mr. Wilfried Martens

Education

• Doctor of Law – K.U. Leuven – 1960
• Licentiate in Notary Science – K.U. Leuven – 1960
• Baccalaureus in Thomistic Philosophy – K.U. Leuven – 1960
• International Seminar – Harvard University – 1968
• Doctor of Law – K.U. Leuven – 1960

Professional Activities

• Lawyer at the Court of Appeal, Ghent since 1960
• Adviser to Office of Prime Minister P. Harmel (1965)
• Adviser to Office of Prime Minister P. Vanden Boeynants (1966)
• Chargé de mission to Office of Minister L. Tindemans (Community Affairs) (1968)

Government functions

• Prime Minister from 1979 until 1992 (with an interruption of 8 months in 1981)

Political activities

• President of the CVP-Jongeren (CVP Youth Organisation) (1967-1971)
• President of the CVP (1972-1979)
• CVP Deputy (district Ghent-Eeklo) (1974 until November 1991)
• CVP Senator (Brussels-Hal-Vilvorde) (1991-1994)
• Co-founder of the European People’s Party (EPP) (1976)
• President of the “Program-Commission” (Working Committee on Policy) of the EPP (1976-1977)
• President of the European Union of Christian Democrats – EUCD (1993-1996)
• President of the EPP Group in the European Parliament (1994-1999)
• President of the EPP since 10th May 1990
• President of the Christian Democrat and People’s Parties International – IDC (2000-2001)

Various

• Chairman of the Kaaitheater since 8 September 1993
• Chairman of the International Foundation End-of-Life Values (EFI), October 2000
• Charles V Price (Spain), handed over on 25 June 1998
• Grand Officier de l’Ordre de Léopold II (1981) ; numerous decorations from European, African and Central American countries.

Wilfried Martens speaks about numerous kinds of subjects like European Integration, globalisation, international politics and today's most important political issues. He speaks fluent Dutch, French and English. On special occassions Wilfried Martens can lead a forum discussion.