Herman Van Rompuy
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| Herman Van Rompuy | |
|---|---|
| Name | Herman Van Rompuy |
| Caption | Van Rompuy in 2010 |
| Office | President of the European Council |
| Term start | 1 December 2009 |
| Term end | 30 November 2014 |
| Predecessor | Fredrik Reinfeldt (as rotating Presidency) |
| Successor | Donald Tusk |
| Office1 | Prime Minister of Belgium |
| Term start1 | 30 December 2008 |
| Term end1 | 25 November 2009 |
| Monarch1 | Albert II |
| Predecessor1 | Yves Leterme |
| Successor1 | Yves Leterme |
| Birth date | 31 October 1947 |
| Birth place | Etterbeek, Brussels, Belgium |
| Party | Christian Democratic and Flemish |
| Alma mater | Katholieke Universiteit Leuven |
| Spouse | Geertrui Windels |
Herman Van Rompuy is a Belgian politician who served as the first permanent President of the European Council from 2009 to 2014, following the implementation of the Treaty of Lisbon. Previously, he was the Prime Minister of Belgium from 2008 to 2009, where he was credited with calming a period of significant political tension. A member of the Christian Democratic and Flemish party, he is known for his consensus-building style, deep commitment to European integration, and literary pursuits, including writing haiku.
Early life and education
He was born on 31 October 1947 in Etterbeek, a municipality within the Brussels-Capital Region. He attended a Jesuit secondary school, Sint-Jan Berchmanscollege, before enrolling at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. There, he earned a degree in philosophy and later a second degree in economics, demonstrating an early interdisciplinary focus. His academic formation at the historically influential University of Leuven provided a strong intellectual foundation in Christian democratic thought.
Political career in Belgium
His political career began within the CVP, the precursor to the Christian Democratic and Flemish party. He served as a national vice-president of his party's youth wing before being elected to the Chamber of Representatives in 1988. He held several ministerial portfolios, including serving as Minister of Budget under Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene, where he was instrumental in meeting the Maastricht Treaty criteria for joining the eurozone. He later became the President of the Chamber of Representatives in 2007. In December 2008, following the resignation of Yves Leterme, King Albert II appointed him as Prime Minister of Belgium, a role in which he successfully mediated between the country's linguistic communities.
President of the European Council
On 19 November 2009, at an informal summit in Brussels, he was appointed by the European Council as its first permanent President under the new Treaty of Lisbon. His tenure, which began on 1 December 2009, coincided with the severe European debt crisis, requiring him to chair summits addressing the bailouts of Greece, Ireland, and Portugal. He worked closely with other European Union leaders like José Manuel Barroso of the European Commission and Mario Draghi of the European Central Bank to stabilize the Eurozone. His low-profile, consensus-oriented approach was pivotal in forging agreements on major initiatives like the European Stability Mechanism and the Fiscal Compact.
Post-presidential activities
After leaving the European Council in 2014, he was appointed by Ban Ki-moon as a member of the United Nations High-Level Advisory Board on Mediation. He has remained active in European affairs, serving as President of the European Policy Centre, a leading Brussels-based think tank. He also joined the board of directors for several corporations and continues to write and speak extensively on the future of the European Union, often warning against the dangers of Euroscepticism and nationalism.
Political positions and views
A staunch proponent of European federalism, he has consistently advocated for deeper political and economic integration within the European Union. He is a fiscal conservative, emphasizing budgetary discipline and structural reforms, views shaped during his time as Minister of Budget. Socially, his positions are generally aligned with the principles of Christian democracy, emphasizing social market economy and human dignity. He has been a vocal critic of populism and has argued that the European Union must protect its fundamental values as enshrined in the Treaty on European Union.
Personal life
He is married to Geertrui Windels, a former teacher, and they have four children. An avid birdwatcher and a published author, he is well-known for writing thousands of haiku, several collections of which have been published in Dutch and translated into other languages. His brother, Eric Van Rompuy, is also a politician who served in the Flemish Parliament. He maintains a deep interest in Japanese culture and philosophy, which influences his literary work.
Category:1947 births Category:Living people Category:Presidents of the European Council Category:Prime Ministers of Belgium