Jean-Luc Dehaene | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Dehaene in 2009 | |
| Prime Minister of Belgium | |
| In office 7 March 1992 – 12 July 1999 | |
| Monarchs | Baudouin Albert II |
| Preceded by | Wilfried Martens |
| Succeeded by | Guy Verhofstadt |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jean Luc Joseph Marie Dehaene (1940-08-07)7 August 1940 |
| Died | 15 May 2014(2014-05-15) (aged 73) Quimper, France |
| Political party | Christian Democratic and Flemish (CD&V) |
| Spouse | Celie Verbeke |
| Children | 4 |
| Signature |  |
Jean Luc Joseph Marie "Jean-Luc"Dehaene (Flemish:[ʑɑ̃ːˈlyɡdəˈɦaːnə]ⓘ; 7 August 1940 – 15 May 2014) was a Belgian politician who served as theprime minister of Belgium from 1992 until 1999. During his political career, he was nicknamed "The Plumber",[1][2] as well as "The Minesweeper",[3] for his ability to negotiate political deadlocks.
A member of theChristen-Democratisch en Vlaams (CD&V) party and its antecedents,[3] Dehaene gained his first ministerial appointment in 1981. Dehaene later went on to lead a series of centre-left cabinets from 1992 to 1999.[4] Dehaene's first government (1992–1995) included both Christian and Social Democrats and presided over the creation of a new constitution, effectively transforming Belgium into afederal state. His second government (1995–1999) coincided with a number of crises in Belgium, including theDutroux scandal. TheDioxin Affair, occurring shortly before the 1999 election, led to a swing against the major parties, and Dehaene's government fell.
Following his final term as prime minister, he was active in both Belgian and European politics. He was also onUEFA's financial fair play regulatory body and managedDexia Bank during the2008 financial crisis. He was the last prime minister ofKing Baudouin's reign.
Dehaene was born on 7 August 1940 inMontpellier, France, when his parents were fleeing the advance of the German armyinto Belgium andFrance.[3] During his studies at theUniversité de Namur and theKatholieke Universiteit Leuven, he was a member of theOlivaint Conference of Belgium.[5] He got into politics through theAlgemeen Christelijk Werknemersverbond [nl] (General Christian Workers' Union; ACW), a trade union which was closely linked to theChristelijke Volkspartij (Christian People's Party; CVP).[2]
Dehaene's long-time wife Celie Verbeke is a native ofIllinois in theUnited States but both her paternal and maternal grandparents wereBelgian immigrants. Since she was raised by her parents inDutch and speaks without a foreign accent, the Belgian public remained unaware of her American background for a long time.
Dehaene was a keen football fan and viewed it as an important part of Belgian national identity.[3] He was a supporter ofClub Brugge K.V.[2] In 1981, he became Minister of Social Affairs and Institutional Reform, a position he held until 1988, when he became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Communications and Institutional Reform.[6]
In 1992, after bothGuy Verhofstadt andMelchior Wathelet had failed, Dehaene managed to form a governing coalition of Christian Democrats and Social Democrats. This became one of Belgium's most important governments because itsuccessfully transformed Belgium into afederal state in 1993.[7][8] In March 1993, Dehaene offered the King the resignation of his government, because of diverging views on how to handle the public finances. However, within a week, the differences were put aside.
After the death ofKing Baudouin on 31 July 1993, Dehaene's government exercised the royal function until Prince Albert was sworn in asKing Albert II nine days later.[7]
In 1994, Dehaene ordered the unilateral withdrawal of Belgian troops fromRwanda following the massacre of a number of Belgian peacekeepers, thus lifting the last barrier to thegenocide of Tutsis.[9] During questions from the Belgian parliamentary commission into this decision he repeatedly acknowledged no regrets about the decision. He was the leading candidate to replace Jacques Delors as President of the European Commission, but British Prime MinisterJohn Major vetoed the appointment.[3] The Luxembourg Prime MinisterJacques Santer was appointed as a compromise candidate instead.
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Dehaene's second government was also composed of Christian Democrats and Social Democrats. Despite the fact that the government was marked by a number of political crises and scandals, most notably theDutroux affair, it managed to serve the entire legislature.[2] During this period, for his work toward a unified Europe, Dehaene received theVision for Europe Award in 1996.[10] Dehaene led Belgium into theEuro,[11] and in preparation for joining theEurozone, the Dehaene government was forced to make some sharp and unpopular economic reforms.[12] Some weeks before the1999 elections, thedioxin affair erupted, and both governing parties lost much of their support. He was replaced by anew government, led by Flemish liberal Guy Verhofstadt.[7]
Between 2000 and 2007, he sat asBurgemeester (mayor) ofVilvoorde.[12] At the request of his party, the CD&V, he was once again put up as a candidate during the 2003 elections, but this was clearly not with the intention of becoming prime minister as he was placed as the last person on the party list (Lijstduwer). In June 2004 and again in June 2009, Jean-Luc Dehaene was elected to the European Parliament for the CD&V within the center-rightEuropean People's Party (EPP) group.[12] In 2003, he was awarded theVlerick Award.[13]
Between 2006 and 2007, Dehaene served as member of theAmato Group, a group of high-level European politicians unofficially working on rewriting theTreaty establishing a Constitution for Europe into what became known as theTreaty of Lisbon following its rejection byFrench andDutch voters. After theBelgian elections of 2007, Dehaene was appointed as mediator in the process to form a new government.[3][14] He was also called in to assist in the negotiations around theBrussels-Halle-Vilvoorde partition.[2]
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Dehaene also served as the chief enforcer of the football association,UEFA's,Financial Fair Play (FFP).[15] In 2011, he was involved in an investigation ofManchester City F.C. over sponsorship irregularities.[15]
Dehaene, who had previously been director ofInBev,[12] became chairman ofDexia Bank, a Belgian-French bank, in October 2008.[3] With the bank in difficulty owing to the2008 financial crisis, he was asked to lead the company through the difficult period which he described as "mission impossible".[2] Owing to his extensive political background, it was thought that he could cope with the negative public perception Dexia had acquired through the2008 financial crisis. His political connections helped Dexia'sbad bank to secure funding guarantees of up to €90 billion, provided primarily by the Belgian government. In 2012, Dexia Belgium becameBelfius.
On 15 May 2014, Dehaene died after a fall while holidaying in Quimper in France.[16] He had been diagnosed withpancreatic cancer earlier the same year and was not seeking reelection as an MEP in the 2014 elections for health reasons.[12] He was 73 years old.
In the aftermath of his death, he received tributes from the incumbent Belgian Prime MinisterElio Di Rupo who described him as an "exceptional statesman".[17] Tributes were also made by Guy Verhofstadt, President of the European ParliamentMartin Schulz and President of the European CommissionJosé Manuel Barroso.[12]
His bodylay in state in Vilvoorde's town hall, and the retiredKing Albert II and the Flemish Minister-PresidentKris Peeters both visited Vilvoorde to pay their respects.[18]
Belgium:Minister of State, by Royal Decree.Belgium: Grand Cross of theOrder of the Crown.[6]
Germany: Grand Cross in theOrder of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.[19]
Uruguay:Medal of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay.[20]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Prime Minister of Belgium 1992–1999 | Succeeded by |
