Bart Somers
Template:Short description Template:Infobox officeholder Bartolomeus Jozef Lodewijk Rosalia "Bart" Somers (born 12 May 1964 in Mechelen)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> is a Belgian, Flemish politician. He is currently the mayor of Mechelen.
In 2017, Bart Somers was awarded 2016 World Mayor Prize as recognition for his outstanding achievements in welcoming refugees during recent years and for the long-term integration of immigrants from different cultures, religions and social backgrounds.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He obtained a law degree from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.
Political career
Bart Somers is the son of the former People's Union parliamentarian, Joos Somers,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> who was notably a deputy and a senator. After a law degree at KU Leuven, Bart Somers went through the Volksunie before joining the Open VLD in 1992.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Between 2003 and 2004, he was the Minister-President of Flanders.
After the regional elections of June 2004 he was appointed the interim chairman of the Flemish Liberals and Democrats (VLD). On 4 December 2004, he was elected with just over 50 percent of the vote to a full term as chairman.
Bart Somers was one of the three negotiators for the Open VLD during the 2007 Belgian government formation.
After his party's defeat in the regional elections of 2009, he resigned as chairman of the Flemish Liberals and Democrats.
In June 2016, the European Committee of the Regions adopted Bart Somers report on "Combatting Radicalisation and Violent Extremism: Prevention mechanisms at local and regional level".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> His opinion won cross-party support for its calls for more effective policing, for more cooperation between local, regional, national and European authorities, and for an approach based on respect for core principles.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In October 2016, Bart Somers was elected as Leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe in the European Committee of the Regions.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In February 2017, he received the "World Mayor Prize 2016", an election for the year's best mayor in the world.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In October 2019, he became Vice minister-president of the Flemish Government and Flemish Minister for Living Together and Domestic Administration in the Jambon Government.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On November 6, 2023, he decided to resume his position and focus on his mayoralty of Mechelen.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Personal life
He was formerly married to Miet Bourlon (currently divorced) and he has two children, a girl Lieze and a boy Jan Klaas.Template:Citation needed
References
External links
- Template:Commonscatinline
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- ALDE Group in the European Committee of the Regions (official website)Template:Dead link
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- 1964 births
- Flemish politicians
- KU Leuven alumni
- Living people
- Mayors of Mechelen
- Members of the 50th Chamber of Representatives (Belgium)
- Members of the 51st Chamber of Representatives (Belgium)
- Members of the 52nd Chamber of Representatives (Belgium)
- Members of the 53rd Chamber of Representatives (Belgium)
- Members of the Flemish Parliament
- Minister-presidents of Flanders
- Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats politicians