Wilmès, Sophie

Wilmès, Sophie, 1975–, Belgian political leader. She worked as a financial officer at the European Commission, and was a council member in local government (2007–15). A member of the liberal francophone Reformist Movement, Wilmès was first elected to parliament in 2014, and served as minister of the budget and civil service (2015–19). In 2019 she was appointed head of a caretaker government when Prime Minister Charles Michel stepped down to become president of the European Council. In 2020, amid increasing concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic, Wilmès served as prime minister of a minority coalition government until a new government was established later in the year; she was the first woman to serve in the post. She then became foreign minister and deputy prime minister in Alexander De Croo's government.

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