Steve Stevaert

Steve Stevaert

Robert "Steve" Stevaert (born April 12, 1954 in Rijkhoven ; † April 2, 2015 in Hasselt ) was a Belgian politician of the Socialist Partij Anders (sp.a). He initially made a career in local politics as Mayor of Hasselt, but later rose as a minister in the Flemish government. Stevaert was party chairman of the sp.a. from 2003 to 2005.

In 2005 he resigned his political mandate and became governor of the province of Limburg . He resigned this office in 2009 and withdrew from public life. In April 2015, shortly after it became known that Steve Stevaert was facing legal action on a rape lawsuit, he was found lifeless on the Albert Canal after an alleged suicide .

Life

Steve Stevaert, son of a professional soldier and a housewife, first studied at a hotel management school and from 1972 ran a restaurant. As a result, he opened several cafes in the Hasselt area.

His entry into politics was encouraged by his mentor Willy Claes (sp.a). In 1985 he was elected to the Provincial Council of Limburg. A little later he became a member of the municipal council in Hasselt, where he was able to win the mayor's office after the municipal council elections in 1994. Here he introduced free local bus transport from 1997 , which made him known on a national level.

From 1995 Stevaert also sat in the Flemish Parliament, but he was promoted to the Flemish government three years later after Luc Van den Bossche (sp.a) moved to the federal government. In the Flemish government he immediately became Vice Prime Minister. After the regional elections in 1999, he kept this office and was given the mobility and energy departments.

As one of the so-called " Teletubbies " of the sp.a (alongside Johan Vande Lanotte , Patrick Janssens and Frank Vandenbroucke ) Steve Stevaert also became increasingly popular within the party. When Janssens decided to run for mayor in Antwerp and vacate the party chairmanship, Stevaert was elected president of sp.a in 2003. The cartel with the left-wing liberal Spirit under Bert Anciaux (sp.a) gave the sp.a a clear victory in the federal elections of the same year.

In June 2005, however, Stevaert surprisingly handed over the chairmanship of the sp.a to Caroline Gennez and resigned from all his political offices. He took over the post of provincial governor of Limburg and, as the fifteenth governor of the province, was the first socialist in this office.

He resigned from this post in 2009 and ended his political career. From then on he worked in the private sector on the boards of various energy companies and also pursued a number of projects abroad.

On April 2, 2015, it was announced that Steve Stevaert was to be charged with rape allegedly committed in 2010. A little later he was initially reported missing. Then it became known that his lifeless body had been recovered from the Albert Canal near Hasselt. Since investigators found a suicide note in his apartment, Stevaert's suicide was assumed.

Steve Stevaert was an honorary Minister of State .

Overview of his political offices

• 1982–1995: Member of the Provincial Council in Limburg
• 1988–2005: Member of the Hasselt municipal council
• 1989–1995: Member of the Provincial College (permanent deputation) in Limburg
• 1995–2005: Mayor of Hasselt (partially prevented)
• 1995–2005: Member of the Flemish Parliament (partially prevented)
• 1998–1999: Flemish Vice-Prime Minister and Minister for Public Works, Transport and Regional Planning
• 1999–2003: Flemish Vice Prime Minister and Minister for Mobility, Public Works and Energy

Web links

Commons : Steve Stevaert  - album with pictures, videos and audio files

• Obituary for Steve Stevaert on the website of the sp.a

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Standaard.be: biography. Steve Stevaert (April 2, 2015) (Dutch).
2. ↑ DeMorgen.be: Steve Stevaert werd opgeroepen voor raadkamer in verkrachtingszaak (April 2, 2015) (Dutch).
3. ↑ Standaard.be: Steve Stevaert dood teruggevonden in Albertkanaal (April 2, 2015) (Dutch).