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Melchior Wathelet | |
|---|---|
| Minister-President of Wallonia | |
| In office 11 December 1985 – 3 February 1988 | |
| Preceded by | Jean-Maurice Dehousse |
| Succeeded by | Guy Coëme |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1949-03-06)6 March 1949 (age 76) Petit-Rechain |
| Political party | Humanist Democratic Centre |
| Alma mater | University of Liège Harvard University |
Melchior H. M. J. F. C. Wathelet (born 6 March 1949) is aBelgian politician and member of theHumanist Democratic Centre who served as 4thMinister-President of Wallonia. He has degrees in law and in economics (University of Liège) and is aMaster of Laws (Harvard University). He is also a professor at theCatholic University of Louvain and theUniversité de Liège. From 1995 to 2003 he was a Judge at theEuropean Court of Justice.[1] Following that, Wathelet served asSecretary of State for Asylum and Migration [nl].[2] In 2012-2018, Wathelet served asAdvocate-General at the Court of Justice.[1]
As Justice Minister he had, according toDavid Canter, "encouraged the early release of many sex offenders" which includedMarc Dutroux, a convicted child molester and subsequent serial killer.[4] This particular release resulted in theEuropean Parliament calling for his resignation as an ECJ judge in 1997.[5] The European Parliament does not have the right to appoint ECJ judges, and it was the first time that it attempted to influence their selection.[6]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Minister-President of Walloonia 1985–1988 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
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