Elio Di Rupo
| Elio Di Rupo | |
|---|---|
 |
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| 50th Prime Minister of Belgium | |
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In office 6 December 2011 – 11 October 2014 |
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| Monarch |
Albert II Philippe |
| Preceded by | Yves Leterme |
| Succeeded by | Charles Michel |
| Minister-President of Wallonia | |
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In office 6 October 2005 – 20 July 2007 |
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| Preceded by | André Antoine |
| Succeeded by | Rudy Demotte |
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In office 15 July 1999 – 4 April 2000 |
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| Preceded by | Robert Collignon |
| Succeeded by | Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe |
| Leader of the Socialist Party | |
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In office 16 September 1999 – 6 December 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Philippe Busquin |
| Succeeded by | Thierry Giet |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
18 July 1951 Morlanwelz, Belgium |
| Political party | Socialist Party |
| Alma mater |
University of Mons-Hainaut University of Leeds |
| Signature |  |
Elio Di Rupo (French: [eljo di ʁupo]; born 18 July 1951) is a Belgian social-democratic politician. He served as the Prime Minister of Belgium from 6 December 2011 to 11 October 2014 and headed the Di Rupo Government. Di Rupo was the first francophone to hold the office since Paul Vanden Boeynants in 1979, as well as the country's first socialist Prime Minister since Edmond Leburton left office in 1974. He was also Belgium's first Prime Minister of non-Belgian descent as well as the world's second openly gay head of government in modern times.
Di Rupo is the son of two Italian immigrants. His father was born in San Valentino in Abruzzo Citeriore. Elio, who was born in the small town of Morlanwelz, in Wallonia, was the only one of the children to be born in Belgium; his brothers and sisters were all born in Italy. When he was one year old, his father died in a car crash and his mother was unable to raise all seven children. Due to the poor financial state of his family, three of his brothers were raised in a nearby orphanage.
When he was 12, he attended boarding school. Due to medical issues, Di Rupo had to re-do his first year of high school twice, but eventually excelled in science at the end of his high school years. This led him to pursue a degree in chemistry at the University of Mons, where he eventually obtained a PhD in Chemistry, after being a part-time lecturer at Leeds University as well.
Di Rupo came in contact with the socialist movement for the first time during his studies in Mons, where he first obtained a master's degree and afterwards a PhD in chemistry. He went during the preparation of his doctorate to the University of Leeds (United Kingdom), where his function was that of lecture member of staff in 1977–1978.
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