Jan Bertels | |
|---|---|
 Bertels in February 2019 | |
| Member of the Chamber of Representatives | |
| Assumed office 9 June 2024 | |
| Constituency | Antwerp |
| In office 20 June 2019 –1 November 2020 | |
| Succeeded by | Gitta Vanpeborgh |
| Constituency | Antwerp |
| Member of the Flemish Parliament | |
| In office 17 June 2014 –25 May 2019 | |
| Constituency | Antwerp |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 21 November 1968 Herentals,Belgium |
| Political party | Vooruit |
| Alma mater | KU Leuven |
Jan Bertels (born 21 November 1968) is a Belgian politician and member of the Chamber of Representatives. [1] A member of Vooruit,he has represented Antwerp since June 2024. He had previously been a member of the Chamber of Representatives from June 2019 to November 2020. He was a member of the Flemish Parliament from June 2014 to May 2019. [2]
Bertels was born on 21 November 1968 in Herentals. [1] [2] He grew up in Herentals and Olen and followed the Latin-Greek stream at college in Herentals. [3] He studied law at KU Leuven,specialising in Belgian and European social security. [3] He was an assistant at KU Leuven before working as a social security advisor to Socialist Party Different (SP.A) federal government ministers Jan Peeters and Johan Vande Lanotte. [3] [4] In 2003 he became director general of the Federal Public Service Social Security. [3] [4]
Bertels was appointed to the Public Centre for Social Welfare (OCMW) in Olen in 1995. [3] He was appointed to the OCMW in Herentals in 2001. [3] He was elected to the municipal council in Herentals at the 2006 local election. [5] He became schepen (alderman) for finance and youth in 2007. [3] He was re-elected at the 2012 local election. [6] He became mayor of Herentals in January 2017 following the resignation of Jan Peeters. [7] [8] He was re-elected at the 2018 local election but lost the mayor-ship after the right wing New Flemish Alliance took control of the municipal council. [9] [10]
Bertels contested the 2009 regional election as the SP.A's 23rd placed candidate in Antwerp but was not elected. [11] He was elected to the Flemish Parliament at the 2014 regional election. [12] [13] He was elected to the Chamber of Representatives at the 2019 federal election. [14] He resigned from the Chamber of Representatives in November 2020 to become chief of staff to SP.A federal government minister Frank Vandenbroucke. [15] [16] He was re-elected to the Chamber of Representatives at the 2024 federal election. [17] [18]
Bertels is married and has two children. [3] The family have lived in Noorderwijk since 2000. [3]
| Election | Constituency | Party | Votes | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 local [5] | Herentals | Socialist Party Different | 448 | Elected | |
| 2009 regional [11] | Antwerp | Socialist Party Different | 1,852 | Not elected | |
| 2012 local [6] | Herentals | Socialist Party Different | 680 | Elected | |
| 2014 regional [12] | Antwerp | Socialist Party Different | 7,525 | Elected | |
| 2018 local [9] | Herentals | Socialist Party Different | 2,613 | Elected | |
| 2019 federal [14] | Antwerp | Socialist Party Different | 9,995 | Elected | |
| 2024 federal [17] | Antwerp | Vooruit | 7,732 | Elected | |
