Patrick Dewael
Patrick Dewael, born 13 October 1955 in Lier, is a liberal Belgian politician. He is a member of the Flemish Liberals and Democrats, or Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten (Open VLD).
Political career[edit]
He was first elected to the Belgian Parliament in 1985. From 1985 to 1992 Dewael served as Flemish minister of Culture. Dewael was Minister-President of the regional government of Flanders from 1999 to 2003. After the Federal elections of 2003, Dewael resigned as Minister-President in order to serve as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior in the Belgian Federal government led by Guy Verhofstadt. Dewael was Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Interior in the Leterme I Government, which took office on 20 March 2008. From 2008-2010 he was President of the Chamber of Representatives. In 2014 he was re-elected as member of the Chamber of Representatives and was announced President of this Chamber.
Education[edit]
He obtained a degree in Law from the Vrije Universiteit Brussels (1977).
