Petra De Sutter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Petra De Sutter
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De Sutter in 2020
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| Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium | |
| Assumed office 1 October 2020 |
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| Prime Minister | Alexander De Croo |
| Minister of Civil Service | |
| Assumed office 1 October 2020 |
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| Prime Minister | Alexander De Croo |
| Preceded by | David Clarinval |
| Member of the European Parliament for Belgium |
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| In office 2 July 2019 – 30 September 2020 |
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| Member of the Belgian Senate | |
| In office 3 July 2014 – 29 March 2019 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 June 1963 (age 62) Oudenaarde, Belgium |
| Political party | Groen |
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | Ghent University |
Petra De Sutter was born on June 10, 1963. She is a Belgian doctor who specializes in gynaecology and is also a politician. Currently, she serves as a federal Deputy Prime Minister in Belgium.
She is a member of the Groen party, which is a green political party in Belgium. Before becoming Deputy Prime Minister in 2020, she was a Member of the European Parliament from 2019. As Deputy Prime Minister, she helps manage Belgium's public services and state-owned companies in Alexander De Croo's government. Petra De Sutter is also known for being the first transgender minister in Europe.
Before she started her political career, she was a professor of gynaecology at Ghent University. She also led the Department of Reproductive Medicine at Ghent University Hospital.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Petra De Sutter was born in Oudenaarde, a town in the Flemish part of Belgium, in June 1963. She studied at Ghent University. In 1987, she earned her medical degree. Later, in 1991, she completed her PhD in biomedicine.
Medical Career
After finishing her studies, Petra De Sutter moved to the United States. She spent two years in Chicago, where she studied oocyte genetics. In 1994, she became a specialist in gynaecology. In the year 2000, she was named a Professor in Reproductive Medicine at Ghent University. Six years later, in 2006, she became the Head of the Department for Reproductive Medicine at Ghent University Hospital.
Political Career
Serving in the Belgian Senate, 2014–2019
In 2014, Petra De Sutter was a candidate for the Flemish Green party in the European elections. Although her party did not win a second seat, she was chosen by her party to become a member of the Belgian Senate. This made her the first openly transgender Belgian person to be on a party election list.
During her time in the Senate, De Sutter was also part of the Belgian team at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. She worked on various committees, including those focused on migration, rules, and ethics. She also helped write reports on important topics like children's rights related to surrogacy and the conditions for refugees.
Since starting in politics, Petra De Sutter has worked on rules for surrogacy in Belgium and Europe. She has also focused on making sure that medical research by drug companies is independent. She has spoken out about protecting consumers from risks related to trade agreements and has supported rights for LGBT people.
Serving in the European Parliament, 2019–2020
In 2018, Petra De Sutter aimed to be one of the main candidates for the European Greens in the 2019 European Parliament election. After joining the Parliament, she became the chair of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection. She was the first Green politician to hold this important position. In 2020, she also joined a special committee focused on fighting cancer.
Additionally, De Sutter was part of the Parliament's group that works with countries in South Asia. These countries include Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. She was also a member of the European Parliament Intergroup on LGBT Rights, which supports LGBT rights, and helped lead the MEPs Against Cancer group.
Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium, 2020–Present
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On October 1, 2020, Petra De Sutter was sworn in as one of seven deputy prime ministers in the government led by Prime Minister Alexander De Croo. This was a historic moment, as she became Europe's first transgender deputy prime minister. This also made her the highest-ranking transgender politician in Europe.
Other Activities
- Friends of Europe, Member of the Board of Trustees (since 2020)
See also
In Spanish: Petra De Sutter para niños
