The three opposition MPs argue in favor of the Belgian government not sending anyone to Qatar, because thousands of migrant workers have died during the construction of the stadiums and the country is not too careful with human rights for women and the LGBTQI+ community.
Earlier this week, the government decided to delegate Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib to the group stage, with orders to send a “strong, clear message.” Prime Minister De Croo defended that choice in the House on Thursday evening. “In our country, we have always made the choice to make our voices heard, no matter how much we sometimes strongly disagree with the countries where certain events take place,” he said. “If you’re not there, you won’t be heard and you won’t have a chance to give a message.”
Belgium is not the only western country to make that choice, the prime minister said. “All qualified European countries make the same choice as we do”, as do countries such as the United States and Australia. “We would be the exception if we chose the empty seat tactic. Choosing to speak is, in my view, a much bolder choice than simply being absent from an event like this.”
According to Francken and Ponthier, the Belgian message would be much stronger if the government was one of the few countries to delegate no one. Francken also called on the Red Devils to themselves give a signal of resistance to the conditions in the Gulf state.