- published: 22 Sep 2015
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Bart Albert Liliane De Wever (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈbɑrt də ˈʋeːvər]; born in Mortsel, 21 December 1970) is a Flemish politician and since 2004 has been the president of the New Flemish Alliance (N-VA), a Flemish party that strives for an independent Flanders in a united Europe. He has also been a member of the Flemish parliament since 2004. He played a prominent role in the 2007 Belgian government formation and led his party to victory in the 2010 Belgian federal elections, after which the N-VA became the largest party in both Flanders and the whole of Belgium.
De Wever attended the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL), graduating with a licentiate (which is the equivalent of the master's degree) in history. During his student years he was a member of the Liberaal Vlaams Studentenverbond (LVSV, Liberal Flemish Students' Union), the Katholiek Vlaams Hoogstudentenverbond (KVHV, Catholic Flemish Students' Union) of Antwerp and Leuven. He is also the former editor in chief of Tegenstroom (magazine of KVHV-Antwerp) and Ons Leven (magazine of KVHV-Leuven). Professionally, he was engaged as a scientific assistant working on the 'Nieuwe Encyclopedie van de Vlaamse Beweging' (New Encyclopedia of the Flemish Movement), in which he wrote articles about Taal Aktiekomitee, Vlaams Blok and Vlaamse Militanten Orde (Flemish Militants Order), among other topics.