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Melchior Wathelet
Minister-President of Wallonia
In office
11 December 1985 – 3 February 1988
Preceded byJean-Maurice Dehousse
Succeeded byGuy Coëme
Personal details
Born (1949-03-06) 6 March 1949 (age 74)
Petit-Rechain
Political partyHumanist Democratic Centre
Alma materUniversity of Liège
Harvard University

Melchior H. M. J. F. C. Wathelet (born 6 March 1949) is a Belgian politician and member of the Humanist Democratic Centre who served as 4th Minister-President of Wallonia. He has degrees in law and in economics (University of Liège) and is a Master of Laws (Harvard University). He is also a professor at the Catholic University of Louvain and the Université de Liège. From 1995 to 2003 he was a Judge at the European Court of Justice.[1] Following that, Wathelet served as Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration [nl].[2] In 2012-2018, Wathelet served as Advocate-General at the Court of Justice.[1]

Political career

Controversy

As Justice Minister he had, according to David Canter, "encouraged the early release of many sex offenders" which included Marc Dutroux, a convicted child molester and subsequent serial killer.[4] This particular release resulted in the European 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]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "CURIA - Melchior WATHELET". curia.europa.eu. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  2. ^ Wolff, S. (2012). The Mediterranean Dimension of the European Union's Internal Security. Springer. p. 251. ISBN 978-0-230-36942-9.
  3. ^ "Presentation of the Members". Court of Justice. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  4. ^ David Canter (2003). Mapping Murder. The Secrets of Geographical Profiling. Virgin Books. ISBN 1-85227-078-0. Page 175.
  5. ^ Eades, David (6 November 1997). "Belgian judge urged to quit over Dutroux paedophile case". BBC News. London. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  6. ^ "MEP tries to remove Belgian judge from European Court". POLITICO. 10 September 1997. Retrieved 15 January 2021.


Political offices Preceded byJean-Maurice Dehousse Minister-President of Walloonia 1985–1988 Succeeded byGuy Coëme