Hans Bonte to replace Melissa Depraetere in Flemish government
Hans Bonte (Vooruit) will temporarily replace Melissa Depraetere in the Flemish government while she is on maternity leave. His interim appointment, confirmed on Tuesday, will last about six months.
Bonte, who turns 64 this week, is a long-standing figure in Flemish politics. He currently sits in the Flemish Parliament and was mayor of Vilvoorde for twelve years, from 2013 to 2024. Before that, he spent more than two decades in the federal parliament.
He will take over Depraetere’s responsibilities for Housing, Energy, Climate, Youth and Tourism, and will also become deputy minister-president. This is the first time a separate temporary minister has been appointed in such a case, rather than sharing the work among existing ministers. Party leader Conner Rousseau said the move would be budget-neutral.
Rousseau described Bonte as “immediately deployable”, pointing to his role as chair of the parliamentary committee covering the same policy areas. “We are choosing continuity”, he said.
Bonte said he was surprised by the request but saw it as “a strong sign of trust”. He added that there was “no time to lose” given the scale of the challenges.
Bonte will be sworn in as minister on Wednesday.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO JASPER JACOBS