Samuel Cogolati Leaves Politics to Lead Caritas Belgium

Samuel Cogolati, the 37-year-old former co-president of Belgium’s green party Ecolo, has announced he is leaving politics to become the new Director General of Caritas International Belgium, a major humanitarian NGO active in development aid and migrant reception. The announcement, made in an exclusive interview with La Libre Belgique, marks a definitive shift from electoral politics to civil society leadership.

Cogolati will take up his new position on September 1, 2026, following a handover period with the outgoing director, Luc Van Haute (67), who is retiring. He will also resign his mandate as municipal councillor in Huy “in order to avoid any confusion with his mission at the head of Caritas,” according to L’Avenir.

A Career Pivot to Humanitarian Leadership

“I’m changing hats, it’s true, but my fundamental fight remains the same,” Cogolati told La Libre Belgique. “I will serve values based on human rights, human dignity, and the rights of migrants.” The quote was also reported by RTBF, the Belgian public broadcaster.

Born in Huy on March 12, 1989, Cogolati is a jurist specialized in international public law and human rights. He holds a Master’s in International and European Law from KU Leuven (2013), a Master’s in International Law from Harvard University (2013-2014), and a PhD in Law from KU Leuven (2021). His academic background and lifelong human rights advocacy make Caritas — an organization focused on migrant rights, development aid, and humanitarian assistance — a natural fit for his expertise.

Political Rise and Fall

Cogolati’s political career began early. He joined Ecolo’s youth wing at age 14 and became a municipal councillor in Huy in 2015. In the May 2019 federal elections, he was elected to the Chamber of Representatives for the Liège constituency, where he served as vice-president of the Foreign Affairs Committee and president of the Belgian delegation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), also chairing the IPU’s Human Rights Committee.

In October 2023, he became the first Belgian to be named One Young World “Politician of the Year,” an award recognizing young leaders for their global engagement. His advocacy work included supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression, denouncing the Chinese government’s treatment of Uyghurs — for which he was sanctioned by China in 2021 and targeted by a Chinese hacking attempt in 2023 — defending Palestinian rights, and contributing to the recognition of “ecocide” in the Belgian penal code.

However, Ecolo suffered a significant electoral defeat in the June 2024 federal elections, and Cogolati was not re-elected as a deputy. In July 2024, he was elected co-president of Ecolo alongside Marie Lecocq, tasked with rebuilding the party. Their co-presidency was marked by internal tensions, and on November 19, 2025, both resigned, citing an “impossibility to continue their mission together.” Cogolati later described the experience as “a failure that I fully assume.”

What This Means for Caritas and Belgian Politics

Caritas International Belgium is a humanitarian NGO active in development aid, humanitarian assistance abroad, and migrant reception in Belgium. It is part of the global Caritas Internationalis network, with headquarters in Saint-Josse, Brussels. Cogolati’s appointment places a prominent human rights advocate at the helm of an organization operating at the center of Europe’s politically sensitive migration debate.

According to QU4TRE, Cogolati will begin with a transition period alongside outgoing director Luc Van Haute before fully assuming his role. His departure from the municipal council in Huy will trigger a by-election or replacement in the local council.

A New Chapter

Cogolati’s transition from politics to the humanitarian sector comes approximately seven months after his resignation as Ecolo co-president, suggesting a deliberate period of reflection. While his departure removes a prominent figure from the Belgian green political landscape — a loss for a party still rebuilding after its 2024 electoral defeat and subsequent leadership crisis — it represents a significant gain for the humanitarian sector.

As Cogolati prepares to take the helm of Caritas Belgium on September 1, his career comes full circle: a jurist trained in international human rights law will now lead an organization dedicated to defending those very rights on the ground.”