Elke Sleurs (born 6 February 1968, in Ghent) is a Belgian politician and is affiliated with the N-VA.

Elke Sleurs
Elke Sleurs in 2016.
Secretary of State for Poverty Reduction, Equal Opportunities, People with Disabilities, Urban Policy and Scientific Policy
In office
11 October 2014 – 24 February 2017
Prime MinisterCharles Michel
Succeeded byZuhal Demir
Senator
In office
13 June 2010 – 24 May 2014
Personal details
Born (1968-02-06) 6 February 1968 (age 56)
Ghent, East Flanders
NationalityBelgian
Political partyN-VA
ResidenceGhent
Websitehttp://www.n-va.be/cv/elke-sleurs

Sleurs is a gynaecologist. She was elected as a member of the Belgian Senate in 2010.[1] After the 2014 elections Sleurs was elected as a member of the Flemish Parliament and a regional senator.[2] However, in October 2014, she became Secretary of State for Poverty Reduction, Equal Opportunities, People With Disabilities, Combating Fraud and Scientific Policy in the Michel Government. On 21 May 2015, she became secretary of state for Urban Policy, but handed over the Combating Fraud portfolio to colleague Johan Van Overtveldt.[3]

On 20 February 2017 Sleurs announced she would leave her position as Secretary of State for Equal Rights, Disabled Persons, Scientific Policy, Urban Policy and fighting Poverty to become lijsttrekker in Ghent for the upcoming 2018 municipal elections.[4] Three days later, the N-VA decided to replace Sleurs with Zuhal Demir. Demir was sworn in by the King on 24 February 2017.[5]

Notes

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  1. ^ "Belgische Senaat" (in Dutch). Belgian Senate. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
  2. ^ Profile of Elke Sleurs on the website of the Flemish Parliament[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ "Sleurs (N-VA):"This is not a demotion"". Archived from the original on 2015-07-06. Retrieved 2015-06-16.
  4. ^ “Bracke zet stap opzij als lijsttrekker in Gent, Sleurs neemt over en vertrekt als staatssecretaris”
  5. ^ Zuhal Demir: "Ik ben een madame van de aanpak"