Sara Matthieu

{{Short description|Belgian politician (born 1981)}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Sara Matthieu | image = 1647130877141 20210210 MATTHIEU Sara BE.jpg | image_size = | office1 = Member of the European Parliament<br />for Belgium | term_start1 = 8 October 2020 | term_end1 = | predecessor1 = | successor1 = | birth_date = {{birth date and age text|21 May 1981}} | birth_place = Aalst, Belgium | death_date = | death_place = | birth_name = | party = Groen | spouse = | alma_mater = Ghent University | occupation = | signature = | website = }} '''Sara Matthieu''' (born 21 May 1981) is a Belgian politician for Groen who has been serving as a member of European Parliament for Belgium since 2020.<ref name ="mep2" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Sara Matthieu MEP |url=https://brusselswatch.org/meps/sara-matthieu/ |access-date=2026-04-30 |website=Brussels Watch |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Biography ==

=== Early life === Matthieu grew up in Aalst. Both her parents were actively involved with Agalev, the green party of Flanders, Belgium. She studied Moral Sciences in Ghent, and acquired a Master in Comparable Cultural Studies.<ref name="mep">{{Cite web |date=1981-05-21 |title=Curriculum vitae Sara MATTHIEU |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/208722/SARA_MATTHIEU/cv |access-date=2026-04-30 |website=Europarl |language=en}}</ref>

===Beginning of political career=== From a young age Matthieu was interested in green politics. When she was seventeen, she became a member of Agalev's youth wing, and three years later, in 2002, she assumed the role of national spokesperson of Jong Groen, the youths of Groen.<ref>{{Cite web |title=‘Europa mag meer leiderspositie innemen in het klimaatbeleid’ |url=https://doorbraak.be/sara-matthieu-europa-leiderspositie-klimaatbeleid/ |access-date=2026-04-30 |website=Doorbraak}}</ref>

In 2010 she got a job as political advisor for Bruno de Lille, Brussels state secretary, becoming his chief of staff in 2013. From 2016 until 2020 she was party secretary for Groen in the Brussels Parliament.<ref name="mep" />

In October 2012 Matthieu was elected in the city council in Ghent, to be sworn in in 2013. She continued this role until January 2025.<ref name ="mep2" />

===European parliament=== In 2020, Matthieu succeeded Petra De Sutter who had to resign her mandate as Member of the European Parliament to join the government of Prime Minister Alexander De Croo.<ref name ="mia">Mia Bartoloni (October 9, 2020), [https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/news/article/movers-and-shakers-9-october-2020 Movers & Shakers] ''The Parliament Magazine''.</ref> In parliament, she has since been serving on the Committee on International Trade. In this capacity, she has been the parliament's co-rapporteur on minimum income.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-02-08 |title=EU lawmakers to discuss adequacy of minimum income schemes, need for directive |url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/economy-jobs/news/eu-lawmakers-to-discuss-adequacy-of-minimum-income-schemes-need-for-directive/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20230319061258/https://www.euractiv.com/section/economy-jobs/news/eu-lawmakers-to-discuss-adequacy-of-minimum-income-schemes-need-for-directive/ |archive-date=2023-03-19 |access-date=2026-04-30 |work=Euractiv |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Europese Groenen: Deze verkiezingen draaien om de toekomst van de green deal |url=https://www.standaard.be/buitenland/europese-groenen-deze-verkiezingen-draaien-om-de-toekomst-van-de-green-deal/40767794.html |work=De Standaard|access-date=2026-04-30}}</ref>

In addition to her committee assignments, Matthieu is part of the parliament's delegation for relations with the countries of South Asia.<ref name ="mep2">{{Cite web |date=1981-05-21 |title=Sara MATTHIEU |url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/208722/SARA_MATTHIEU/home |access-date=2026-04-30 |website=Europarl |language=en}}</ref><ref name ="mia" /> She is also a member of the European Parliament Intergroup on LGBT Rights.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Members – The European Parliament's LGBTIQ+ Intergroup |url=https://lgbti-ep.eu/who-we-are/members/ |access-date=2026-04-30 |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In June 2024 she got re-elected as an MEP.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Élections 2024 : voici les élus wallons, bruxellois et fédéraux - RTBF Actus |url=https://www.rtbf.be/article/elections-2024-voici-la-liste-des-elues-et-elus-belges-dans-les-differents-parlements-11387011 |access-date=2026-04-30 |website=RTBF |language=fr}}</ref> She is a member of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, and continues to be part of the South Asia relations delegation.

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Matthieu, Sara}} Category:MEPs for Belgium 2019–2024 Category:Groen (political party) politicians Category:Living people Category:1981 births Category:MEPs for Belgium 2024–2029