2017 - Minister of Foreign Affairs
2013 - 2017 Minister of Defence
2009 - 2013 Chair, Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence, and Chair, Enlarged Foreign Affairs Committee
2009 - 2013 Head of the Delegation for Relations with the European Parliament, and Head of the European Consultative Committee
2005 - 2009 Chair, Standing Committee on Education, Research and Church Affairs
2001 - 2005 Member, Standing Committee on Education, Research and Church Affairs