René Roelens (24 March 1931 – 25 December 2024) was a Belgian politician. He ran eight times for the municipality, seven times for the province and once for the senate.^[1] He served as mayor of Houthulst from 1979 to 1989. He was a member of the Party for Freedom and Progress (PVV) and Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats (Open VLD).

Roelens was interested in politics already at primary school. He ran for office for the first time in 1970 and for the second time in 1976 for the Party for Freedom and Progress (PVV). He became mayor of Houthulst in 1979. He was mayor until 1989. He was afterwards schepen [nl] (alderman in Belgium) until 1995 and was a member of the municipal council until 2001. Roelens was also for many years member of the Provincial Council. He ran for office for the last time in 2018 for Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats (Open VLD), but he was not elected.^[2] He is described as a man of the people, who was approachable and always willing to help. He is also described as “a leader who connected people and gave them hope”.^[3][2]

For his services to the municipality he was awarded the titles of honorary mayor, honorary provincial councilor, honorary schepen and honorary municipal councilor.^[2]

Roelens was born in Woumen on 24 March 1931. He was married to Monique Bogaert. He had five children. Two of his sons died at a young age. He had seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. His granddaughter Marissa also became a politician and became in 2024 the youngest municipal councilor.^[4] He had a vegetable garden which was his great hobby.^[3] After his wife died on 11 January 2024, Roelens died in Houthulst on 25 December 2024 at the age of 93 years old.^[2][5] His funeral service took take place at the Sint Jozefkerk in Jonkershove on 2 January 2025. Mayor Jeroen Vandromme was one of the speakers.^[3]