Bart De Wever facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bart De Wever
De Wever in 2025
Prime Minister of Belgium
Incumbent
Assumed office 3 February 2025
Monarch	Philippe
Deputy	See list Jan Jambon David Clarinval Maxime Prévot Frank Vandenbroucke Vincent Van Peteghem
Preceded by	Alexander De Croo
Mayor of Antwerp
In office 1 January 2013 – 3 February 2025
Preceded by	Patrick Janssens
Succeeded by	Els van Doesburg (acting)
President of the New Flemish Alliance
In office 24 October 2004 – 3 February 2025
Preceded by	Geert Bourgeois
Succeeded by	Steven Vandeput (acting)
Other positions Member of the Chamber of Representatives In office 10 July 2024 – 3 February 2025 Constituency Antwerp In office 19 June 2014 – 25 April 2019 Constituency Antwerp In office 28 June 2007 – 30 June 2009 Constituency Antwerp Member of the Flemish Parliament In office 18 June 2019 – 8 June 2024 Constituency Antwerp In office 6 July 2004 – 28 June 2007 Constituency Antwerp Member of the Senate In office 6 July 2010 – 9 January 2013 Appointed by Flemish Parliament Succeeded by Wilfried Vandaele
Personal details
Born	Bart Albert Liliane De Wever (1970-12-21) 21 December 1970 (age 54) Mortsel, Belgium
Political party	New Flemish Alliance
Other political affiliations	People's Union (until 2001)
Spouse	Veerle Hegge
Children	4
Residence	Deurne, Belgium
Alma mater	KU Leuven
Signature

Bart Albert Liliane De Wever (born 21 December 1970) is a Belgian politician, historian, and author. He has been the Prime Minister of Belgium since February 2025. Before becoming Prime Minister, he led the New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) political party from 2004 to 2025. This party wants to change Belgium into a confederal state, where different regions have more power. From January 2013 to February 2025, he was the Mayor of Antwerp.

De Wever led his party to win the most votes in the 2010 federal elections. The N-VA became the largest party in both Flanders (the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium) and in Belgium as a whole. He achieved this success again in the next three elections. After the 2024 elections, King Philippe asked him to form a new government.

After many months of talks with other parties, an agreement was reached on January 31, 2025. Bart De Wever became the chosen Prime Minister. On February 3, 2025, he officially took office. He is the first Flemish nationalist politician to become Prime Minister of Belgium.

Early Life and Education

Growing Up in Belgium

Bart Albert Liliane De Wever was born on December 21, 1970, in Mortsel, Belgium. He grew up in Kontich, where his parents owned a small supermarket. His father worked for a railway company and was involved in local politics. Bart's older brother, Bruno De Wever, is a history professor.

School and University

De Wever first started studying law at the University of Antwerp. He later changed his studies to history at the Saint Ignatius University Centre, Antwerp and then at the Catholic University of Leuven (KUL). He earned a degree similar to a master's degree in history. During his time as a student, he was part of student groups like the Liberal Flemish Students' Union and the Catholic Flemish Students' Union. After finishing his studies, he worked as a research assistant.

Political Journey

Starting in Politics

Bart De Wever began his political journey with the Volksunie party, which his father had also been a part of. He was elected as a local council member in Berchem. When the Volksunie party split, De Wever joined a group of members who later created the N-VA party. This group believed in more conservative and Flemish nationalist ideas.

Leading the N-VA Party

In 2004, Bart De Wever was chosen as the leader of the N-VA party. He was the only candidate and received 95% of the votes. Under his leadership, the N-VA became a more conservative party and gained a lot of support.

In 2007, a photo showed De Wever at a conference in 1996 with a French politician. De Wever explained that he attended to hear different opinions. He said he believes in freedom of speech, even for views he disagrees with. He later stated he had no connection to that politician's party.

In October 2007, after the Mayor of Antwerp apologized for the city's role in deporting Jewish people during World War II, Bart De Wever made comments that caused debate. He later apologized to the Jewish community in Antwerp and in a public letter.

Elections and Government

De Wever giving a lecture in 2011

In the 2009 regional elections, his party won more votes than expected. The N-VA then joined the regional government. De Wever chose to remain the party leader and appointed other N-VA members as ministers. He also visited former British Prime Minister David Cameron in London.

An early national election was held on June 13, 2010. The N-VA won the most votes in the Dutch-speaking areas, and the Socialist Party won in the French-speaking areas. It took 541 days for the parties to agree on a new government. The N-VA was not part of this new government, but De Wever received many personal votes.

Becoming Mayor of Antwerp

In the 2012 local elections, Bart De Wever led the N-VA to a big win in the city of Antwerp. His party received 37.7% of the votes.

Mayor of Antwerp (2013–2025)

First Term as Mayor

Bart De Wever became the mayor of Antwerp on January 1, 2013. This was a significant event, as it was the first time in many years that a non-socialist politician held this position. During his first term, he received police protection after a threat. He also had some health issues, including severe anxiety and a lung infection.

2014 Federal Election

The N-VA won the 2014 federal election with their highest number of votes ever. However, the leader of the Socialist Party said they would not work with De Wever to form a new national government.

2018 Local Election

In the 2018 local elections, the N-VA kept its leadership in Antwerp with 35.3% of the votes. This meant Bart De Wever continued as mayor for a second term.

Second Term as Mayor

De Wever at an N-VA gathering in 2019

In 2019, De Wever spoke about how immigration affects identity and integration. He said that he supports freedom of religion. During the 2019 regional elections, the N-VA lost some votes in Flanders. However, De Wever remained the party president. His party did not join the national government formed in 2020.

After the 2019 federal election, De Wever showed interest in creating a new center-right political movement. He wanted to reduce the number of political parties in parliament. In November 2020, he was re-elected as the leader of the N-VA with a very high percentage of votes. This made him the longest-serving leader of a Belgian political party.

In March 2022, during a radio interview, he spoke strongly about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He described Russian President Vladimir Putin as a "psychopath" and a "madman."

Following the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, De Wever called for the Belgian Army to protect Jewish sites in Antwerp. He stated that Belgium should support Israel against "forces of tyranny." His comments received some criticism, but he maintained his stance against terror.

2024 Elections and Government Formation

De Wever and Geert Bourgeois, his predecessor as party president, at a campaign rally in 2024

In the 2024 federal and regional elections, De Wever's N-VA became the largest party in the Chamber of Representatives. On July 10, 2024, the King asked De Wever to form the next government. On January 31, 2025, a government agreement was reached between the N-VA and several other parties. De Wever announced the agreement by posting a Latin phrase, Alea iacta est (meaning "the die is cast"), on social media.

Prime Minister (2025–)

Bart De Wever officially became Prime Minister on February 3, 2025. He is the first Flemish nationalist and eurosceptic (someone who is cautious about the European Union) politician to hold this position. His victory was seen as part of a trend of right-wing governments in Europe. Despite his past support for Flemish independence, De Wever said he would work with parties from the French-speaking region. He announced that his government would focus on welfare and tax reform, stricter immigration rules, reducing European Union regulations, expanding nuclear power, and increasing Belgium's defense spending.

Policies in Belgium

In April 2025, De Wever announced new policies called the "Easter Agreement." This agreement included increasing Belgium's defense budget, partly funded by taxes on frozen Russian assets. It also created a "Defence Fund." The agreement stated that unemployment benefits would be limited to a maximum of two years, with some exceptions.

De Wever also promised stricter rules on asylum and immigration. This includes rejecting asylum claims from migrants already registered in another EU country. There would also be tighter laws on family migration, higher costs for Belgian citizenship, and returning foreign criminals to their home countries.

International Relations

De Wever with President of the European Council António Costa in Brussels, 18 February 2025

In February 2025, De Wever attended an EU security meeting. He confirmed that his government would continue to support Ukraine against the Russian invasion and increase NATO spending. He also spoke about the importance of strong ties with the United States. In March 2025, De Wever argued against taking all frozen Russian assets, saying it could be seen as an "act of war" by Russia.

On March 20, 2025, De Wever was invited to a meeting of "migration-realist" European leaders. This group includes leaders who want stricter immigration policies and more influence on EU asylum decisions. Their goals include stronger border controls and creating migrant "return centers" outside Europe.

In April 2025, De Wever announced that Belgium would not follow the arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu issued by the International Criminal Court. This was a change from the previous Belgian government's position.

Political Beliefs

Bart De Wever describes himself as a conservative and a Flemish nationalist. He admires thinkers like Edmund Burke and Friedrich Hayek, and former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. He has also written articles and essays about society.

During his time as Prime Minister, De Wever expressed support for the idea of Belgium and the Netherlands reuniting. He believes they are "the same people separated by the same language."

Flemish Nationalism

As leader of the N-VA, De Wever supported the idea of Flanders slowly becoming independent from Belgium. He believes that an independent Flanders could manage its own taxes and business policies. He also thinks that Flemish nationalism has grown because of disagreements over money transfers from Flanders to Wallonia. De Wever has said that identity is important and that people want to know "Where exactly do I belong?"

Economic Ideas

De Wever believes the N-VA is the most economically liberal party in Belgium. He supports businesses and wants to avoid tax increases. He aims to reduce government spending, especially in social services. He has suggested limiting unemployment benefits, raising the retirement age, and reducing the number of government workers. He also wants regions to have more control over taxes and social security. As Prime Minister, he wants to reduce too many rules from the European Union, believing they slow down economic growth.

Immigration and Crime

In 2018, De Wever wrote that some immigration policies could harm the welfare system. He believes that open borders can weaken social security.

In September 2024, De Wever linked Belgium's immigration policies to crime rates. He suggested that some young people from non-European backgrounds were involved in certain types of crime. To address this, he proposed mandatory "citizen internships" for young people and strict laws against attacking government employees.

Views on Vlaams Belang

De Wever has criticized the "cordon sanitaire" (a political barrier) placed on the Vlaams Belang (VB) party, calling it undemocratic. He had previously criticized its older version, Vlaams Blok. However, after the 2019 Belgian federal election, he considered working with the VB. In 2023, he stated he would prefer to form a government with the VB rather than the Workers' Party of Belgium, which he called "communists." He said he would work with the VB if they moved away from extremism.

Personal Life

Bart De Wever is married to Veerle Hegge, who is from the Netherlands. They have four children and live in Deurne. In 2012, De Wever lost a lot of weight through a special diet. He later published a book about weight loss. Outside of politics, he enjoys marathon running. Besides Dutch, he also speaks French, English, and German.

Written Works

Bart De Wever's written works are listed in the Encyclopedia of the Flemish Movement.

See also

In Spanish: Bart De Wever para niños