Answer the following question: Facts:   - website: -lsb- http://www.mietsmet.be www.mietsmet.be -rsb-    - residence: lokeren    - party: christen-democratisch en vlaams    - committees: president and chair of awepa    - spouse: wilfried martens    - office: senator european parliament member of the flemish parliament member of the      - term end: june 2010 2004    - term start: yes 2007 7 12 2004 1999    - birth date: 5 april 1943    - name: miet smet    - nationality: belgian    - image: miet smet 2009.jpg    - birth place: sint-niklaas   Based on these bullet points, write a short biography describing the life of miet smet .
Answer:
miet smet -lrb- born 5 april 1943 -rrb- is a belgian politician for the christian democratic and flemish party -lrb- cd&v -rrb- .miet smet was the founder -lrb- 1973 -rrb- and first president -lrb- until 1982 -rrb- of the christian people 's party political women 's organisation , vrouw en maatschappij -lrb- woman and society -rrb- .she was elected to the belgian chamber of people 's representatives in 1978 .in 1985 she became state secretary of environmental affairs , and negotiated an equal opportunities portfolio .while smet 's competencies cover all aspects of social emancipation , she focused on violence against women , women 's economic position and their participation in decision-making .when miet smet became minister of labour and employment in 1991 , she kept the equal opportunities portfolio .when she was offered first place in the cd&v list for the european elections in 1999 instead of wilfried martens , martens , at the instigation of then-wife ilse schouteden , refused to run at all .miet smet was a member of the european parliament from 1999 to 2004 .she became a minister of state in 2002 , and has been a member of the flemish parliament since 2004 , and a belgian senator since 2007 .on 27 september 2008 , she married fellow cd&v politician and former belgian prime minister wilfried martens .after the death of martens ' first wife , lieve verschroeven , the marriage was confirmed in the catholic church on 27 april 2013 .in 2009 , smet was elected president of the association of european parliamentarians with africa -lrb- awepa -rrb- ., taking over from former president dr. jan nico scholten .