Laurette Onkelinx facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Laurette Onkelinx
Onkelinx in 2006
Minister of Social Affairs and Health
In office 21 December 2007 – 11 October 2014
Prime Minister	Guy Verhofstadt Yves Leterme Herman Van Rompuy Yves Leterme Elio Di Rupo
Preceded by	Rudy Demotte
Succeeded by	Maggie De Block
Minister of Justice
In office 11 July 2003 – 21 December 2007
Prime Minister	Guy Verhofstadt
Preceded by	Marc Verwilghen
Succeeded by	Jo Vandeurzen
Minister of Labour and Transport
In office 5 May 2003 – 11 July 2003
Prime Minister	Guy Verhofstadt
Preceded by	Herself (Labour) Isabelle Durant (Transport)
Succeeded by	Peter Vanvelthoven (Labour) Renaat Landuyt (Transport)
Minister of Labour
In office 13 July 1999 – 5 May 2003
Prime Minister	Guy Verhofstadt
Preceded by	Miet Smet
Succeeded by	Herself (Labour and Transport)
Minister-President of the French Community
In office 6 May 1993 – 13 July 1999
Preceded by	Bernard Anselme
Succeeded by	Hervé Hasquin
Minister of Social Integration, Public Health and Environment
In office 7 March 1992 – 6 May 1993
Prime Minister	Jean-Luc Dehaene
Preceded by	Philippe Busquin
Succeeded by	Jacques Santkin
Personal details
Born	(1958-10-02) 2 October 1958 (age 66) Ougrée, Belgium
Political party	Socialist Party
Spouses	Abbès Guenned (Divorced) Marc Uyttendaele
Education	University of Liège

Laurette A. J. Onkelinx, born on October 2, 1958, is a well-known Belgian politician. She was a leading member of the Francophone Socialist Party. For many years, she served as a Deputy Prime Minister and held important roles in the Belgian federal government. One of her key positions was Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health.

Early Life and Education

Laurette Onkelinx was born in Ougrée, a town in Belgium. Her father was Gaston Onkelinx and her mother was Germaine Ali Bakir. She studied law at the University of Liège. After finishing her studies, she worked as a lawyer for ten years. When she was 30 years old, she was elected to the Belgian Chamber of Representatives. This was the start of her long career in politics.

Her father, Gaston Onkelinx, was also a politician. He was the mayor of Seraing and a member of the House of Representatives. Laurette Onkelinx can speak both French and Dutch.

Political Career Highlights

Laurette Onkelinx was first elected to the Belgian House of Representatives in 1988. She then held many different jobs as a minister without stopping from 1992 until 2014. A minister is a high-ranking official in the government. They are in charge of a specific department or area.

Key Ministerial Roles

• Minister of Social Integration, Public Health and Environment (1992–1993): In this role, she worked on helping people fit into society, improving public health, and protecting the environment.
• Minister-President of the French Community (1993–1999): As Minister-President, she led the government of the French-speaking part of Belgium. She was in charge of areas like education, media, and youth.
• Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour (1999–2003): As Deputy Prime Minister, she was one of the most important people in the government. She also focused on jobs and workers' rights.
• Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Transport (2003): She continued her work on labor and also took on responsibilities for transportation.
• Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice (July 2003 – December 2007): In this role, she oversaw the country's legal system and courts.
• Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health (December 2007 – October 2014): Her final major role involved looking after social welfare and the health of the public.

Laurette Onkelinx's career shows her dedication to public service in Belgium for over two decades.