Flemish Socialists” and “Democratic Christians” in the northern Flemish region.

The legislative and regional elections resulted in a major victory for the far-right Vlaams-Belang party in the northern Flemish region. In Brussels and Wallonia, the Socialist Francophone Party ranked first.

The Belgian monarch Philippe began consultations Sunday to form the government, which appear to be difficult after the far-right victory, which gained 18 seats in Sunday’s elections in the lower house after it had 3 seats in the previous elections.



Japan Expresses Concern to China over Russia-North Korea Ties

Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui (R), shake hands before a meeting at the Kremlin, in Moscow, Russia, 04 November 2024. EPA/Mikhail Tereshchenko / Sputnik / Kremlin Pool
Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui (R), shake hands before a meeting at the Kremlin, in Moscow, Russia, 04 November 2024. EPA/Mikhail Tereshchenko / Sputnik / Kremlin Pool
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Japan Expresses Concern to China over Russia-North Korea Ties

Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui (R), shake hands before a meeting at the Kremlin, in Moscow, Russia, 04 November 2024. EPA/Mikhail Tereshchenko / Sputnik / Kremlin Pool
Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui (R), shake hands before a meeting at the Kremlin, in Moscow, Russia, 04 November 2024. EPA/Mikhail Tereshchenko / Sputnik / Kremlin Pool

Japan's top national security official said he conveyed "serious concerns" to China's foreign minister over North Korea's deepening ties with Russia after the pair held talks in Beijing.

Their meeting on Monday was four and a half hours long, according to Japanese media, which said the two also discussed a possible head-to-head between President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba this month at a summit in Peru.

"Regarding current events on the Korean Peninsula, cooperation between Russia and the DPRK came up as a topic of discussion," Takeo Akiba told reporters late Monday, using the acronym of North Korea's official name.

"I conveyed our country's serious concerns about this," he added after the talks with Wang Yi.

The United States and its allies say they believe up to 10,000 North Korean troops are on the brink of entering combat in Ukraine from Russia's side.

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted the North Korean foreign minister, who has previously said the country will stand by Russia until its "victory" in Ukraine.

China considers Russia and North Korea its close partners. Washington has also expressed to China its concerns over Moscow and Pyongyang's deepening military engagement.

Monday's high-level talks were at China's invitation, Japanese government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said on Tuesday.

Akiba said he and Wang "affirmed that our two countries share the broad direction of promoting our strategic and mutually beneficial relations as well as building constructive and stable relations".

Relations between Japan and China have worsened as Beijing builds up its military capacity in the region, and as Japan boosts security ties with the United States and its allies.

Prime Minister Ishiba -- who took office just one month ago and could lead a minority government after his ruling coalition lost its majority in snap elections -- is hoping to meet Xi on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Peru from November 10-16.

Akiba also reiterated Tokyo's concerns about the fatal stabbing of a Japanese schoolboy in Shenzhen in September, he said.