Jan Jambon

Jan Jambon (born 26 April 1960 in Genk) is a Belgian politician of the New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) who has been serving as Minister-President of Flanders since 2019. He replaced Kris Peeters as a member of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives in 2007. The N-VA was, at that time, partnered with the Christian-Democratic and Flemish party.[1] In June 2010 and May 2014 he was re-elected on an N-VA list.[2]

Jan Jambon
Jambon in 2018
Minister-President of Flanders
Assumed office
2 October 2019
Deputy
Serving concurrently
Preceded byLiesbeth Homans
Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium
Minister of the Interior
In office
11 October 2014 – 9 December 2018
Prime MinisterCharles Michel
Preceded byMelchior Wathelet Jr.
Succeeded byPieter De Crem
Member of the Chamber of Representatives
In office
28 June 2007 – 11 October 2014
ConstituencyAntwerp
Personal details
Born (1960-04-26) 26 April 1960
Genk, Belgium
Political partyNew Flemish Alliance
Children4
Residence(s)Brasschaat, Belgium
Alma materVrije Universiteit Brussel
University of Antwerp (MBA)
WebsiteParty website

He became mayor of Brasschaat in 2013 after his party won the local elections in 2012.[3] In November 2014, he was replaced as acting mayor by Koen Verberck (also N-VA), after joining the new Federal Government.[4]

In October 2014 he became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior and Security, charged with the direction of public buildings, in the Michel Government.[5] Jambon remained in this position until the government fell in December 2018.

Controversies
Jambon meets with U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson in Washington D.C. on April 1, 2016.

Birthday of Sint-Maartensfonds

Jan Jambon has been criticized for having given a speech in 2001, as representative of the Flemish NGO Vlaamse Volksbeweging, during the 50th birthday of Sint-Maartensfonds, an association of former Flemish nazi collaborators who joined Nazi Germany 's troops during World War II. In October 2014, replying to these remarks, Jambon declared the following as part of an interview.

The collaboration was a mistake. The Flemish movement was isolated for several years. But it's easier said than done. The people who collaborated with the Germans had their reasons. Me, I was not alive during that time.[6]

This statement was criticized by several Belgian politicians,[7] as well as the Social-Democrat Group Leader in the European Parliament, Gianni Pittella.[8]

References
  1. "De Kamerleden". De Kamer BE (in Dutch). 7 May 2010. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  2. Torfs, Michael (25 October 2013). "Flemish nationalist Jan Jambon under fire". Flanders News BE. Archived from the original on 27 October 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  3. "Nieuwe burgemeester Jan Jambon legt eed af". Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch). 18 December 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  4. "Vervanger van Jambon legt eed af als waarnemend burgemeester Brasschaat". Gazet Van Antwerpen (in Dutch). 10 November 2014. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  5. "Vice-eersteminister en minister van Veiligheid en Binnenlandse Zaken, belast met de Regie der Gebouwen" (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 23 June 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  6. "Jan Jambon: 'Les gens qui ont collaboré avec les Allemands avaient leurs raisons'" (in French). La Libre Belgique. 13 October 2014. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  7. Collaboration avec les nazis : le nouveau gouvernement belge tangue déjà, Le Parisien 13/10/2014.
  8. "European social-democrats 'very concerned'", vrt news 15/10/2014.


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