Laurette Onkelinx facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Laurette Onkelinx
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 Onkelinx (born 2 October 1958) is a Belgian politician. She is a member of the French-speaking Socialist Party. She served as a Deputy Prime Minister and a Minister in the Belgian government. Her roles included looking after social affairs and public health.

About Laurette Onkelinx

Laurette Onkelinx was born in Ougrée, Belgium, in 1958. Her father, Gaston Onkelinx, was also a well-known politician. He served as the mayor of Seraing for many years. Her family has a history of public service.

Education and Early Career

Laurette studied law at the University of Liège. After finishing her studies, she worked as a lawyer for ten years. This experience helped her understand laws and how the government works. When she was 30 years old, she was elected to the Belgian Parliament. This was the start of her long career in politics.

Family Background

Laurette's family has been involved in politics for a long time. Her father, Gaston Onkelinx, was a mayor and a member of Parliament. Her grandfather, Maurice Onkelinx, also held political roles. Her older brother, Alain Onkelinx, is also a politician. Laurette speaks both French and Dutch, which are important languages in Belgium.

Laurette Onkelinx's Political Journey

Laurette Onkelinx was first elected to the Belgian Parliament in 1988. From 1992 until 2014, she held many important jobs as a minister. A minister is a high-ranking official in the government. They are in charge of specific areas like health or justice.

Key Ministerial Roles

Laurette Onkelinx held several significant positions during her political career:

• Minister of Social Integration, Public Health and Environment (1992–1993): She worked on helping people fit into society, improving health, and protecting the environment.
• Minister-President of the French Community (1993–1999): This was a very important role. She led the government for the French-speaking part of Belgium. She was in charge of things like education and youth services.
• Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour (1999–2003): As Deputy Prime Minister, she was one of the top leaders in the government. As Minister of Labour, she focused on jobs and workers' rights.
• Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Transport (2003): She continued her work on labour and also took on responsibilities for transport. This included roads, trains, and other ways people travel.
• Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice (2003–2007): In this role, she was responsible for the legal system. This means she oversaw courts, laws, and prisons.
• Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health (2007–2014): Her last major role involved looking after people's well-being and the healthcare system.

Laurette Onkelinx served in the Belgian government for over 20 years. She played a big part in shaping policies for Belgium and its French-speaking community.