Dirk Lagast

Career

Dirk Lagast has been a party member since 1980. During his studies, there was no time for holidays: every spare moment was used to earn a bit of money as a jobber. In fact, despite a study grant, he had to earn more. What little free time he had left was devoted to the Young Socialists, and later to the Students of the Active Left.

First job: educator

After a period of being dependent on the CPAS, Dirk got his first job as an educator in a homeless shelter. Dirk then became a trainer at the Foyer de Molenbeek-Saint-Jean. In 1995, Michiel Vandenbussche, a member of Parliament for the SP, asked Dirk to become his parliamentary assistant. Two years later, he was involved in developing neighbourhood contracts within the Interministerial Regional Delegation for Urban Solidarity.

A Jack of all trades

Dirk has been a member of Koekelberg municipal council since 2001, serving as a deputy until 2006. After a break, he served as deputy again from 2016 to 2018. Since then, he has remained active as a municipal councillor. On 1 March 2019, he was appointed Chairman of the Board of the Koekelberg CPAS. In addition to his political activities, he works part-time as a civil servant on the Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie. On 6 December 2024, his presidency of the CPAS comes to an end and he is sworn in as a deputy of Koekelberg, responsible for mobility, intangible heritage & folklore, Dutch-speaking culture and Dutch-speaking education.