{ "id": "epcw0mxd9j", "slug": "vincent-blondel", "title": "Vincent Blondel", "updated": "2026-10-15", "topic_path": [ { "id": "society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society" }, { "id": "society.politics", "label": "Politics and government", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.politics" }, { "id": "society.politics.institutions", "label": "Government and public administration", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.politics.institutions" }, { "id": "society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders", "label": "Politicians and government officeholders (biographies)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders" }, { "id": "society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.western-european-politicians", "label": "Western European politicians", "api_url": 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"https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.weu.t2021.society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.western-european-politicians.politicians-since-1945.legislators-and-party-leaders.alpha-a-to-c" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Vincent Blondel is a Belgian politician of Les Engagés and President of the Senate of Belgium since 2025, formerly rector of UCLouvain from 2014 to 2024.", "snippet": "Vincent Blondel is a Belgian politician of Les Engagés and President of the Senate of Belgium since 2025, formerly rector of UCLouvain from 2014 to 2024.", "node": "society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.western-european-politicians.politicians-since-1945.legislators-and-party-leaders.alpha-a-to-c", "markdown": "# Vincent Blondel\n\nVincent Blondel is a Belgian politician of the party Les Engagés who has been President of the Senate of Belgium since 2025.[1](https://www.lesengages.be/actualite/communique-de-presse-vincent-blondel-nouveau-president-du-senat/) A former rector of UCLouvain, he was elected in June 2024 to the Parliament of Wallonia, where he sits as a deputy, and as a Walloon MP he also became a member of the Parliament of the French Community (Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles); he was designated a senator.[2](https://www.vincentblondel.be/) • [1](https://www.lesengages.be/actualite/communique-de-presse-vincent-blondel-nouveau-president-du-senat/) He is the 41st [President of the Senate](https://www.edgepedia.org/president-of-the-senate).[1](https://www.lesengages.be/actualite/communique-de-presse-vincent-blondel-nouveau-president-du-senat/)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Party | Les Engagés[1](https://www.lesengages.be/actualite/communique-de-presse-vincent-blondel-nouveau-president-du-senat/) |\n| Current office | President of the Senate (since 2025)[1](https://www.lesengages.be/actualite/communique-de-presse-vincent-blondel-nouveau-president-du-senat/); Deputy, Parliament of Wallonia and Parliament of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (elected June 2024); senator[2](https://www.vincentblondel.be/) • [1](https://www.lesengages.be/actualite/communique-de-presse-vincent-blondel-nouveau-president-du-senat/) |\n| Previous offices | President of the science and technologies commission of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly |\n| Education | Engineer; degree in philosophy; researcher in applied mathematics[1](https://www.lesengages.be/actualite/communique-de-presse-vincent-blondel-nouveau-president-du-senat/) |\n\n## Party affiliation\n\nBlondel is a member of Les Engagés.[1](https://www.lesengages.be/actualite/communique-de-presse-vincent-blondel-nouveau-president-du-senat/) According to his party's press release, he joined the movement before the most recent elections.[1](https://www.lesengages.be/actualite/communique-de-presse-vincent-blondel-nouveau-president-du-senat/)\n\n## Early life and education\n\nBlondel trained as an engineer and holds a degree in philosophy, and worked as a researcher in applied mathematics.[1](https://www.lesengages.be/actualite/communique-de-presse-vincent-blondel-nouveau-president-du-senat/) On his personal website he writes that he is married and the father of four grown children.[2](https://www.vincentblondel.be/)\n\n## Career\n\nBlondel was a professor at the University of Liège, at the [Massachusetts Institute of Technology](https://www.edgepedia.org/massachusetts-institute-of-technology) in the United States, and at UCLouvain.[1](https://www.lesengages.be/actualite/communique-de-presse-vincent-blondel-nouveau-president-du-senat/) He was dean of the École Polytechnique of UCLouvain before being elected rector of the university, a position he held from 2014 to 2024.[1](https://www.lesengages.be/actualite/communique-de-presse-vincent-blondel-nouveau-president-du-senat/) On his website he says he led the university for nearly 10 years and describes the experience as having given him significant experience in managing a large institution.[2](https://www.vincentblondel.be/)\n\nIn June 2024 he was elected a deputy in the Parliament of Wallonia and in the Parliament of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, and was designated a senator.[2](https://www.vincentblondel.be/) • [1](https://www.lesengages.be/actualite/communique-de-presse-vincent-blondel-nouveau-president-du-senat/) In November 2024 he was elected president of the science and technologies commission of the [NATO Parliamentary Assembly](https://www.edgepedia.org/nato-parliamentary-assembly).[1](https://www.lesengages.be/actualite/communique-de-presse-vincent-blondel-nouveau-president-du-senat/) On February 21, 2025, the senators elected him unanimously as President of the Senate of Belgium, succeeding Valérie De Bue, to whom he paid tribute.[1](https://www.lesengages.be/actualite/communique-de-presse-vincent-blondel-nouveau-president-du-senat/)\n\n## Electoral history\n\nIn June 2024, Blondel was elected to the Parliament of Wallonia and, as a Walloon MP, also became a member of the Parliament of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles.[2](https://www.vincentblondel.be/) • [1](https://www.lesengages.be/actualite/communique-de-presse-vincent-blondel-nouveau-president-du-senat/)\n\n## Issues specific to Blondel\n\nAs President of the Senate, Blondel presides over the procedure leading to the abolition of the institution itself: the federal government has announced its intention to abolish the Senate at the next federal elections, a step that requires a two-thirds majority in the Chamber of Representatives and in the Senate.[1](https://www.lesengages.be/actualite/communique-de-presse-vincent-blondel-nouveau-president-du-senat/) In an interview with Le Soir published on April 10, 2026, he said that Les Engagés would not vote for the end of the Senate without guarantees to safeguard democracy, and the newspaper described him as unwilling to act merely as the notary of the decision.[3](https://www.lesoir.be/740060/article/2026-04-10/vincent-blondel-au-soir-les-engages-ne-voteront-pas-la-fin-du-senat-sans) When the abolition procedure began with turbulent debates the week before that interview, Blondel was asked for his view of those events.[3](https://www.lesoir.be/740060/article/2026-04-10/vincent-blondel-au-soir-les-engages-ne-voteront-pas-la-fin-du-senat-sans)\n\n## Positions and voting record\n\n### The Senate and institutional reform\n\nOn the day of his election as President of the Senate, Blondel said: \"C'est un immense honneur d'avoir été élu à la présidence du Sénat\" (Edgepedia translation: \"It is an immense honor to have been elected to the presidency of the Senate\").[1](https://www.lesengages.be/actualite/communique-de-presse-vincent-blondel-nouveau-president-du-senat/) He described the Senate as a place of reflection and dialogue between the country's communities and regions, and said it allows regional and community deputies to take an active part in international bodies and contribute to parliamentary diplomacy.[1](https://www.lesengages.be/actualite/communique-de-presse-vincent-blondel-nouveau-president-du-senat/) On the announced abolition of the Senate, he said: \"Il est tout à fait logique de rénover notre démocratie et nos institutions, en visant toujours davantage d'efficacité\" (Edgepedia translation: \"It is entirely logical to renew our democracy and our institutions, always aiming for greater efficiency\").[1](https://www.lesengages.be/actualite/communique-de-presse-vincent-blondel-nouveau-president-du-senat/) He added that he wanted the Senate to conduct the discussions with rigor and expertise, in a spirit of respectful and constructive dialogue and listening, and that attention should be paid to the institution's staff and to ensuring that its current missions continue to be carried out effectively.[1](https://www.lesengages.be/actualite/communique-de-presse-vincent-blondel-nouveau-president-du-senat/)\n\n### Artificial intelligence\n\nIn an interview with La Libre published on September 23, 2026, Blondel, a mathematician by training, said that artificial intelligence is about to profoundly transform many disciplines, beginning with mathematics.[4](https://www.lalibre.be/belgique/enseignement/2026/09/23/vincent-blondel-la-meilleure-defense-contre-les-perils-de-lintelligence-artificielle-cest-la-maniere-avec-laquelle-chacun-va-lemployer-KHN7BLPX7RGE3PVYXGHEWNJXYE/) He said: \"La meilleure défense contre les périls de l'intelligence artificielle, c'est la manière avec laquelle chacun va l'employer\" (Edgepedia translation: \"The best defense against the perils of artificial intelligence is the way each person will use it\").[4](https://www.lalibre.be/belgique/enseignement/2026/09/23/vincent-blondel-la-meilleure-defense-contre-les-perils-de-lintelligence-artificielle-cest-la-maniere-avec-laquelle-chacun-va-lemployer-KHN7BLPX7RGE3PVYXGHEWNJXYE/)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Communiqué de presse : Vincent Blondel, nouveau Président du Sénat](https://www.lesengages.be/actualite/communique-de-presse-vincent-blondel-nouveau-president-du-senat/)\n2. [Vincent Blondel, personal website](https://www.vincentblondel.be/)\n3. [Vincent Blondel au « Soir » : « Les Engagés ne voteront pas la fin du Sénat sans garanties pour sauvegarder notre démocratie »](https://www.lesoir.be/740060/article/2026-04-10/vincent-blondel-au-soir-les-engages-ne-voteront-pas-la-fin-du-senat-sans)\n4. [Vincent Blondel : \"La meilleure défense contre les périls de l'intelligence artificielle, c'est la manière avec laquelle chacun va l'employer\"](https://www.lalibre.be/belgique/enseignement/2026/09/23/vincent-blondel-la-meilleure-defense-contre-les-perils-de-lintelligence-artificielle-cest-la-maniere-avec-laquelle-chacun-va-lemployer-KHN7BLPX7RGE3PVYXGHEWNJXYE/)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Politics and government › Government and public administration › Politicians and government officeholders (biographies) › Western European politicians › Politicians since 1945 › Legislators and party leaders › Surnames A to C*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 28, 2026; Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Sep 28, 2026; Sep 29, 2026; Oct 15, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/vincent-blondel", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/vincent-blondel.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Vincent Blondel\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/vincent-blondel. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Vincent Blondel](https://www.edgepedia.org/vincent-blondel)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/vincent-blondel](https://www.edgepedia.org/vincent-blondel). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Vincent Blondel\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/vincent-blondel. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Vincent Blondel is a Belgian politician of Les Engagés and President of the Senate of Belgium since 2025, formerly rector of UCLouvain from 2014 to 2024." }