# Louis Tobback
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{{Short description|Belgian politician (born 1938)}}
{{BLP sources|date=July 2010}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Louis Tobback
| image = Louis Tobback - Filip Naudts.jpg
| caption =
| image_size = 150px
| office = [Mayor of Leuven](/source/Leuven)
| term_start = 1 January 1995
| term_end = 31 December 2018
| predecessor = [Alfred Vansina](/source/Alfred_Vansina)
| successor = Mohamed Ridouani
| office2 = [Minister of the Interior and Civil Services](/source/Belgian_Senate)
| term_start2 = 1992
| term_end2 = 1994
| office3 = [Member of Parliament
(Senate)](/source/Belgian_Senate)
| term_start3 = 1991
| term_end3 = 1995
| office4 = [Member of Parliament
(Chamber of Representatives)](/source/Belgian_Chamber_of_Representatives)
| term_start4 = 1974
| term_end4 = 1991
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1938|5|3|df=y}}
| birth_place = [Leuven](/source/Leuven), Belgium
| death_date =
| death_place =
| birth_name =
| party = [Socialistische Partij Anders](/source/Socialistische_Partij_Anders)
| spouse =
| alma_mater = [Free University of Brussels (VUB)](/source/Vrije_Universiteit_Brussel)
| occupation = [Politician](/source/Politician)
| signature =
| website =
}}
'''Louis Marie Joseph Tobback''' (born 3 May 1938) is a Belgian [politician](/source/politician). Tobback is a [Flemish](/source/Flemish_Community) [social democrat](/source/social_democracy) and member of the political party [SP.A](/source/Socialistische_Partij_Anders). He was the mayor of [Leuven](/source/Leuven) (1995–2018) He graduated in [Romance philology](/source/Romance_philology) at the [Vrije Universiteit Brussel](/source/Vrije_Universiteit_Brussel). He is the father of [Bruno Tobback](/source/Bruno_Tobback), the former president of the [Flemish](/source/Flanders) socialist party [Different Socialist Party](/source/Socialistische_Partij_Anders) (SP.A).
==Political career==
Tobback started his political career in 1965 in the [OCMW/CPAS](/source/Public_Centre_for_Social_Welfare) council. In 1971 he was elected a member of the city council of Leuven, and became ''eerste [schepen](/source/schepen)'' (first [alderman](/source/alderman)).
In 1974, he became the leader of the [Belgian Socialist Party](/source/Belgian_Socialist_Party) faction in the [Belgian Chamber of Representatives](/source/Belgian_Chamber_of_Representatives), and became a controversial but respected politician. Tobback is known for his oneliners in which he clearly states his opinion.
From 1988 until 1994, Tobback was Belgium's [Minister of the Interior](/source/Minister_of_the_Interior_(Belgium)) in two coalitions formed by Christian Democrats and Socialists, who faced the tough task of bringing Belgium into compliance with the [Maastricht Treaty](/source/Maastricht_Treaty). It was known that he liked cooperating with [Jean-Luc Dehaene](/source/Jean-Luc_Dehaene), who was Prime Minister from 1992 until 1999.
In 1994 he became president of the Flemish social-democratic party (SP, since 2001 known as [Socialistische Partij Anders](/source/Socialistische_Partij_Anders), SP.A). At that time, the party faced difficulties due to the [Agusta scandal](/source/Agusta_scandal) in which several Flemish and [Francophone Socialists](/source/Parti_Socialiste_(Belgium)) were accused of [corruption](/source/Political_corruption). Despite this, the party did not lose too many votes in the federal and regional elections in 1995. As president of the SP, he also started a campaign of ideological and organisational innovation within the party.
In 1995, Tobback also became the mayor of [Leuven](/source/Leuven), and he was granted the title of [Minister of State](/source/Minister_of_State_(Belgium)) in recognition of his work in politics. He was re-elected as mayor in 2000, 2006 and 2012 and retired on 31 December 2018.
In April 1998, he again became Minister of the Interior, after [Johan Vande Lanotte](/source/Johan_Vande_Lanotte) (also SP.A) resigned because of the escape of [Marc Dutroux](/source/Marc_Dutroux) during his transport from jail to the court hall. In September 1998, Tobback himself resigned after a [Nigeria](/source/Nigeria)n candidate for immigration ([Semira Adamu](/source/Semira_Adamu)) died during her forced [repatriation](/source/repatriation).
Tobback is a self-declared [Orangist](/source/Orangism_(Belgium)). He considers the break-up of the Netherlands and Belgium a historic mistake. "If the [United Kingdom of the Netherlands](/source/United_Kingdom_of_the_Netherlands) would have endured, we would have been a member of the [G8](/source/G8) today", Tobback said in 2006.[{{cite web|url=http://www.nd.nl/artikelen/2006/februari/04/het-verdriet-van-leuven|title=Het Verdriet van Leuven|date=4 February 2006|work=Nederlands Dagblad}}]
== Honours ==
* 1995: Grand Officer in the [Order of Leopold](/source/Order_of_Leopold_(Belgium)).
* 2003: Knight Grand Cross in the [Order of Leopold II](/source/Order_of_Leopold_II).[{{cite web|url=https://www.senate.be/www/?MIval=/showSenator&ID=145&LANG=nl|title=Louis Tobback}}]
==Gallery==
File:Villa squattus dei.jpg|The face of the squat '{{ill|Villa Squattus Dei|nl}}' in [Leuven](/source/Leuven) (Belgium). Also depicted: [caricature](/source/caricature) of Louis Tobback.
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==Sources==
* [http://www.vub.ac.be/vlaamsestudenteninbrussel/personen/louistobback.html Louis Tobback] {{in lang|nl}}
* [http://www.hln.be/hln/regio/showElectionsArticles.page?pGeoNodeId=185&pOWC=15m Louis Tobback]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} (Elections 2006)
==External links==
{{Commons category-inline}}
{{Navigation sp.a}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tobback, Louis}}
Category:1938 births
Category:Living people
Category:Free University of Brussels (1834–1969) alumni
Category:Vrije Universiteit Brussel alumni
Category:Flemish politicians
Category:Politicians from Leuven
Category:Belgian socialists
Category:Vooruit (political party) politicians
Category:Deputy prime ministers of Belgium
Category:Members of the Chamber of Representatives (Belgium)
Category:Members of the Senate (Belgium)
Category:Mayors of places in Belgium
Category:Ministers of state of Belgium
Category:Recipients of the Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold II
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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Louis Tobback](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Tobback) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Tobback?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.