Mark Eyskens facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mark Eyskens
Eyskens in 1986
Prime Minister of Belgium
In office 6 April 1981 – 17 December 1981
Monarch	Baudouin
Deputy	Guy Mathot Willy Claes José Desmarets
Preceded by	Wilfried Martens
Succeeded by	Wilfried Martens
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 1989–1992
Prime Minister	Wilfried Martens
Preceded by	Leo Tindemans
Succeeded by	Willy Claes
Minister of Finance
In office 1985–1988
Prime Minister	Wilfried Martens
Preceded by	Frans Grootjans
Succeeded by	Philippe Maystadt
In office 1980–1981
Prime Minister	Wilfried Martens
Preceded by	Paul Hatry
Succeeded by	Robert Vandeputte
Minister of Economic Affairs
In office 1981–1985
Prime Minister	Wilfried Martens
Preceded by	Willy Claes
Succeeded by	Philippe Maystadt
Personal details
Born	(1933-04-29) 29 April 1933 (age 92) Leuven, Belgium
Political party	Christian Democratic and Flemish
Spouse	Anne Rutsaert
Alma mater	Catholic University of Leuven Columbia University

Mark Eyskens was born on April 29, 1933. He is a Belgian economist, a university professor, and a politician. He was a member of the Christian People's Party, which is now called Christian Democratic and Flemish. Mark Eyskens even served as the prime minister of Belgium for a short time in 1981.

Early Life and Family

Mark Eyskens was born in Leuven, Belgium. His father, Gaston Eyskens, was also a well-known politician. When Germany invaded Belgium, Mark and his mother had to leave their home and go to France for safety. After Belgium surrendered, his family returned to Leuven.

Mark Eyskens' Education

Mark Eyskens studied a lot! In 1953, he earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy. He then became a doctor of law in 1956 at the University of Leuven.

He also studied in the United States. In 1957, he received a master's degree in economics from Columbia University. By 1962, he had earned a doctorate in economic sciences.

Teaching at University

After finishing his studies, Mark Eyskens became a professor at the University of Leuven in 1962. He taught there until 1998. From 1971 to 1976, he was the chairman of the university. This meant he was in charge of how the university was run.

Political Career

Mark Eyskens began his political journey in 1962. He started as an advisor to the Minister of Finance. This was his first step into government work.

Serving in Government

In 1976, Eyskens became a Secretary of State. This role involved planning for towns and housing. He was first elected to the Belgian Chamber of Representatives in 1977. This is like being a member of parliament. He was re-elected many times and served until 2003.

He held several important jobs in the government:

• Secretary of State for the budget and Flemish affairs (1977–1979)
• Minister of Development Aid (1979–1980)
• Minister of Finance (1980–1981)

Becoming Prime Minister

On April 6, 1981, Mark Eyskens became the 45th Prime Minister of Belgium. This was a very important job, just like his father had held before him. However, his government lasted only a short time. It ended on December 17, 1981. The government fell because of disagreements about how to fund the steel industry in the Walloon region of Belgium.

After being Prime Minister, he continued to serve in other government roles:

• Minister for Economical Affairs (1981–1985)
• Minister of Finance (1985–1988)
• Minister of Foreign Affairs (1989–1992)

This was his last government position. He then served as a regular member of parliament until he retired from politics in 2003.

Later Life and Contributions

In 1998, Mark Eyskens was given the special title of Minister of State. This is an honor given to important Belgian politicians.

In 2006, he was elected to the provincial council of Flemish Brabant. He served there from 2007 until he resigned in 2009.

Mark Eyskens is also involved with several organizations. He is an honorary president of the Olivaint Conference of Belgium, which is a group that helps young people learn about politics and public speaking.

See also

In Spanish: Mark Eyskens para niños