Matthias Diependaele
{{short description|Flemish politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Matthias Diependaele
| image = 2Photographers Matthias Diependaele.jpg
| office = Minister-President of Flanders
| term_start = 30 September 2024
| office2 = Flemish Minister for Finance, Budget, Housing and Immovable Heritage
| term_start2 = 2 November 2019
| term_end2 = 30 September 2024
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1979|8|7}}
| birth_place = Sint-Niklaas, East Flanders, Belgium
| nationality = Belgian
| party = N-VA
| residence = Erwetegem
| website = [http://www.n-va.be/cv/matthias-diependaele http://www.n-va.be/cv/matthias-diependaele]
| term_end =
| office3 = Member of the Flemish Parliament
| term_start3 = 7 June 2009
| term_end3 = 1 October 2019
| predecessor = Jan Jambon
| predecessor2 = Lydia Peeters
| successor2 = Ben Weyts
| deputy = {{Collapsible list
| title = Serving concurrently
}}
}}
Matthias Diependaele (born 7 Augustus 1979 in Sint-Niklaas) is a Belgian politician affiliated to the New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) who is the current Minister-President of Flanders, having taken office in 2024. He additionally serves as the Flemish Minister for Economy, Innovation en Industry, External Affairs, Digitalisation, and Facility Management.
He previously served as the Flemish Minister for Finance, Budget, Housing and Immovable Heritage in the Jambon Government, and as a member of the Flemish Parliament between 2009 and 2019.{{cite web|title=Lijst van de gekozenen Vlaams Parlement |url=http://jsp.vlaamsparlement.be/docs/stukken/2009/g1-1.pdf |publisher=Flemish Parliament |accessdate=18 July 2010 |language=Dutch|url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100707113226/http://jsp.vlaamsparlement.be/docs/stukken/2009/g1-1.pdf |archivedate=7 July 2010 }}
Career
In 2006, he graduated with a law degree from the KU Leuven, having specialized himself in European and international law. He started his political career within the N-VA as a parliamentary aide to MEP Frieda Brepoels. In the 2009 regional elections, at the age of 29, he was elected as a member of the Flemish parliament. In 2013, Diependaele became the parliamentary leader for the N-VA in the Flemish parliament, succeeding Kris Van Dijck.{{cite web |title=Over Matthias Diependaele |url=https://www.matthiasdiependaele.be/wie-is-wie/matthias-diependaele |language=Dutch|access-date=18 March 2021}}
In the 2012 local elections, Diependaele was the lead candidate for the N-VA-ZAP list in his home town Zottegem and was elected as a municipal councillor. Despite his party gaining the largest share of the vote, it was excluded from the governing coalition and ended up in opposition.{{cite web |title=Zottegem |website=Vlaanderenkiest.be|language=Dutch|url=https://www.vlaanderenkiest.be/verkiezingen2012/index.html#/gemeente/41081/kandidaten |access-date=18 March 2021}} After the 2018 local elections, the N-VA formed a new coalition with CD&V and Diependaele was appointed as an alderman tasked with traffic, mobility, public works, spatial planning, submunicipalities and animal welfare. As part of the coalition agreement, it was decided that Diependaele would take over as mayor at the start of 2022.{{cite news |title=Matthias Diependaele mentor van jonge N-VA ploeg in schepencollege |url=https://www.hln.be/zottegem/matthias-diependaele-mentor-van-jonge-n-va-ploeg-in-schepencollege~ab018f4c/ |access-date=18 March 2021 |work=Het Laatste Nieuws |language=Dutch|date=3 December 2018}}
He was reelected as a member of the Flemish parliament in the 2014 and 2019 regional elections. On 2 October 2019, Diependaele became the Minister for Finance, Budget, Housing and Immovable Heritage in the new Jambon Government.{{cite news |title=Wie is wie in de nieuwe Vlaamse regering? |url=https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2019/10/02/wie-is-wie-in-de-nieuwe-vlaamse-regering/ |access-date=18 March 2021 |language=Dutch|publisher=VRT NWS |date=2 October 2019}} As required by law, he resigned from his position as an alderman in Zottegem at the same time. However, he will still take up his mandate as mayor of Zottegem at the start of 2022.{{cite news |title=Matthias Diependaele ruilt Zottegem in voor Vlaanderen: wat zijn de gevolgen? |url=https://www.hln.be/zottegem/matthias-diependaele-ruilt-zottegem-in-voor-vlaanderen-wat-zijn-de-gevolgen~a18c1a72/ |access-date=18 March 2021 |work=Het Laatste Nieuws |date=2 October 2019}} He was succeeded as parliamentary leader by Wilfried Vandaele.{{cite news |title=Wilfried Vandaele is fractieleider N-VA in Vlaams Parlement |language=Dutch|url=https://www.focus-wtv.be/nieuws/wilfried-vandaele-fractieleider-n-va-vlaams-parlement |access-date=18 March 2021 |publisher=Focus-WTV |date=3 October 2019}}
Following the June 2024 elections, he led the Flemish government formation. He became Minister-President in the Diependaele Government as of September 2024.
Notes
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commonscatinline}}
- {{official website|http://www.matthiasdiependaele.be}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Diependaele, Matthias}}
Category:Members of the Flemish Parliament