Pierre Jonckheer
Encyclopedia
Pierre Jonckheer is a Belgian economist and politician, member of the Belgian French-speaking Green party, Ecolo
.
He grew up in Wallonia and Brussels
in a middle-class family. He studied Economics at the Catholic University of Louvain (UCL). During his studies he rapidly became an activist in student movements linked to the "Third World" as well as the left radical political movement. He graduated in 1974 and became assistant professor in the department of Economics of the Catholic University of Louvain. He then worked closely with different NGOs and in 1982 spent 3 months in Sri Lanka
where he discovered the dismal working conditions of the Tamils. These different experiences forged his political and social convictions. From 1984 to 1991, Pierre Jonckheer worked as a researcher, for OSE then became its director (European Social Observatory). In 1986 he joined Ecolo, a party he believed could offer an alternative to society. In December 1991 he became provincial senator and in 1995, led the Ecolo list for the Senate. During his 8 years as senator, he specialized in European politics. In 1999, he was elected to the European Parliament
and was re-elected in 2004. In 2008, he co-founded the Green European Foundation (GEF).
and was then directly elected. He was the President of the Green Group at the Senate as well as member of the European Affairs Committee. He also participated in the Enquiry Committee of the Rwanda Genocide. His cooperation and involvement in the Committee of European Questions of the Federal Parliament made him a respected and recognised politician within the different national parties.
In 1999, Pierre Jonckheer was elected to the European Parliament
and joined, among others, Daniel Cohn-Bendit
and Paul Lannoye. He was a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and of the Internal Market Consumer Protection Committee. He played an important role in the debates of the Service Directive as well as on the European Constitutional Treaty.
Ecolo
Ecolo is a French-speaking Belgian green political party in Wallonia, Brussels and the German-speaking Community of Belgium...
.
He grew up in Wallonia and Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
in a middle-class family. He studied Economics at the Catholic University of Louvain (UCL). During his studies he rapidly became an activist in student movements linked to the "Third World" as well as the left radical political movement. He graduated in 1974 and became assistant professor in the department of Economics of the Catholic University of Louvain. He then worked closely with different NGOs and in 1982 spent 3 months in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
where he discovered the dismal working conditions of the Tamils. These different experiences forged his political and social convictions. From 1984 to 1991, Pierre Jonckheer worked as a researcher, for OSE then became its director (European Social Observatory). In 1986 he joined Ecolo, a party he believed could offer an alternative to society. In December 1991 he became provincial senator and in 1995, led the Ecolo list for the Senate. During his 8 years as senator, he specialized in European politics. In 1999, he was elected to 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...
and was re-elected in 2004. In 2008, he co-founded the Green European Foundation (GEF).
Pierre Jonckheer and Europe
It was his encounter with leftist unionists involved in international and European matters which drew him to work on European matters. In the Belgian Senate, he was a member of the European Affairs Committee. He believes that each national Green party can grow from the experience of its European counterparts. It has been, therefore, necessary to create meeting places and networks allowing exchanges between different Green European players, a role to which the EGP closely adheres and which Pierre Jonckheer joined in 1988. During his years as a MEP, he played an important role in the EGP as Co-President of the Green Group responsible for the relations with the EGP. In 2008, Pierre Jonckheer co-founded the Green European Foundation and is today its Co-President. The foundation focuses on research, training and publications on Green European issues and organises working seminars and panel debates. Pierre Jonckheer has always insisted on the transnational dimension of the projects which are financed by the GEF.A national and European MP
Pierre Jonckheer was first elected as first substitute on the European Election list of 1989. This was his first experience of a political campaign. Hereafter, he was designated by Ecolo as provincial senator in 1991. Three years later, he led the Ecolo list for the Belgian SenateBelgian Senate
The Belgian Senate is one of the two chambers of the bicameral Federal Parliament of Belgium, the other being the Chamber of Representatives. It is considered to be the "upper house" of the Federal Parliament.-History and future:...
and was then directly elected. He was the President of the Green Group at the Senate as well as member of the European Affairs Committee. He also participated in the Enquiry Committee of the Rwanda Genocide. His cooperation and involvement in the Committee of European Questions of the Federal Parliament made him a respected and recognised politician within the different national parties.
In 1999, Pierre Jonckheer was elected to 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...
and joined, among others, Daniel Cohn-Bendit
Daniel Cohn-Bendit
Daniel Marc Cohn-Bendit is a Franco-German politician, active in both countries. He was a student leader during the unrest of May 1968 in France and he was also known during that time as Dany le Rouge...
and Paul Lannoye. He was a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and of the Internal Market Consumer Protection Committee. He played an important role in the debates of the Service Directive as well as on the European Constitutional Treaty.
Professor
Since 1973, Pierre Jonckheer has been a professor in further education universities, ISCO, CERGECO and FOPES.External links
- http://www.pierrejonckheer.be
- http://www.gef.eu
- http://www.europeangreens.org
- http://www.greens-efa.org
- http://www.ecolo.be
- http://www.boell.be
- http://www.etopia.be