Mathias De Clercq was born in Ghent on the 26th of December 1981. Following his studies Latin-Modern Languages at the Royal Lyceum in Ghent, De Clercq studied Law at Ghent University. After obtaining his master’s degree, he obtained a Master after Master European and International Law at Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Until 2008, De Clercq was working as apprentice lawyer at the Bar of Ghent. He is an avid runner and father of Cezar and Giulia.

Political career

Already during his studies, De Clercq was active in the Liberal Flemish Student Association Ghent as committee member, political secretary and chairman. Since 2002, he is a core member of the liberal think tank Liberales. At the age of 25, De Clercq was elected as Member of the Ghent City Council, and has been a member ever since. At the municipal elections of 2006, he became Deputy Mayor of Economy, Youth, Work and the Self-Employed. He was also active at national level and took the oath in the Chamber of Representatives in 2007. In September 2009, De Clercq became Senior Deputy Mayor of the City of Ghent and Deputy Mayor of Economy, Youth and the Self-Employed. Following the municipal elections of 2012, he maintained Senior Deputy Mayor and was given the competences of the Port, Economy and Enterprise. From 2014 until the beginning of 2019 De Clercq was Member of the Flemish Parliament. In January 2019 De Clercq became mayor of the City of Ghent.