Frank Vandenbroucke
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Frank Vandenbroucke (born 21 october 1955 in Leuven) is a Belgian, Flemish politician, member of the SP.a. He is currently the Flemish minister of Education.
Studies
- Master in Economics, KULeuven (1978)
- M.Phil in Economics, Cambridge, UK (1981-1982)
- D.Phil, Faculty of Social Studies, Oxford University, UK (1996-1999)
Professional background
- Research Assistant at the "Centrum voor Economische Studiën", KULeuven (1978-1980)
- Staff member of SEVI, the research department of the SP (Socialist party of the Flemish region), (1982-1985)
Political background
- Member of the Parliament (1985-1996)
- Chairman of the SP (1989-1994)
- Leader of the Parliamentary Group of the SP (1995-1996)
- Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs (1994-1995)
- Minister of Social Affairs and Pensions (1999-2003)
- Minister for Employment and Pensions (2003-2004)
- Flemish minister of Education (2004-)
Vandenbroucke became involved in the notorious Agusta scandal. He acknowledged to have burned the 2 million francs he found in the vault of the party and which came as bribery money from the Italian helicopter builder Agusta. Vandenbroecke was never prosecuted but went into a voluntary retraite at Oxford (1996-1999).