Willem Stevens

Loopbaan

Willem Stevens grew up in Willebroek. There, he went to school, played soccer, and was active in the youth centre. His father worked in a wheelbarrow factory and his mother in a paper factory. By their hard work, they were able to give their son many opportunities and to allow him to study at VUB. That’s how he ended up in Brussels and with Vooruit.

Love and Brussels

Willem has now been living in Brussels for over 20 years. It’s also where he found the love of his life. Laura was born and raised in Brussels, and, just as nine-year-old daughter Julia, she was a multilingual kid. Basically, the Brussels mosaic is his home. He lost his heart to Saint-Gilles.

Willem started in 2000 as the first Dutch-speaking councillor in Saint-Gilles. Ten years later, he became a deputy. That means he has been active in local politics for two decennia now, at this moment as deputy for Finance, City Innovation, Youth, and Digital Strategy.

A place to live

Willem’s focus is the improvement of the quality of housing and of life for all residents, and on giving space, opportunities and wings to young people so they can make their dreams come true. He loves local politics, because it implies being close to the people, working on tangible issues and achieving visible results.