Botenga studied
law at the
Université libre de Bruxelles. In 1998 he engaged in a movement advocating for the resignation of then Belgian Minister of the Interior
Louis Tobback, following the killing of asylum seeker
Semira Adamu by police officers. Later, he participated in workers' mobilization against the close-down of the
Forges de Clabecq iron works. In the wake of the
European debt crisis beginning in 2010, Botenga began to become more involved in European politics, participating in actions of political support for
Greece. In 2016, he became the political advisor of the European GUE/NGL parliamentary group. He is a member of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and the delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly. ==Member of the European Parliament==