Johan Maria Gerardus Vandeurzen (born 2 June 1958) is a

Belgian Belgian may refer to: * Something of, or related to, Belgium * Belgians, people from Belgium or of Belgian descent * Languages of Belgium, languages spoken in Belgium, such as Dutch, French, and German *Ancient Belgian language, an extinct languag ...

politician, member of ''

Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams Christian Democratic and Flemish (, , CD&V) is a Flemish Christian-democratic political party in Belgium. The party has historical ties to both trade unionism (ACV) and trade associations ( UNIZO) and the Farmer's League. Until 2001, the party wa ...

'' (CD&V), a centrist

Flemish Flemish (''Vlaams'') is a Low Franconian dialect cluster of the Dutch language. It is sometimes referred to as Flemish Dutch (), Belgian Dutch ( ), or Southern Dutch (). Flemish is native to Flanders, a historical region in northern Belgium; ...

Christian Democratic

party A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will often featur ...

. Vandeurzen holds a

Master of Laws A Master of Laws (M.L. or LL.M.; Latin: ' or ') is an advanced postgraduate academic degree, pursued by those either holding an undergraduate academic law degree, a professional law degree, or an undergraduate degree in a related subject. In mos ...

degree from the Catholic University of Leuven. He works at Geyskens-Vandeurzen in Beringen. He became federal representative in January 1993 as a successor to retiring Luc Dhoore. In 2001, his party, the CVP, was rebranded into CD&V, of which he became secretary-general. In 2004 he became party leader. He remained party leader until December 2007, when he became Minister of Justice in the interim federal Verhofstadt III Government. He became the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Justice and Institutional Reforms in the

Leterme I Government The Leterme I Government was the federal government of Belgium from 20 March 2008 to 22 December 2008. It took office when the Flemish Christian democrat Yves Leterme ( CD&V) was sworn in as Prime Minister. It followed the Belgian general el ...

, which took office on 20 March 2008. On 19 December 2008 he resigned after a crisis. After the 2009 Flemish regional election, CD&V was the largest party and he received 69,223 preference votes. When the 2009–2014 Peeters II Government took office, he became the Flemish Minister for Welfare, Public Health and Family. He continues to hold this office in the 2014–2019 Bourgeois Government.

Honours

*2014: Commander in the Order of Leopold.

Political career

* chairman of CVP's division

Genk Genk () is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg near Hasselt. The municipality only comprises the town of Genk itself. It is one of the most important industrial towns in Flanders, located on the Albert Canal, ...

(1983–1989) * member of the OCMW council in

(1989–1998) * chairman of the OCMW in

(1989–1993) * member of the national CVP's bureau (1989–1992) * Belgian representative (1993 – ) * member of the city council in

(1995–2004; 2012–2015) * leader of the CVP in the municipal council of

(1995–1998) * secretary-general of CD&V (2001–2004) * temporary chairman of CD&V (2004) * chairman of CD&V (29 October 2004 – 21 December 2007) * Belgian Minister of Justice since 21 December 2007 – 22 December 2008) * Flemish Minister of Welfare, Public Health and Family (13 July 2009 – 2 October 2019)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Vandeurzen, Jo 1958 births Living people Government ministers of Flanders Christian Democratic and Flemish politicians Members of the Belgian Federal Parliament KU Leuven alumni People from Heusden-Zolder Belgian Roman Catholics 21st-century Belgian politicians