Background
He was a son of the politician Arthur Vanderpoorten, the father of Marleen Vanderpoorten and an uncle of Patrick Dewael.
He was a son of the politician Arthur Vanderpoorten, the father of Marleen Vanderpoorten and an uncle of Patrick Dewael.
He obtained a law degree at the University of Ghent and got acquainted with, among others, Frans Grootjans, Albert Maertens and Karel Poma.
After World World War II he followed his father"s footsteps, who had died in the Nazi concentration camp of Bergen-Belsen. From 1949 up to 1958 he was province council member in Antwerp. Vanderpoorten led several ministries during his political career.
Foreign the Partij voor Vrijheid en Vooruitgang (Party for Reform and Freedom)-PLP, he was minister of internal affairs in the government Paul Vanden Boeynants-Willy De Clercq (1966–1968), minister of justice in the government Edmond Leburton (1973–1974), in the government Leo Tindemans-II (1974–1977) and in the government Wilfried Martens-III (1980) and in addition vice-prime minister and minister for institutional reforms in that same government.
In 1983, he was appointed by the king as Minister of State. He was burgomaster of Lier (1982–1984).
He was president of the Liberaal Vlaams Verbond (1957–1966, 1969–1973).
In 1961, he became a member of parliament and in 1965, he changed to the senate where he remained until his death. In 1979, he took part in the first direct European elections and was member of the European parliament in Strasbourg up to 1980.