Magdalena Godelieve Hilda "Magda" Aelvoet (born 4 April 1944 in Steenokkerzeel

Steenokkerzeel

Steenokkerzeel is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. The municipality comprises the towns of Melsbroek, Perk and Steenokkerzeel proper. On December 31, 2010 Steenokkerzeel had a total population of 11,580. The total area is 23.46 km² which gives a population density...

, 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...

) 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...

, Flemish

Flanders

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...

 politician

Politician

A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

. She is a former president of the Greens

European Greens–European Free Alliance

The Greens European Free Alliance is one of the parliamentary groups in the European Parliament....

 in the European Parliament

European Parliament

The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...

.

From 1999 to 2002 she served as Deputy Prime Minister in the Verhofstadt I Government

Verhofstadt I Government

The Verhofstadt I Government was the federal government of Belgium from 12 July 1999 to 12 July 2003.It was the first government headed by Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt...

, but resigned because of a Belgian arms delivery to Nepal

Nepal

Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...

 that she opposed.

In 1995 she was made a Minister of State for her part in the negotiations of the Saint Michael's Accords

State reform in Belgium

The term State reform in the Belgian context indicates a process towards finding constitutional and legal solutions for the problems and tensions between the different segments of the Belgian population, mostly Dutch-speakers of Flanders and French-speakers of Wallonia...

Timeline

• 28/10/1985 – 17/10/1991: Senator [provincial] (constituency Antwerp)
• 24/11/1991 – 19/07/1995: Representative (constituency Leuven)
• 12/06/1994 – 13/06/1999: Member of European Parliament (president EG-EFA)
• 06/07/1999 – 12/07/1999: Flemish Representative (constituency Leuven)
• 1999 – 28/08/2002: Federal minister for Consumer Affairs, Public Health and Environment (replaced by Jef Tavernier
  Jef Tavernier
  Jef Tavernier is a Belgian politican. He was once member of the party Green! .-Career:*24/11/1991 – 12/04/1995: Senator [directly elected]...
  
  )
• 30/01/1995 – : Minister of State