Edouard S. L. L. J. Baldewijns (born 22 April 1945) is a Belgian politician, member of the Chamber of Representatives and

Flemish Government The Flemish Government ( ) is the executive branch of the Flemish Community and the Flemish Region of Belgium. It consists of a government cabinet, headed by the Minister-President of Flanders, Minister-President and accountable to the Flemish Par ...

minister. A member of the

Belgian Socialist Party The Belgian Socialist Party (, , PSB; , , BSP) was a social-democratic political party which existed in Belgium from 1945 to 1978. During its time in office, a number of progressive social reforms were introduced. The BSP was founded by activists ...

and its successor the

Flemish Socialist Party Vooruit (, Dutch for Forward) is a Flemish social democratic political party in Belgium. It was formerly known as the (Flemish) Socialist Party (1978–2001: ''Socialistische Partij'', SP; 2001–2021: ''Socialistische Partij Anders'' , , SP. ...

, he represented

Hasselt Hasselt (, , ) is the capital and largest City status in Belgium, city of the Provinces of Belgium, province of Limburg (Belgium), Limburg in the Flemish Region of Belgium. As of 1 August 2023, Hasselt had a total population of 80,846. The old ...

from April 1977 to May 1995 and Hasselt-Tongeren-Maaseik from June 1999 to December 1999. He was the Flemish Minister of Public Works, Transport and Spatial Planning from June 1995 to September 1998 and Minister of Education and Civil Service Affairs from September 1998 to July 1999. He was also a member of the

Flemish Parliament The Flemish Parliament (Dutch language, Dutch: , formerly called Flemish Council or ''Vlaamse Raad'') constitutes the legislature, legislative power in Flanders for matters which fall within the competence of Flanders, both as a geographic reg ...

and its predecessors, the Flemish Council and the Cultural Council for the Dutch Cultural Community, from May 1977 to July 1995.

Early life

Baldewijns was born on 22 April 1945 in Borlo into a farming family. In 1966 he graduated from the Provinciale Normaalschool teaching college in

Tienen Tienen (; ) is a city and municipality in the province of Flemish Brabant, in Flanders, Belgium. The municipality comprises Tienen itself and the towns of Bost, Goetsenhoven, Hakendover, Kumtich, Oorbeek, Oplinter, Sint-Margriete-Houtem and Viss ...

with a

major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

and history. He taught French at the in

from 1967 to 1977.

Politics

Baldewijns was a member of the

and its successors, the

and

Socialist Party Different Vooruit (, Dutch for Forward) is a Flemish social democratic political party in Belgium. It was formerly known as the (Flemish) Socialist Party (1978–2001: ''Socialistische Partij'', SP; 2001–2021: ''Socialistische Partij Anders'' , , SP. ...

. He was chairman of the party's local branch in Gingelom from 1976 to 1988 and chairman of the

cantonal The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the Federated state, member states of the Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. The nucleus of the Swiss Confederacy in the form of the first three confederate allies used to be referred to as the . Two important ...

branch in

Sint-Truiden Sint-Truiden (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality located in the Provinces of Belgium, province of Limburg (Belgium), Limburg, Flemish Region, Belgium. With more than 41,500 inhabitants, it is on ...

from 1977 to 1994. He was also a vice-chairman of the provincial branch in

Limburg Limburg or Limbourg may refer to: Regions * Limburg (Belgium), a province since 1839 in the Flanders region of Belgium * Limburg (Netherlands), a province since 1839 in the south of the Netherlands * Diocese of Limburg, Roman Catholic Diocese in ...

and a member of the party's national executive for many years. Baldewijns was a member of the municipal council in Borlo from 1977 to 1976 and its successor

Gingelom Gingelom () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On 1 January 2006 Gingelom had a total population of 7,847. The total area is which gives a population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disam ...

from 1977 to 2004. He was mayor of Gingelom from 1989 to 2004. He was also a member of the provincial council in Limburg from March 1974 to April 1977. Baldewijns was a member of the Dutch Cultural Community and its successors, the Flemish Council and the

, from May 1977 to July 1995. With his background, Baldewijns became the Flemish socialists education expert. He was one of the key figures behind the establishment of the Autonomous Council for Community Education (, ARGO). He was a member of the Flemish Council's education committee for many years. He was Chairman of the Flemish Council () from January 1994 to June 1995. Following the first direct election to the Flemish Parliament in 1995, Baldewijns was appointed Minister of Public Works, Transport and Spatial Planning in the government of Minister-President

Luc Van den Brande Luc Van den Brande (born 13 October 1945) is a Flemish politician, member of the CD&V and was Minister-president of Flanders from 21 January 1992 until 13 July 1999. He took the initiative to create the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology ( ...

. As minister, Baldewijns put an end to the toleration of

building regulation Building regulations may refer to: * Building code, a set of rules that specify the minimum acceptable level of safety for constructed objects * Planning permission, the permission required to develop or modify land and buildings * Building regulat ...

violations and had several illegally built houses demolished. He also replaced the ad-hoc changes to the regional plans by

decree A decree is a law, legal proclamation, usually issued by a head of state, judge, monarch, royal figure, or other relevant Authority, authorities, according to certain procedures. These procedures are usually defined by the constitution, Legislativ ...

and instead drew up the (RSV) in 1997. In September 1998 he was promoted to Minister of Education and Civil Service Affairs. Baldewijns represented

in the Chamber of Representatives from April 1977 to May 1995 and Hasselt-Tongeren-Maaseik from June 1999 to December 1999. He was an alternate member of the

Benelux The Benelux Union (; ; ; ) or Benelux is a politico-economic union, alliance and formal international intergovernmental cooperation of three neighbouring states in Western Europe: Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. The name is a portma ...

Interparliamentary Consultative Council from November 1999 to March 2000. In December 1999 he was appointed Deputy Secretary-General for Benelux. Baldewijns was chairman of (RAGO) from 2008 to 2018. He is a Grand Officer in the

Order of Leopold Order of Leopold may refer to: * Order of Leopold (Austria), founded in 1808 by emperor Francis I of Austria and discontinued in 1918 * Order of Leopold (Belgium), founded in 1832 by king Leopold I of Belgium * Order of Leopold II, founded in Congo ...

and has a Civil Medal 1st class. The Eddy Baldewijns Centre for Reading, Information and Multimedia () in Gingelom is named after Baldewijns.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baldewijns, Eddy 1945 births Belgian educators Belgian Socialist Party politicians Government ministers of Flanders Living people Local politicians in Belgium Mayors of places in Belgium Members of the 43rd Chamber of Representatives (Belgium) Members of the 44th Chamber of Representatives (Belgium) Members of the 45th Chamber of Representatives (Belgium) Members of the 46th Chamber of Representatives (Belgium) Members of the 47th Chamber of Representatives (Belgium) Members of the 48th Chamber of Representatives (Belgium) Members of the 50th Chamber of Representatives (Belgium) Members of the Flemish Parliament Order of Leopold (Belgium) Vooruit (political party) politicians