Bart Van Opstal (born 23 November, 1974 in Herentals) is a Belgian politician of the Flemish nationalist Vlaams Belang party and former police officer and businessman. He has been a member of the Flemish Parliament since 2024 representing the Antwerp constituency.
Bart Van Opstal | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Flemish Parliament | |
| Assumed office 2024 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Bart Van Opstal 23 November 1974 Herentals, Belgium |
| Political party | Vlaams Belang |
Biography
editEarly life and career
editVan Opstal was born in Herentals in 1974. From 1992 to 2000 he served as a police officer in Antwerp for the Belgian Gendarmerie.[1] In 2000, he participated in the first series of the Belgian edition of the reality show Big Brother in which he finished in second place but resigned from his police job as a result of his participation in the program.[2] In 2004, he co-founded the Red Lierse campaign to help raise funds for the football club Lierse SK and afterwards worked in the club's catering and events department. He also owned a Lierse themed cafe until 2013 before working in the real estate sector.[3]
Politics
editVan Opstal first worked as a volunteer for the former Vlaams Blok party in 1992 but did not seriously get involved in politics until joining Vlaams Belang in 2020 where he founded a local branch of the party in Olen. During the 2024 Belgian regional elections, he was elected to the Flemish Parliament for the Antwerp constituency.[4]
References
edit- ^ "Bart Van Opstal". Retrieved 2024-08-20.
- ^ "Bart uit Big Brother 20 jaar na de realityshow: "Ik zou opnieuw in het huis stappen"". Retrieved 2024-08-20.
- ^ "Van immokantoor naar halfrond: deze jobs laten nieuw verkozen parlementsleden (niet) achter". Retrieved 2024-08-20.
- ^ "Bart Van Opstal". Retrieved 2024-08-20.