Wout Wanser-Plas
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Wout Wanser-Plas | |
|---|---|
 Wanser-Plas in 2019 | |
| Premier of Kesselbourg | |
| Assumed office November 6, 2019 | |
| Monarch | Christophe |
| Preceded by | Thomas Verschuere |
| Deputy Premier of Kesselbourg | |
| In office February 1, 2019 – November 6, 2019 | |
| Premier | Thomas Verschuere |
| Preceded by | Dieter de Koninck |
| Succeeded by | Jonas Vandekerckhove |
| Minister of External Affairs | |
| In office June 18, 2011 – February 1, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Kylian Crabbe |
| Succeeded by | Robin Goeminne |
| Minister of Euclean Affairs | |
| In office August 2, 2009 – June 18, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Christophe de Wever |
| Succeeded by | Romina Speleers |
| Member of the States-General | |
| In office December 16, 1998 – July 26, 2009 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Wouter Henri Wanser-Plas March 12, 1958 Loezen, Kesselbourg |
| Nationality | Kesselbourgish |
| Political party | The Ecologists (1997–) |
| Height | 179 cm (5 ft 11 in) |
| Spouse(s) | Zoë Vandewiele (m. 1979, div. 1986) Magalie Libbrecht (m. 1988, div. 1998) Sofie Fremaut (m. 1999, div. 2005) Evi Janssens (m. 2010) |
| Children | 4 |
| Parent(s) | Henri Wanser-Plas Alice Borremans |
| Education | École polytechnique de Loezen |
| Alma mater | Rolandine University, Kesselbourg |
| Signature |  |
Wout Wanser-Plas (born Wouter Henri Wanser-Plas on March 12, 1958; aged 62) is a Kesselbourgish statesman, lawyer and politician who is currently serving as the Premier of Kesselbourg since 2019. A member of The Ecologists, Wanser-Plas has held several notable offices domestically, including Minister of Euclean Affairs (2009–2011), Minister of External Affairs (2011–2019) and Deputy Premier (2019), as well as a member of the States-General from 1998 to 2009.
Wanser-Plas began his career as a lawyer, graduating from the École polytechnique de Loezen and later the Rolandine University, both degrees in law. Aged 40, he was elected to the States-General during the 1998 general election, having been a member of The Ecologists since 1997. Over the course of the early 21st-century, he became a well-respected member of the legislature and gradually worked his way up the party ladder before being appointed Minister of Euclean Affairs in 2009. In 2011, he became the Minister of External Affairs, during which he oversaw the creation of embassies in countries such as Senria, Xiaodong, Satucin and Garambura. His eight-year tenure as external minister spanned four governments and three different coalitions, before Thomas Verschuere eventually made him his Deputy Premier in February 2019. After the Alpan-A scandal in November 2019, Verschuere resigned and Wanser-Plas succeeded him to the premiership.
As premier, Wanser-Plas has held largely green conservative, civic nationalist and pro-EC views that are consistent with his predecessors. More recently, his tenure has seen an ideological shift to the right amongst his government, with the introduction of the right-wing populist Party for the People (PvdM) as supply and confidence.
He is the first premier born outside of Kesselbourg City since Jari Tybgerhein (1966–1971).
Early life and career
Wanser-Plas was born in the town of Loezen, around 11 miles north-west of Kesselbourg City, on March 12, 1958, as the second of three children born to father Henri Wanser-Plas and mother Alice Wanser-Plas (née Borremans). His father was a banker and his mother a nurse who worked in the city. As a child, he was raised mainly by carers both at home or at separate educational facilities. He attended Loezen All-Boys' Primary School from 1962 to 1969, before moving onto the Loezen All-Boys' Elementary School from 1969 to 1973 and the École polytechnique de Loezen from 1973 to 1976, where he developed a fascination and specialisation for law. He was admitted to the Rolandine University, Kesselbourg in 1976 to do a law degree, and graduated in 1980, entering the workforce as a lawyer later that year.
After a sixteen year career as a lawyer, Wanser-Plas began campaigning politically in his hometown of Loezen (located in the Züdwestern canton) for The Ecologists, before eventually joining the party in 1997. In 1998, he ran for States-General membership for the Züdwestern canton, and was elected as one of its 13 members.
Early political career
Member of the States-General
Wanser-Plas sat at the first convocation of the 1998 States-General when it was held on December 18, 1998. That year, The Ecologists had entered as the main junior party in a VLP–DE coalition government, led by premier Robin Heymans. As a member of DE, he campaigned for greener climate controls, including the promotion of green legislation on a Euclean level as well as domestically. He became one of the states-ministers to promote the idea of complete carbon neutrality in Kesselbourg. He opposed the expansion of the Kesselbourgish highway network and supported the introduction of wind and solar farms.
In 2002, The Ecologists entered government as the senior party in a DE–VLP–Ge government. With more legislation pertaining to green politics being considered by the cabinet, Wanser-Plas became an influential member of the States-General for his views on the environment. As more debates were held, Wanser-Plas received more speaking time, eventually becoming known for his long speeches (not filibusters) and commitment to agrarian values, as well as socially conservative policies.
Minister of Euclean Affairs
Under the First Peeters government of premier Julian Peeters, Wanser-Plas received his first cabinet role as Minister of Euclean Affairs in 2009. During this time, he met many of the Euclean Community's high-ranking figures as well as the leaders of many Euclean countries.
As Minister of Euclean Affairs, Wanser-Plas made state visits to Alsland, Azmara, Borland, Caldia, Geatland Estmere, Etruria, Gaullica, Hennehouwe, Kirenia, Solstiana, Soravia, Tengaria and Werania.