Born in 1940. Flanders. Doctor of Law at the University of Namur and KU Leuven. Member of the Christian Democrat Executive Committee since 1972. Minister for Social Affairs and Institutional Reforms, 1981-1988. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport and Institutional Reforms, 1988-1992. Prime Minister of Belgium, 1992-1999. Senator, 1982-1988 and from 1995-2001. Member of the House of Representatives 1988-1995. Lord Mayor of Vilvoorde 2001-2007. Chairman of ‘Wise Men’ on the IGC, October 1999. Member of the Convention for the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, 2000. Member of the Group of Laeken, 2001. Vice-President of the European Convention. Minister of State. MEP since 2004.