Until recently Mr Van Tigchelt served as deputy chief of staff with regard to justice and security of outgoing justice minister Vincent Van Quickenborne’s. From 2016 till 2020 he also headed the OCAD, the Belgian coordination organisation that analyses all threats including terrorism. He will now serve as justice minister, minister for the North Sea and Flemish liberal deputy premier.
Speaking on his appointment the new justice minister said last week’s attack in which two Swedish football fans were shot dead – the suspect is a Tunisian failed asylum seeker – demanded action, answers and solutions. On Saturday PM De Croo unveiled a new action plan for the police and judiciary. Mr Van Tigchelt said his job was to implement this plan and achieve results.
The new minister’s background also means he can hit the ground running. In recent years he served as Minister Van Quickenborne’s right hand man. Earlier he worked at the interior minister’s office.
Mr Van Tigchelt has worked as a magistrate at the Antwerp prosecutor’s office, where he was involved in several drug cases. He really came to prominence in 2016 when he headed the OCAD, the Belgian coordination organisation that analyses all threats including terrorism. The job he held till 2020 meant he was jointly responsible for determining the threat level in Belgium. During his tenure Belgium experienced the 2016 Brussels attacks at Brussels Airport and Maalbeek metro station. Mr Van Tigchelt was instrumental in the introduction of the OCAD list, a databank with names and information about potentially dangerous individuals and groups that are being monitored in Belgium.