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Jacques Van Gompel

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Jacques Van Gompel
Born (1947-06-12) 12 June 1947 (age 77)
NationalityBelgian
Occupationpolitician

Jacques Van Gompel (born 12 June 1947) is a Belgian politician for the Socialist Party (PS).

Political career

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  • 1970-1976 Councilman in Gilly, (merged with Charleroi in 1976)
  • 1979-1983 Councilman in Charleroi
  • 1983-1988 Alderman (Youth & Public Works) in Charleroi
  • 1989-1995 First Alderman in Charleroi
  • 1995-2000 Acting mayor of Charleroi
  • 1995-2006 Mayor of Charleroi

In 1978 Van Gompel was elected as a representative for the Charleroi area in the Belgian Parliament. He resigned in 1983, in order to devote all his time to the administration of Charleroi.

Scandal

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On 24 May 2006, Van Gompel offered his resignation as mayor after the mayor's office has been accused of fraud, forgery and corruption regarding public solicitations.[1] The PS however put its trust behind Van Gompel, and he would stay on.[2]

On 20 October 2006, Van Gompel was arrested himself, and charged with fraud and forgery. He resigned from his mayor position from jail, on 23 October 2006.[3]

In October 2011 he was condemned to 18 months imprisonment (provisionally). However, in March 2013 the Court of Appeal granted him a complete acquittal.[4] However, his political career was over, after he had not been a candidate for the communal elections of October 2012.

Literature

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  • Olivier COLLOT, Jacques Van Gompel. Un homme, une vie, une ville, Bruxelles, ed. Pire, 2006.
  • Jacques Van Gompel, in: Encyclopédie du Mouvement wallon, Parlementaires et ministres de la Wallonie (1974–2009), T. IV, Namen, Institut Destrée, 2010

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Opgestapt in sfeer van schandalen". Het Financieele Dagblad. 26 May 2006.
  2. ^ "PS-top in Charleroi blijft op post". De Standaard. 30 May 2006.
  3. ^ "Discredited Charleroi mayor steps down". VRT Nieuws. 23 October 2006.
  4. ^ Van Gompel acquitted
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