Marianne Thyssen

Marianne Leonie Petrus Thyssen ([mɑrˈjɑnə 'tɛi̯sə(n)]; born 24 July 1956) is a Belgian politician for the Christian Democratic and Flemish Party (CD&V), European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility between 2014 and 2019.

Born in Sint-Gillis-Waas, to a Flemish-speaking family, not related to the family of Baron Thyssen, Thyssen graduated from the Catholic University of Leuven (KUL) in 1979, where she obtained a degree in law. She worked as a legal adviser for a Belgian organisation for the self-employed and small and medium-sized businesses UNIZO and the women's network Christelijke Middenstands- en Burgervrouwen (CMBV) now Markant, becoming Director then acting Secretary-General at UNIZO in 1991. From 1986-1988 she acted as legal adviser to the state secretary for public health and disability policy.

In 1991, Thyssen became a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Flanders with the CD&V, the Flemish Christian Democrats in Belgium; she took the place of Karel Pinxten [nl], who had moved to the Belgian Senate. From 1995-2008 she served as municipal Councillor for Oud-Heverlee, a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant and in 2001 she became First Alderman for Oud-Heverlee. As a local councillor she chose to work aon such social issues as childcare and care for the elderly. In 2008 Thyssen was elected leader of CD&V party.

During her almost 23 years as a member of the European Parliament she was re-elected five times. She has sat on the European Parliament's Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection, has substituted for the Committee on International Trade, was a member of the Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Cooperation Committee and a substitute for the Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee. From 1999-2014 she served as leader of the European People's Party's (EPP) Belgian delegation and from 2004-2009 was elected first vice-president of the EPP.

In 2014 she was appointed to the European Commission as Commissioner in charge of Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility for the European Union (EU).

• 1979: Degree in law at the Catholic University of Leuven (KUL)
• Assistant in the faculty of law, Catholic University of Leuven
• Legal assistant in the office of the State Secretary for Health
• Successively legal adviser, head of a research department and acting Secretary-General at Unizo (organisation for the self-employed and small and medium-sized businesses)

• since 1991: Member of the European Parliament
• Member of the bureau of the European People's Party
• Vice-Chairwoman of the EPP-ED Group's SME Circle
• First Deputy Mayor of Oud-Heverlee until 2008
• Chair woman of the CD&V (15 May 2008 – 23 June 2010)

See also: 2004 European Parliament election in Belgium