Els Van Hoof
Lecturer
Els Van Hoof (b. 1969) studied Political and Social Sciences at KU Leuven (1991) and earned a Master's degree in European Public Administration from the London School of Economics and Political Science (UK) in 1992. In 1993, she obtained a diploma in European Law from the Robert Schuman University in Strasbourg (France).
Els began her political career in 1993 as an Equal Opportunities advisor in the cabinet of Minister Miet Smet. In 1995, she became an advisor for Development Cooperation in Africa and Asia in the cabinet of Minister Réginald Moreels. She also worked as a policy advisor for Welfare in the Flemish Parliament (1999–2000), project leader for Latin America at World Solidarity (2001–2004), and advisor for Equal Opportunities and Development Cooperation in the cabinet of Flemish Minister-Presidents Yves Leterme and Kris Peeters (2004–2008).
Els took on her first political mandate in 2000, when she was elected as a provincial councilor in Flemish Brabant. Since 2004, she has also served on the city council in her hometown of Leuven, where in 2008 she was appointed alderman with responsibilities for Sports, Communication, Trade, and Agriculture. In 2018, she was reappointed as alderman, responsible for Sports, Trade, and Employment.
In 2008, Els was elected Senator. Since 2014, she has been a member of the Chamber of Representatives, where she sits on the Foreign Affairs and Public Health Committees. In 2019, she was appointed Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, a position renewed following her re-election in 2024. Her parliamentary work focuses on international relations, development cooperation, mental health, addictions, and ethical issues.
Within her party, cd&v, Els is active in the women's movement “Vrouw en Maatschappij”, which she chaired from 2004 to 2017. She also serves on the board of several NGOs operating in the Global South.
