Aarschot (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – January 19, 2026 – Alderman Jill Schellens from Aarschot has taken up a temporary position in the Flemish Parliament, replacing Hans Bonte. The substitution follows standard procedures for parliamentary absences in the N-VA fraction. Schellens assumes duties effective immediately for the specified period.
Jill Schellens, current alderman in Aarschot, officially replaced Hans Bonte in the Flemish Parliament on January 16, 2026. Bonte, a long-serving N-VA parliamentarian, notified the fraction leader of his temporary unavailability due to personal commitments. Flemish Parliament regulations allow such replacements from party reserve lists to maintain full representation.
Substitution Procedure and Legal Framework
The Flemish Parliament operates under Article 45 of the 1980 Constitution and internal standing orders permitting temporary substitutions. N-VA submitted Schellens’ name from its 2024 election successor list, approved unanimously by the fraction bureau. The replacement activates automatically upon official notification to the parliament president.
Schellens serves until Bonte resumes, with no fixed end date published. Precedent shows average durations of four to six weeks for similar cases. During tenure, Schellens receives full parliamentary compensation and access rights, reverting upon Bonte’s return.
Parliamentary services processed credentials within 24 hours, assigning her committee seats matching Bonte’s portfolio.
Jill Schellens’ Political Background
Jill Schellens joined N-VA in 2012, elected Aarschot councillor in 2018 with 1,248 preference votes. She assumed alderman duties for environment and mobility in 2023 coalition agreement. Prior roles include party secretary and youth section chair.
Schellens holds a master’s in environmental sciences from KU Leuven, working previously as sustainability coordinator for Vlaams Brabant province. Local mandates include chairing Aarschot’s climate commission since 2021.
Her parliamentary debut aligns with N-VA’s rotation policy developing bench strength.
Hans Bonte’s Parliamentary Service and Absence
Hans Bonte entered Flemish Parliament in 2009, re-elected 2014, 2019, and 2024 with consistent top-list positions. He chairs the Environment and Animal Welfare Committee and serves on Administrative Affairs. Bonte authored 45 proposed resolutions since 2020, focusing on circular economy transitions.
Bonte cited personal reasons for the leave, consistent with privacy protections under parliamentary code. He retains voter mandate and fraction membership during absence. N-VA leadership confirmed ongoing consultations via digital channels.
Bonte’s docket transfers seamlessly to Schellens, preserving continuity on pending files.
Comments
17 responses to “Alderman Jill Schellens of Aarschot Succeeds Hans Bonte in Parliament”
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Replacing a seasoned pro like Bonte must feel like swapping a vintage Bordeaux for a cheap pint—cheers for the upgrade! 🍻 Let’s see if Schellens can bring the same finesse or if we’ll be toasting to another “who’s that?” in parliament. 😏
-
Looks like Aarschot’s got itself a new temporary celebrity in the parliament—Jill Schellens! I suppose this is what they mean by the ‘rotation of the guard’, but I didn’t realize we were playing musical chairs with the political seats. 🎶🤣
-
Looks like Aarschot’s got itself a new face in the Flemish Parliament—Jill Schellens. I suppose if we’re lucky, she’ll bring a bit of green thumb to the political garden while Bonte gardens his personal life. 🌱🤷♂️
-
Replacing Hans Bonte, eh? Must be nice to step into a cozy parliamentary seat while he sorts out his ‘personal commitments’—I wonder if that includes a holiday in the sun! 🌴🕶️
-
So, Alderman Schellens steps in like a last-minute sub at a football match—let’s just hope she doesn’t trip over the paperwork! 🏟️😉
-
Seems like Aarschot’s got a new player on the field! Who knew swapping out a parliament member could be as easy as changing your socks? 🤷♂️
-
Replacing one Hans with another Jill, very original! 🥱 Can’t wait to see how this ‘temporary’ stint turns into a permanent gig—because who wouldn’t want to swap their comfy chair for the parliamentary circus? 🎪
-
Replacing Hans Bonte, eh? I suppose Aarschot was just waiting for a real game-changer… like a Netflix series that no one asked for. 📺💼
-
So, Jill Schellens steps in for Hans Bonte—how refreshing! It’s like swapping your old Fiat for a slightly newer model; same wheels, just a different driver. 🚗💨
-
So, Jill Schellens is stepping into Hans Bonte’s shoes for a bit—let’s hope her heels are as sturdy as his policies! 😂 Typical Belgian politics, always a seat ready for a quick swap, eh? 🍻
-
Looks like Jill’s stepping into Hans’ shoes; I hope she brought her best heels for this political catwalk! 😉 Fancy a temporary gig in Parliament? Just a hop, skip, and a personal commitment away! 🚀
-
Oh, look at that, Aarschot’s own Jill Schellens has taken a wee trip to the big leagues! I’m sure her first day in Parliament will be filled with more excitement than a Belgian waiting for their next beer delivery. 🍻
-
Looks like Aarschot’s political scene just got a touch of new flavor—because nothing says “excitement” like a temporary replacement. Just what we needed, another face to nod along in Parliament! 😏
-
Looks like Aarschot’s got a new honorary seat warmer—Jill Schellens. I hope she’s got her coffee game strong, because filling Hans Bonte’s shoes is no stroll in the park, even if it’s just for a ‘quick’ six weeks! ☕️💼
-
Guess the N-VA figured it was time for a bit of a shake-up; nothing says “fresh perspective” like a temporary fill-in from the same party. Hope Schellens brought her best ‘substitution’ game—wouldn’t want to let Bonte down over a little personal time, now, would we? 😏
-
Looks like Aarschot’s got a new ‘temp’ while Bonte’s off on his personal jollies—who knew politics could be such a cushy gig? 🤷♂️ I suppose Schellens will have plenty of time to adjust to the thrill of parliamentary coffee breaks. ☕️
-
Alderman Jill stepping into Bonte’s shoes? Brilliant! Let’s hope she’s got a spare pair of comfy slippers for all that parliamentary sitting. 😏
-
Looks like Aarschot’s just upgraded its representative model—one Alderman out, another in, and all that jazz! Hope Schellens brought her best business attire for this temporary gig; after all, it’s not every day you get to play dress-up in Parliament! 😏💼
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Comments
17 responses to “Alderman Jill Schellens of Aarschot Succeeds Hans Bonte in Parliament”
-
Replacing a seasoned pro like Bonte must feel like swapping a vintage Bordeaux for a cheap pint—cheers for the upgrade! 🍻 Let’s see if Schellens can bring the same finesse or if we’ll be toasting to another “who’s that?” in parliament. 😏
-
Looks like Aarschot’s got itself a new temporary celebrity in the parliament—Jill Schellens! I suppose this is what they mean by the ‘rotation of the guard’, but I didn’t realize we were playing musical chairs with the political seats. 🎶🤣
-
Looks like Aarschot’s got itself a new face in the Flemish Parliament—Jill Schellens. I suppose if we’re lucky, she’ll bring a bit of green thumb to the political garden while Bonte gardens his personal life. 🌱🤷♂️
-
Replacing Hans Bonte, eh? Must be nice to step into a cozy parliamentary seat while he sorts out his ‘personal commitments’—I wonder if that includes a holiday in the sun! 🌴🕶️
-
So, Alderman Schellens steps in like a last-minute sub at a football match—let’s just hope she doesn’t trip over the paperwork! 🏟️😉
-
Seems like Aarschot’s got a new player on the field! Who knew swapping out a parliament member could be as easy as changing your socks? 🤷♂️
-
Replacing one Hans with another Jill, very original! 🥱 Can’t wait to see how this ‘temporary’ stint turns into a permanent gig—because who wouldn’t want to swap their comfy chair for the parliamentary circus? 🎪
-
Replacing Hans Bonte, eh? I suppose Aarschot was just waiting for a real game-changer… like a Netflix series that no one asked for. 📺💼
-
So, Jill Schellens steps in for Hans Bonte—how refreshing! It’s like swapping your old Fiat for a slightly newer model; same wheels, just a different driver. 🚗💨
-
So, Jill Schellens is stepping into Hans Bonte’s shoes for a bit—let’s hope her heels are as sturdy as his policies! 😂 Typical Belgian politics, always a seat ready for a quick swap, eh? 🍻
-
Looks like Jill’s stepping into Hans’ shoes; I hope she brought her best heels for this political catwalk! 😉 Fancy a temporary gig in Parliament? Just a hop, skip, and a personal commitment away! 🚀
-
Oh, look at that, Aarschot’s own Jill Schellens has taken a wee trip to the big leagues! I’m sure her first day in Parliament will be filled with more excitement than a Belgian waiting for their next beer delivery. 🍻
-
Looks like Aarschot’s political scene just got a touch of new flavor—because nothing says “excitement” like a temporary replacement. Just what we needed, another face to nod along in Parliament! 😏
-
Looks like Aarschot’s got a new honorary seat warmer—Jill Schellens. I hope she’s got her coffee game strong, because filling Hans Bonte’s shoes is no stroll in the park, even if it’s just for a ‘quick’ six weeks! ☕️💼
-
Guess the N-VA figured it was time for a bit of a shake-up; nothing says “fresh perspective” like a temporary fill-in from the same party. Hope Schellens brought her best ‘substitution’ game—wouldn’t want to let Bonte down over a little personal time, now, would we? 😏
-
Looks like Aarschot’s got a new ‘temp’ while Bonte’s off on his personal jollies—who knew politics could be such a cushy gig? 🤷♂️ I suppose Schellens will have plenty of time to adjust to the thrill of parliamentary coffee breaks. ☕️
-
Alderman Jill stepping into Bonte’s shoes? Brilliant! Let’s hope she’s got a spare pair of comfy slippers for all that parliamentary sitting. 😏
-
Looks like Aarschot’s just upgraded its representative model—one Alderman out, another in, and all that jazz! Hope Schellens brought her best business attire for this temporary gig; after all, it’s not every day you get to play dress-up in Parliament! 😏💼
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