Geert Bourgeois

Geert Albert Bourgeois (Roeselare, 6 July 1951) is a Flemish politician and lawyer. He is a former Flemish Minister for Administrative Affairs, Foreign Policy, Media and Tourism.

Political career

Bourgeois first entered elective politics in 1977 when he was elected a member of the city council in Izegem. From 1983 to 1994 he served as an alderman.

In 1995 he was elected to the Belgian Chamber of People's Representatives and, being re-elected in 1999 and 2003, served until July 2004, when he resigned having been elected to the Flemish Parliament. Since July 2004, Bourgeois serves in the Flemish government as Flemish Minister for Administrative Affairs, Foreign Policy, Media and Tourism.

On 22 September 2008 Geert Bourgeois was forced to resign due to pressure by the SP.a-Vl.Pro and Open VLD coalition partners because of his party's no confidence vote in the federal government of Yves Leterme and their lack of trust in further negotiations by the Regions regarding the state reform.

Bourgeois - a life long Flemish nationalist - also served as chairman of the Volksunie ("Peoples Union") from 2000 to 2001. After the collapse of the Volksunie in 2001 he founded the political party Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie ("New-Flemish Alliance") which he chaired until 2004. It is a moderate separatist movement that strives for secession of Flanders from Belgium.

External links

* [http://www.n-va.be www.n-va.be]
* [http://www.geertbourgeois.be/ www.geertbourgeois.be] Personal website