Luc Martens has a master’s degree in classical philology (1967). He worked for 10 years as a teacher and became director of the Institute for Political Development in 1979. Later he later became Deputy General Secretary of the CVP. In 1989 he was Deputy Cabinet Director at the Flemish Minister of Education. From 1991 he became a member of the Senate and member of the Flemish Parliament (until 2007). From 1995 to 1999 he was Flemish Minister of Culture, Family and Welfare and “Shadow Minister” of Education. Mid-2005 he became Mayor of Roeselare (62,000 inhabitants) and also chairman of the Association of Flemish Cities and Towns, vice-chairman of the CEMR and member of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. Meanwhile, he is still very active as a member of the board of various societies in the sphere of energy, mobility, heritage. He is the author of various books.