Jacques Van Gompel


Jacques Van Gompel is a Belgian politician for the Socialist Party.

Political career

In 1978 Van Gompel was elected as a representative for the Charleroi area in the Belgian Parliament. He resigned in 1983, in order to devote all his time to the administration of Charleroi.

Scandal

On 24 May 2006, Van Gompel offered his resignation as mayor after the mayor's office has been accused of fraud, forgery and corruption regarding public solicitations. The PS however put its trust behind Van Gompel, and he would stay on.
On 20 October 2006, Van Gompel was arrested himself, and charged with fraud and forgery. He resigned from his mayor position from jail, on 23 October 2006.
In October 2011 he was condemned to 18 months imprisonment. However, in March 2013 the Court of Appeal granted him a complete acquittal. However, his political career was over, after he had not been a candidate for the communal elections of October 2012.

Literature