title: Governor of West Flanders
text: # Governor of West Flanders
  
  The Governor of West Flanders is the head of government for the Belgian province of West Flanders. The province is located in the Flemish Region of Belgium.
  
  ## Governor (1815-1830)
  
  Provincial governors of West Flanders under the United Kingdom of the Netherlands (1815-1830).
  
  * 1815 - 1821: Joseph Benoît de Loën d'Enschede
  * 1821 - 1822: Hyacinthe van der Fosse
  * 1822 - 1826: Benedictus Josephus Holvoet
  * 1826 - 1830: Ferdinand de Baillet
  
  ## Governors of West Flanders (1830 – Present)
  
  A list of governors since Belgian independence in 1830.
  
  | # | Governor | Party | Office entered | Office left |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1. | Felix de Muelenaere | Catholic | 1830 | 1831 |
  | 1. | Felix de Muelenaere | Catholic | 1832 | 1834 |
  | 1. | Felix de Muelenaere | Catholic | 1836 | 1849 |
  | 2. | Adolphe de Vrière | Liberal | 1849 | 1857 |
  | 3. | Benoît Vrambout | | 1857 | 1877 |
  | 4. | Léon Ruzette | | 1877 | 1878 |
  | 5. | Theodore Heyvaert | | 1878 | 1883 |
  | 6. | Guillaume De Brouwer | | 1883 | 1884 |
  | 7. | Léon Ruzette | | 1884 | 1901 |
  | 8. | Jean-Baptiste de Bethune | | 1901 | |
  | 9. | Charles d'Ursel | | 1901 | 1903 |
  | 10. | Jean-Baptiste de Bethune | | 1903 | 1907 |
  | 11. | Albéric Ruzette | | 1907 | 1912 |
  | 12. | Léon Janssens de Bisthoven | | 1912 | 1933 |
  | 13. | Henri Baels | | 1933 | 1940 |
  | 14. | Michel Bulckaert | | 1940 | 1944 |
  | 15. | Pierre van Outryve d'Ydewalle | | 1944 | 1979 |
  | 16. | Leo Vanackere | CVP | 1979 | 1979 |
  | 17. | Olivier Vanneste | CVP | 1979 | 1997 |
  | 18. | Paul Breyne | CVP/CD&V | 1997 | 2012 |
  | 19. | Carl Decaluwé | CD&V | 2012 | present |
  