caption birth_name birth_place image_size nationality birth_date alt image article_title name occupation
jaak gabriels petrus josephus jacobus gabriëls bree , belgium 150px belgium 22 september 1943 jaak gabriels jaak gabriels.jpg jaak gabriëls
 jaak gabriëls politician
jaak gabriëls

petrus josephus jacobus `` jaak '' gabriëls -lrb- born 22 september 1943 -rrb- is a belgian politician and member of the flemish liberals and democrats -lrb- vld -rrb- -lrb- or -rrb- .
he graduated in 1965 at the catholic university of leuven as master of philosophy and arts .
he started his political career as a provincial councillor for limburg from 1974 to 1977 .
in 1977 he became the mayor of bree , which he still is today , and member of the chamber of representatives .
from 1995 to 1999 he was a member of the flemish parliament .
he was the leader of the people 's union -lrb- or -rrb- from 1986 to 1992 and was a founding member of the vld .
he also was federal minister of agriculture and middle class -lrb- from 1999 to 2001 -rrb- and flemish minister of economy , foreign trade and housing -lrb- from 2001 to 2003 -rrb- .
he again became a member of the flemish parliament in 2003 and he became a minister of state in 2004 .
