Guy Verhofstadt – 47th Prime Minister of Belgium (1999 – 2008); Member of the European Parliament; Leader of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
Guy Verhofstadt: The Future of Europe in the Tension between the USA and China.
Guy Verhofstadt, born in Dendermonde (Belgium) in 1953, quickly climbed the political ladder. In 1982, at the age of only 29, he became party president. Joining the government as deputy prime minister in 1985, he served as Belgium’s 47th prime minister from 1999 to 2008.
Guy Verhofstadt Speaking Topics
– The future of Europe after Brexit.
– Europe in the area of tension between the USA and China.
– Quo Vadis Europe?
– The shifts in the global economy – USA, Europe & China.
– Out of the crisis: How Europe can save the world.
During his time in government, Verhofstadt brought a breath of fresh air to Belgian politics: Belgium was the second country in the world to introduce same-sex marriage and legalized euthanasia. He also achieved a turnaround in the economy thanks to drastic tax cuts for families and businesses. Belgium’s economic growth exceeded expectations. During his tenure as prime minister, Belgium’s national debt fell from 114 percent of GDP to 84 percent.
Guy Verhofstadt: Out of the crisis: How Europe can save the world.
Following his resignation, Guy Verhofstadt was elected to the European Parliament and became leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe. He is an advocate of greater European integration to deal with the many crises the EU is currently facing. His latest book, “Europe’s Last Chance,” published in January 2017, is also about this.
Guy Verhofstadt argues for reforming the EU so that it focuses much more on the key problems facing Europe and the world – the economic crisis, crime, inequality between rich and poor, and other major policy issues. He also advocates greater integration within the EU, building a stronger trade and economic bloc with a common currency, a common treasury and a common economic policy that creates more jobs and competes with the U.S. and emerging Asian economies. He examines the mistakes of the past, the likely outcomes for the future, and why Europe can be a superpower if it breaks free of its history and embraces the revolution.
Guy Verhofstadt is still an active MEP in the ALDE successor group Renew Europe and a regular voice in the media across the continent. He is also the author of a number of books on Europe, including The United States of Europe, The New Age of Empires, and Emerging from the Crisis: How Europe can Save the World.