{{Short description|Belgian politician (born 1962)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Peter De Roover | office = | image = Peter De Roover.jpg | term_start = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1962|5|20|df=y}} | birth_place = Turnhout, Belgium | party = N-VA (2014–present) | website = | office2 = Member of the Chamber of Representatives | office1 = President of the Chamber of Representatives | term_start1 = 10 July 2024 | term_start2 = 19 June 2014 | predecessor1 = Eliane Tillieux | birth_name = Peter De Roover | alma_mater = University of Antwerp | occupation = Economy teacher • Politician | other_party = VU (until 1988) | caption = De Roover in 2024 | partner = Els van Doesburg<br>(2021–present) | children = 2 }} '''Peter De Roover''' (born 20 May 1962) is a Belgian politician, economist, journalist and former broadcaster and a member of the Flemish nationalist New Flemish Alliance party.
De Roover was elected as a member of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives in 2014 for the Antwerp constituency. He serves as the N-VA's faction leader in the Federal Parliament and has served as President of the Chamber of Representatives since July 2024.
==Biography== === Early career === Peter De Roover was born in Turnhout. Between 1980 and 1984, he studied economics at the Saint Ignatius University Centre, Antwerp (UFSIA), where he was involved in the Flemish nationalist Nationalistische Studentenvereniging (NSV) and the conservative Katholiek Vlaams Hoogstudentenverbond (KVHV). During this time, he also contributed as an editor to the KVHV publication Tegenstroom.
After completing his studies, De Roover worked as a secondary school economics teacher, first at Sint-Aloysius in Mortsel, and later at Sint-Eligiuscollege in Antwerp.<ref>http://theater.ua.ac.be/nevb/html/Roover,%20Peter%20de.html{{Dead link|date=August 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
De Roover became politically active through VUJO, the youth organization of the former Volksunie (VU). In 1988, he left the party due to ideological disagreements and internal tensions between left- and right-wing factions. The following year, he co-founded the Antwerp chapter of the Vlaamse Volksbeweging (VVB) alongside Jan Jambon.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20140130_00954763 |title=Peter De Roover: 'Ik wil de clichés bevechten' |access-date=2024-09-03}}</ref>
In the 1990s, De Roover shifted his focus to journalism. He began contributing a finance column to the Flemish cultural and political magazine Doorbraak in 1999 and was appointed editor-in-chief in 2013. In 2001, he founded the conservative publication Point. Over the years, he also worked as a columnist and reporter for newspapers such as ''De Standaard'', ''De Morgen'', and ''Knack'', and served as a presenter on the current affairs programme Terzake broadcast by VRT.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20160121_02082716 |title=Voor elk wat wils bij N-VA |access-date=2024-09-03}}</ref>
===Political career=== In 2014, he ran for the Belgian Federal Parliament for the N-VA party and was elected to the Chamber of Representatives for the Antwerp constituency.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Peter De Roover: 'Ik wil de clichés bevechten'|date=2014-01-30|url=https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20140130_00954763|access-date=2021-08-15|website=De Standaard|language=nl-BE}}</ref> In 2015, he was appointed treasurer of the party and in 2016 resigned from this role to become the N-VA's group leader and spokesman in the Chamber.<ref>[http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20150117_01479172 Peter De Roover verkozen tot penningmeester van de N-VA]; De Standaard; 17 January 2015</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Peter De Roover nieuwe fractievoorzitter van N-VA: 'Er zijn geen wonden geslagen'|url=http://www.knack.be/nieuws/belgie/peter-de-roover-nieuwe-fractievoorzitter-van-n-va-er-zijn-geen-wonden-geslagen/article-normal-648587.html|publisher=Knack|date=21 January 2016|access-date=21 January 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Voor elk wat wils bij N-VA|url=http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20160121_02082716|publisher=De Standaard|date=22 January 2016|access-date=22 January 2016}}</ref>
During the Michel I Government in which the N-VA provided support to the government of Charles Michel, De Roover was known for his outspoken opposition to the government on certain policies. In 2018, he attracted attention for his stance against the Belgian government in signing the UN Migration Pact which was supported by all parties in the cabinet apart from the N-VA.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20190121_04120536 |title=Freilich (N-VA): 'Zonder keppeltje in het parlement' |access-date=2024-09-03}}</ref> The N-VA subsequently withdrew their support to the government after the treaty was adopted triggering the collapse of the Michel I' cabinet. In the 2024 Belgian federal election De Roover ran as the list pusher for the Antwerp constituency and was again elected to parliament. In 2024, he was elected President of the Chamber.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20240710_96025486 |title=Nieuwe federale parlementsleden leggen eed af, maar in de wandelgangen ging het over iets anders |access-date=2024-09-03}}</ref>
De Roover has campaigned for the Armenian genocide to be formally recognised by both the Belgian government and international community. In 2023, he was awarded the Mkhitar Gosh Medal for his work on supporting the rights of Armenian minority communities and recognition of the genocide.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20230113_92150456 |title=Mark Demesmaeker krijgt ereteken |access-date=2024-09-03}}</ref>
==Personal life== De Roover is in a relationship with fellow N-VA politician Els van Doesburg whom he became engaged to in November 2021.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20211114_94344106 |title=Partijgenoten Peter De Roover en Els van Doesburg gaan trouwen |access-date=2024-09-03}}</ref> In January 2025 she announced her first pregnancy.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Antwerp is ready for "mayor's mother" Els Van Doesburg now that Bart De Wever becomes prime minister |url=https://m.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20250131_97646408?journeybuilder=nopaywall&utm_source=t}}</ref> He has an adult son from a previous relationship.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-02-02 |title=Peter De Roover and Els van Doesburg expecting a baby in June: “Late gift of life” |url=https://ground.news/article/peter-de-roover-and-els-van-doesburg-expecting-a-baby-in-june-late-gift-of-life |access-date=2025-02-02 |website=Ground News |language=en}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:De Roover, Peter}} Category:Living people Category:1962 births Category:People from Turnhout Category:New Flemish Alliance politicians Category:Presidents of the Chamber of Representatives (Belgium) Category:Members of the 54th Chamber of Representatives (Belgium) Category:Members of the 55th Chamber of Representatives (Belgium) Category:Members of the 56th Chamber of Representatives (Belgium)