Born in
Tielt, Van de Vyvere studied law and philosophy and worked as a lawyer in
Ghent, where he served as a local councillor between 1909 and 1911. In 1911 he was elected to the
Belgian Chamber of Representatives for
Roeselare and
Tielt with the strong support of the
Boerenbond (farmers' union). On 25 February 1920, he cofounded the oil company
Compagnie Financière Belge des Pétroles (
Petrofina), together with Fernand and
Hector Carlier. He held ministerial office regularly in the period from 1911 to 1926, beginning as Agriculture and Public works minister (1911–1912), then moving to Railways and Posts (1912–1914),
Finance (1914–1918), Economic affairs (1920–1924), and returning to Agriculture (1925–1926). He was named an honorary
minister of State in 1918. Becoming the
prime minister of Belgium in 1925, he presided over a party and cabinet in crisis, and his government fell after only a month. He left politics in 1926, working in business. He died in
Paris in 1961. == Honours ==