Pierre Kompany (born 8 September 1947) is a Belgian politician of Les Engagés and formerly the Humanist Democratic Centre. He was elected mayor of Ganshoren in 2018 and is the father of the footballers Vincent Kompany and François Kompany. He is the first Congolese mayor in Belgium.[1][2]

Pierre Kompany
Kompany pictured with a fan after the match between Fulham and Burnley was concluded on 23 December 2023
Mayor of Ganshoren
In office
2018–2022
Succeeded byJean-Paul Van Laethem
Representative in the Brussels Parliament
Assumed office
2014
Personal details
Born (1947-09-08) 8 September 1947 (age 77)
Costermansville, Belgian Congo
NationalityBelgian
Political partyLes Engagés,
Humanist Democratic Centre (former)
ChildrenVincent Kompany
François Kompany
Christel Kompany
Alma materUniversity of Kinshasa
ProfessionPolitician

Kompany was born in the Belgian Congo and came to Belgium in 1975 as a political refugee from Zaïre, where he had been interned for opposing dictator Mobutu Sese Seko.[3] He drove a taxi while studying for a mechanical engineering degree to support his wife and three children.[4] Kompany faced racism for marrying Jocelyne, a rural white woman.[3] The couple divorced when Vincent Kompany was 14 and she died when he was 20.[3]

In 2014, he was elected to the Parliament of the Brussels-Capital Region, and he was re-elected in 2019.[5]

He was elected to the Chamber of Representatives in the 2024 Belgian federal election.

References

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  1. ^ Boffey, Daniel (15 October 2018). "Vincent Kompany's father elected as first black mayor in Belgium". the Guardian. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  2. ^ Redazione, Sport (15 October 2018). "Belgio, il padre di Vincent Kompany primo sindaco nero del Paese". corriere.it (in Italian). Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  3. ^ a b c Linton, Deborah (18 May 2019). "At home with Vincent Kompany: 'Setbacks, racism – everything fed my fire'". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  4. ^ Mbamalu, Socrates (18 October 2018). "Pierre Kompany, a Congolese ex refugee is Belgium's first black Mayor". This Is Africa. his Is Africa. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
  5. ^ "Notre grande interview avec Pierre Kompany, le papa de Vincent: «Les disputes politiques à propos de Good Move n'aident pas le citoyen»" (in French). Sud Info. 20 November 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
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