Maria Bertha Charlotte (Mieke) Vogels (Antwerp, 20 April 1954) is a Flemish

Flemish

Flemish can refer to anything related to Flanders, and may refer directly to the following articles:*Flemish, an informal, though linguistically incorrect, name of any kind of the Dutch language as spoken in Belgium....

 politician

Politician

A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

 in the environmentalist party Groen!.

Biography

In 1978, Vogels got a Master's degree in Political and Social Sciences at the University Institution Antwerp

University of Antwerp

The University of Antwerp is one of the major Belgian universities located in the city of Antwerp. The name is sometimes abbreviated as UA.-History:...

 (present University of Antwerp).

Political career

• 1985 - 1995 : Member of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives
• 1995 - 1999 : Member of the city council of Antwerp
• 1995 - 1999 : schepen
  Schepen
  A schepen is a Dutch word referring to a municipal civic office in Dutch-speaking countries. The term is still in use in Belgium, but it has been replaced by wethouder in the Netherlands. The closest English terms are alderman, member of the municipal executive, councillor and magistrate,...
  
   (alderman
  Alderman
  An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
  
  ) of Antwerp
• 1999 : Senator of the Belgian Federal Parliament
• 1999 - 2002 : Flemish minister of well-being, health and equal opportunities
• 2002 - 2003 : Flemish minister of well-being, health, equal opportunities and development cooperation
• 2004 - 2006 : OCMW-council member (social services) in Antwerp
• 2004 - :Member of the Flemish Parliament
  Flemish Parliament
  The Flemish Parliament constitutes the legislative power in Flanders, for matters which fall within the competence of Flanders, both as a geographic region and a cultural community of Belgium The Flemish Parliament (Dutch: , and formerly called Flemish Council or Vlaamse Raad) constitutes the...
  
  
• 2007 - : Member of the district council in Deurne
• 2007 - October 2009 : Chairwoman of the party Groen!

She quit as minister after her party Agalev was heavily defeated in the federal parliament elections of May 2003. She was succeeded by her fellow party member Adelheid Byttebier.

In October 2006 she was elected for the city council of Antwerp, as well as for the district council of Deurne. From 2007 on, she could only accept one of the those mandates, and therefore she chose to continue in the district council.

In November 2007, she was elected as chairwoman of the party Groen!, where she succeeded Vera Dua

Vera Dua

Vera Agnes Roger Dua was the Party Chair of the Flemish green party Groen! between 2003 and 2007. She graduated in 1975 as agricultural engineer and attained a PhD in agricultural science 11 years later....

.

After the elections for the Flemish Parliament

Flemish Parliament

The Flemish Parliament constitutes the legislative power in Flanders, for matters which fall within the competence of Flanders, both as a geographic region and a cultural community of Belgium The Flemish Parliament (Dutch: , and formerly called Flemish Council or Vlaamse Raad) constitutes the...

 in June 2009, her party had to deal with another disappointing outcome. Mieke Vogels decided to give up her position as chairwoman so that a younger generation could take over the lead. She was succeeded by Wouter Van Besien

Wouter Van Besien

Wouter Van Besien is a Belgian politician. As from the 25. October 2009, he is the chairman of the ecologist party Groen!....

in October 2009. Vogels continues her work as member of the Flemish Parliament.