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 | |
| In office 1 October 2020 – 3 February 2025 |
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| Prime Minister | Alexander De Croo |
| Minister of the Civil Service, Public Enterprises, Telecommunication and Postal Services | |
| In office 1 October 2020 – 3 February 2025 |
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| Prime Minister | Alexander De Croo |
| Preceded by | David Clarinval |
| Succeeded by | Vanessa Matz |
| 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 (born 10 June 1963) is a Belgian doctor and politician. She served as a Deputy Prime Minister for Belgium. After her time in government, she was elected as the head, or rector, of Ghent University.
De Sutter is a member of the Groen political party. She is famous for being the first transgender minister in Europe. A transgender person is someone whose gender identity is different from the one they were assigned at birth.
Before she became a politician, De Sutter was a professor of gynaecology (a type of medicine focused on women's health) at Ghent University. She was also the head of the Department of Reproductive Medicine at Ghent University Hospital, where she helped people with issues related to having children.
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Early Life and Medical Career
Petra De Sutter was born in Oudenaarde, Belgium, in 1963. She studied hard and earned a medical degree from Ghent University in 1987. She continued her studies and received a PhD in 1991. In 2004, she shared that she is a woman.
After finishing her first degree, De Sutter went to the United States for two years to study genetics. When she returned to Belgium, she became a professor at Ghent University and later became the Head of the Department for Reproductive Medicine at the university's hospital.
A Career in Politics
De Sutter decided to enter politics to help make changes in society. She wanted to work on issues she cared about, like health, the environment, and equal rights for everyone.
Working in the Belgian Senate
In 2014, De Sutter joined the Belgian Senate, which is one of the two parts of Belgium's parliament. She was the first openly transgender person in Belgium to be on a party's list for an election.
While in the Senate, she also worked with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, an organization that brings together politicians from all over Europe. She focused on important topics like:
- Protecting children's rights.
- The use of new genetic science.
- Making sure refugees and migrants were treated fairly.
She also worked to protect people from unsafe food and products and stood up for the rights of LGBT people.
Member of the European Parliament
From 2019 to 2020, De Sutter was a Member of the European Parliament. This parliament makes laws for the European Union. She was the first politician from a Green party to lead the important Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection, which works to keep products safe for people to buy and use.
She also worked on a special committee to fight cancer and was a member of groups that supported LGBT rights and relations with countries in South Asia. For her work on health and equality, she won an award from The Parliament Magazine in 2020.
Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium
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On October 1, 2020, Petra De Sutter became a Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium in the government led by Prime Minister Alexander De Croo. This made her the first transgender deputy prime minister in Europe and one of the highest-ranking transgender politicians in the world. Her job was to manage public services and government-owned companies, like the postal service.
During her time as Deputy Prime Minister, De Sutter often spoke out on important issues. In 2023, she criticized comments made by the UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, about transgender people. She said his words were "hurtful" and could encourage negative feelings towards trans people.
Later that year, she spoke about the Gaza war. She called the bombing "inhumane" and said it was time for sanctions against Israel to stop the violence. She also called for the release of all hostages and said that the money funding terrorist groups must be stopped.
Return to University Life
After the new Belgian government was formed in February 2025, De Sutter left national politics. She was then elected as the rector of Ghent University in April 2025. She is scheduled to start this new role in October, leading the same university where she once studied and taught.
Other Activities
- Friends of Europe, Member of the Board of Trustees (since 2020)
