Guy Verhofstadt won the 1999 Belgian elections becoming their first liberal Prime Minister in more than 60 years, forming the first Belgian government without Christian-Democrats in 40 years.

He presided over two Governments with the Belgian socialist parties, partly including the Green parties, and an interim third government in the early months of 2008, following the longest formation crisis in Belgium’s political history.

In 2007, his party lost the federal elections. However, his party joined the new government of Prime Minister Leterme, but Guy took responsibility for the defeat, and took a sabbatical year and left the Belgian political scene after 25 years of activity.

Confirming his European beliefs, he wrote “The United States of Europe” in 2005, which was translated into a dozen European languages and won 2007 European Book of The Year.