Editing Muriel Gerkens

Muriel Gerkens, born in Hotton (Belgium) on April 25, 1957, is a Federal MP for ECOLO. She is one of the founders of the ASAH association (Support Services Association for People with disabilities). Gerkens' entire professional career has been devoted to increase social participation of disabled people, who she wants to be as independent as possible, recognizing their legitimate rights to an open-minded life.

Gerkens' activism and investment with ECOLO dates from the 90', when she became regional secretary for ECOLO in Liège (Belgium) from 1996 to 1999, with the objective of developing the Regional seat of ECOLO. As of July 23, 1999, she was ECOLO-Congresswoman for the electoral district of Liège.  

With the 2003 elections, Muriel Gerkens became a member of parliament for the ECOLO-Green fraction. She is active in different Commissions such as Health, Environnement, Economy and Energy. After her reelection in 2007, Gerkens became the President of the Commission on Public Health, Environment and Social Renewal of the Chamber. During the 2010 Federal elections, she was once again reelected and this time obtained the position of President of the Finance and Budget Commission of the Chamber. In March 2012, after the election of Olivier Deleuze as co-Chair of ECOLO, Muriel Gerkens became Head of the ECOLO Group at the Chamber and resigns the Chairmanship of the Finance Commission.