| Jaak Gabriëls | |
| Birth Name: | Petrus Josephus Jacobus Gabriëls |
| Birth Date: | 22 September 1943 |
| Birth Place: | Bree, German-occupied Belgium |
| Death Place: | Bree |
| Nationality: | Belgian |
| Occupation: | politician |
Petrus Josephus Jacobus Gabriëls (22 September 1943 – 8 April 2024) was a Belgian politician and member of the Flemish Liberals and Democrats (VLD) (Dutch; Flemish: Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten or VLD). 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. From 1977 till the last day of December 2012 he was the Mayor of Bree,[1] and from 1977 he was Member of the Chamber of Representatives. From 1995 to 1999 he was a Member of the Flemish Parliament.
Gabriëls was the leader of the People's Union (Dutch; Flemish: Volksunie or VU) from 1986 to 1992 and was a founding member of the VLD. He also was Federal Minister of Agriculture[2] and middle class (from 1999 to 2001) and Flemish Minister of Economy, Foreign Trade and Housing (from 2001 to 2003). He again became a Member of the Flemish Parliament in 2003 and he became a Minister of State in 2004.[3]
Gabriëls died in Bree on 8 April 2024, at the age of 80.[4]