Laurette Onkelinx

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Laurette A.J. Onkelinx (born October 2, 1958) is a Belgian politician from the Francophone Socialist Party. She is the current Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health in the Belgian federal government, i.e. the Leterme I Government, which took office on March 20, 2008. ^[1]

She graduated in law at the University of Liège after which she worked for 10 years as a lawyer. At the age of 30 she was elected to the Belgian Chamber of Representatives.

Her father, Gaston Onkelinx, originally a Dutch-speaking migrant from Flemish Limburg to francophone Wallonia, has long been mayor of Seraing (near Liège) and member of the House of Representatives (1974-1987). Her older brother, Alain Onkelinx, is since September 2005 member of the Regional Parliament of Wallonia.

[edit] Political career

First elected to the Belgian House of Representatives in 1988, she has since held several ministerial posts:

Minister of Social Integration, Public Health and Environment (1992-1993)
Minister-President and Minister of the Civil Service, Child's healthcare and Promotion of Health in the French Community (1993-1995)
Minister-President and Minister of Education, Media, Youth, Child's healthcare and Promotion of Health in the French Community (1995-1999)
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour (1999 - 2003)
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Transport (2003)
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice (July 2003 - December 2007)
Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health (December 2007 - current)