He was the mayor of the City of Brussels from 2001 to 2013, and previously also for a period (March till October) in 1994.
He became Officer in the Legion of Honour in 2014.
His political career started in 1983 when he worked on the cabinet of Hervé Brouhon, then the mayor of Brussels.
He became in 2014 Knight in the Order of Leopold.
Freddy Thielemans learnt to play rugby with Brussels Barbarians RFC during the late 1970s & early 1980s as a prop, took part in the Vancouver Tour in 1982 and also represented Belgium at Rugby Union.