[1/2] Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib appears before the External Relations committee at the Belgian Parliament to be questioned by lawmakers after delegations from Iranian and Russian cities were granted visas to attend a mayors' convention, in Brussels, Belgium June 26, 2023.
REUTERS/Yves... Read moreBRUSSELS, June 29 (Reuters) - Belgian foreign affairs minister Hadja Lahbib on Thursday survived a vote of no-confidence in Parliament after granting visas to delegations from Iranian and Russian cities to attend a mayors' convention in Brussels earlier this month.
When in Brussels, the Iranian delegation filmed Belgian-Iranian lawmaker Darya Safai and Iranian opposition members.
The opposition had called for Lahbib's resignation over the scandal, but 79 MPs voted in support of the minister while 50 voted against and four abstained.
Two members of coalition parties Ecolo-Groen and PS abstained symbolically to voice that Lahbib will have to regain their parties' trust.
Persons:
Hadja Lahbib, Yves, Read, Darya Safai, Lahbib's, Marine Strauss, Charlotte Van Campenhout, Leslie Adler
Organizations:
Belgian, REUTERS, Thomson
Locations:
Brussels, Belgium, BRUSSELS, Belgian