- Born on 18 August 1955 in Perbais (B)

- Nationality: Belgian

- Master’s in Public Political and Administrative Science from the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)

- Adviser then Director of the Émile Vandervelde Institute (IEV) (1979–1995)

- Member of the Chamber of Representatives (1994–1995)

- Minister for the Civil Service, the Modernisation of the Administration and the State Buildings Agency, with responsibility for veterans (1995–1999)

- Minister for Defence and War Victims (1999–2007)

- Member and Vice-President of the Chamber of Representatives (2007–2010)

- Minister of State (since 2009)

- President of the Chamber of Representatives (2010–2014)

- Minister for the Budget, the Civil Service and Administrative Simplification in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation (since 2014)