Nicolas Schmit served for 15 years as a minister in the Luxembourgish government for the Lëtzebuerger Sozialistesch Aarbeschterpartei (LSAP), Luxembourgish Labour Party. Between 2004 and 2014 he consequently served as Minister Delegate for Foreign Affairs and Immigration, Minister for Labour, Employment and Immigration, and Minister for Labour, Employment and the Social and Solidarity Economy.

In 2019, after being elected as a Member of the European Parliament, Nicolas Schmit became European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights. With his strong background in social affairs, Nicolas took the responsibility to strengthen the EU’s social dimension and to support workers and job seekers and to implement the European Pillar of Social Rights.

In December 2025, Schmit was officially elected as President-elect of FEPS following an extraordinary general assembly. In January 2026, Schmit stepped into the role of President.

Before entering politics, Nicolas worked as a diplomat. He served for six years as permanent representative of Luxembourg to the EU. Nicolas contributed directly to the Maastricht Treaty, Nice Treaty and the project for a European Constitution. Between 1990 and 1991 he was counsellor at the Permanent Representation of Luxembourg to the EU, in charge of the Intergovernmental Conference leading to the Maastricht Treaty. From 1991 to 1998 he was Director in charge of Economic and European affairs and Development cooperation in the Luxembourgish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Nicolas Schmit is an experienced economist and holds a doctoral degree in International Economic Relations from the Faculty of Law and Economics from the University of Aix-Marseille.

Credit: PES