brussels

Busquin: solid background in science and politics. Credit: PA

A former physicist who took postgraduate degrees in philosophy and environmental studies before turning to politics has been nominated as head of the European Commission's research directorate, DGXII.

Philippe Busquin, leader of Belgium's French-speaking Socialists, is one of a team of proposed commissioners announced last week by Romano Prodi, the president-designate of the European Commission.

All candidates will have to attend individual confirmation hearings with the European Parliament in late August. Centre-right MEPs have already voiced criticisms over the left-wing emphasis in Prodi's proposed cabinet.

But Prodi denies any bias. “This is a top-quality team in which jobs have been allocated to match the proven abilities and experience of each commissioner,”he says.

Busquin, with a solid background in both science and politics, seems well placed to take responsibility for the commission's research programmes, including in particular the fifth Framework programme that began this year. After graduating in physics from the Free University of Brussels (ULB) in 1962, he took a two-year degree in philosophy, followed by postgraduate studies in environmental issues, also at ULB.

He was an assistant lecturer in physics at ULB between 1962 and 1977, while also teaching at Nivelles Teachers' Training College. From 1978 to 1980 he was chairman of the board of directors of the Institut National des Radioéléments in Fleurus.

Elected to the Belgian parliament in 1978, Busquin has been president of the country's Socialist Party since 1992 and held various ministerial positions before being elected a senator in 1995. He was elected to the European Parliament last month.