Gaby Colebunders

Gaby Colebunders
Colebunders in December 2022
Member of the Flemish Parliament
Incumbent
Assumed office
2 July 2024
ConstituencyLimburg
Member of the Chamber of Representatives
In office
20 June 2019 – 27 May 2024
ConstituencyLiège
Personal details
Born (1972-12-26) 26 December 1972 (age 51)
Genk, Belgium
Political partyWorkers' Party of Belgium

Gaby Colebunders (born 26 December 1972) is a Belgian trade unionist, politician and member of the Flemish Parliament.[1] A member of the Workers' Party of Belgium, he has represented Limburg since July 2024. He had previously been a member of the Chamber of Representatives from June 2019 to May 2024.[2]

Colebunders was born on 26 December 1972 in Genk.[1] He studied social work at the Centre for Adult Education [nl] (CVO) in Brussels.[1] Colebunders, whose mentor was Jef Ulburghs, has been taking part in protests since he was twelve.[3] He became a trade union representative whilst working for a cardboard company.[3] He then worked at the Ford Genk factory for 25 years where he was a trade union representative for the General Labour Federation of Belgium (ABVV).[3][4] He was at the forefront of trade union opposition to the closure of the factory announced in 2014.[3] A hardliner, he fell out with the ABVV leadership and joined the Confederation of Christian Trade Unions (ACV).[4] He spent a night in police custody after taking part in a union demonstration at Ford Cologne in November 2012.[4][5] He has also worked for a stone carpet company.[4]

Colebunders contested the 2014 regional election as the Workers' Party of Belgium (PVDA)'s first placed candidate in Limburg but the party failed to win any seats in the constituency.[6] He was elected to the municipal council in Genk at the 2018 local election.[7] He was elected to the Chamber of Representatives at the 2019 federal election.[8][9] He was elected to the Flemish Parliament at the 2024 regional election.[10][11]

Colebunders is married and has three children and a grandchild.[12] His daughter Giada died unexpectedly in June 2022 at the age of 21.[13]

Electoral history of Gaby Colebunders
Election Constituency Party Votes Result
2014 regional[6] Limburg Workers' Party of Belgium 4,495 Not elected
2018 local[7] Genk Workers' Party of Belgium 682 Elected
2019 federal[8] Liège Workers' Party of Belgium 3,524 Elected
2024 regional[10] Limburg Workers' Party of Belgium 13,116 Elected
  1. ^ a b c "Volksvertegenwoordigers: Gaby Colebunders" (in Dutch). Brussels, Belgium: Flemish Parliament. Archived from the original on 22 July 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  2. ^ "Les Députés: Gaby Colebunders" (in French). Brussels, Belgium: Chamber of Representatives. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d "Partijleiding: Gaby Colebunders" (in Dutch). Brussels, Belgium: Workers' Party of Belgium. Archived from the original on 27 June 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d "Gewezen Ford-vakbondsman Gaby Colebunders trekt PVDA-lijst in Limburg". Het Belang van Limburg (in Dutch). Hasselt, Belgium. Belga. 6 February 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  5. ^ Lenaers, Xavier (18 October 2014). "Proces Gaby Colebunders van start". Het Laatste Nieuws (in Dutch). Antwerp, Belgium. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Resultaat Vlaams Parlement 25 mei 2014 - Kieskring Limburg". Verkiezingsuitslagen (in Dutch). Brussels, Belgium: Federal Public Service Interior. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Lokale verkiezingen 2018: Genk - Verkozen kandidaten". vlaanderenkiest (in Dutch). Brussels, Belgium: Flemish Government. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Résultat Chambre des Représentants 26 mai 2019 - Circonscription de Liège". Résultats électoraux (in French). Brussels, Belgium: Federal Public Service Interior. Archived from the original on 25 June 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  9. ^ Robaye, Benoît (19 June 2019). "Prestations de serment à la Chambre ce jeudi: ces cinq députés ont eu un coup de pot, contrairement à ces quatorze-là". L'Avenir (in French). Bouge, Belgium. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  10. ^ a b "Resultaat Vlaams Parlement 9 juni 2024 - Kieskring Limburg". Verkiezingsuitslagen (in Dutch). Brussels, Belgium: Federal Public Service Interior. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  11. ^ Peeters, Femke (10 June 2024). "Voor hen hebt u gestemd! Dit zijn de verkozen politici in de provincie Limburg". Het Laatste Nieuws (in Dutch). Antwerp, Belgium. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  12. ^ "Direction du parti: Gaby Colebunders" (in French). Brussels, Belgium: Workers' Party of Belgium. Archived from the original on 13 April 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  13. ^ Snoekx, Koen (30 June 2022). "Volksvertegenwoordiger verliest onverwacht dochter Giada (21): "Mijn prinsesje was alles voor mij"". Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch). Groot-Bijgaarden, Belgium. Archived from the original on 18 December 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2024.