Fons Borginon
Encyclopedia
Alfons "Fons" Borginon (born 12 July 1966 in Lier
) is a Belgian
politician
and lawyer
. He was a member of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives between 1995 and 2007. Borginon was the last chairman of the Volksunie and Flemish Liberals and Democrats (VLD) floor leader
from 2006 until the general election of 2007. He was also granted knighthood in the Belgian
Order of Leopold. He is married to Kristin Ex and father of Hendrik, Irene and Margreet. His grandfather Hendrik Borginon was a Flemish collaborator during World War II
, elected for the Vlaamsch Nationaal Verbond.
degree by the University of Leuven
, Belgium
, as well as a master of legal studies
in comparative and European law by the University of Florence
, Italy
.
nationalist
students association. He also became the chief editor of Tegenstroom ("Upstream"), a nationwide distributed newsletter which advocates Flemish independence from Belgium. After his university years, Fons Borginon joined the now-defunct flamingant
party Volksunie, of which he eventually became chairman. After the collapse of the Volksunie in 2002, he became member of the left-liberal party Spirit, one of the two Volksunie-successors, before finally joining the VLD in the same year. Fons Borginon is a member of the national VLD Board.
Lier, Belgium
Lier is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises the city of Lier proper and the village of Koningshooikt. On January 1, 2010 Lier had a total population of 33,930. The total area is 49.70 km² which gives a population density of 669 inhabitants per...
) is a Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
. He was a member of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives between 1995 and 2007. Borginon was the last chairman of the Volksunie and Flemish Liberals and Democrats (VLD) floor leader
Floor Leader
Floor Leaders are leaders of their political parties in each of the houses of the legislature.- Senate :In the United States Senate, they are elected by their respective party conferences to serve as the chief Senate spokesmen for their parties and to manage and schedule the legislative and...
from 2006 until the general election of 2007. He was also granted knighthood in the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
Order of Leopold. He is married to Kristin Ex and father of Hendrik, Irene and Margreet. His grandfather Hendrik Borginon was a Flemish collaborator during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, elected for the Vlaamsch Nationaal Verbond.
Education
He was awarded a master of lawsMaster of Laws
The Master of Laws is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree, and is commonly abbreviated LL.M. from its Latin name, Legum Magister. The University of Oxford names its taught masters of laws B.C.L...
degree by the University of Leuven
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
The Katholieke Universiteit Leuven is a Dutch-speaking university in Flanders, Belgium.It is located at the centre of the historic town of Leuven, and is a prominent part of the city, home to the university since 1425...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, as well as a master of legal studies
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in comparative and European law by the University of Florence
University of Florence
The University of Florence is a higher study institute in Florence, central Italy. One of the largest and oldest universities in the country, it consists of 12 faculties...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
Political career
He started his political career in the Katholiek Vlaams Hoogstudentenverbond (KVHV) of Antwerp, a FlemishFlanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
nationalist
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
students association. He also became the chief editor of Tegenstroom ("Upstream"), a nationwide distributed newsletter which advocates Flemish independence from Belgium. After his university years, Fons Borginon joined the now-defunct flamingant
Flamingant
The Dutch and French word flamingant refers to all activists of the Flemish movement and was initially used as a pejorative term by Belgicists to indicate nationalist Flemish people. It may be derived from Flamins, the Walloon word for Flemings. The word can be equally used as an adjective or...
party Volksunie, of which he eventually became chairman. After the collapse of the Volksunie in 2002, he became member of the left-liberal party Spirit, one of the two Volksunie-successors, before finally joining the VLD in the same year. Fons Borginon is a member of the national VLD Board.
Curriculum
- 1994-2001 : Member of the VU party board.
- 1995-2007 : Member of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives.
- 2000-2001 : Vice-chairman of the VU party.
- 2000- : Member of the BerchemBerchemThe 'Ring', Antwerp's circular motorway which follows the track of the former city defense walls, cuts Berchem in two parts, separating the urban inner city area of Oud-Berchem from the more residential and suburban areas Groenenhoek en Nieuw Kwartier .-Demography:Berchem's total surface is over ,...
district council. - 2001-2002 : Chairman of the VU party.
- 2003-2006 : Chairman of the Parliamentary Policy CommitteeCommitteeA committee is a type of small deliberative assembly that is usually intended to remain subordinate to another, larger deliberative assembly—which when organized so that action on committee requires a vote by all its entitled members, is called the "Committee of the Whole"...
for justice affairs. - 2004- : Chairman of the VLD party Berchem chapter.
- 2006-2007 : Floor leader in the Belgian Parliament.
- 2006-2007 : Member of the VLD party board.
- 2007- : SpeakerSpeaker (politics)The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
of the Berchem district council.