Jaak Gabriëls

Who is Jaak Gabriëls?

Petrus Josephus Jacobus "Jaak" Gabriëls is a Belgian politician and member of the Flemish Liberals and Democrats. He graduated in 1965 at the Catholic University of Leuven as Master of Philosophy and Arts. He started his political career as a Provincial Councillor for Limburg from 1974 to 1977. In 1977 he became the Mayor of Bree, which he still is today, and Member of the Chamber of Representatives. From 1995 to 1999 he was a Member of the Flemish Parliament.

He was the leader of the People's Union from 1986 to 1992 and was a founding member of the VLD. He also was Federal Minister of Agriculture and middle class and Flemish Minister of Economy, Foreign Trade and Housing. He again became a Member of the Flemish Parliament in 2003 and he became a Minister of State in 2004.