Fernand Dehousse
 Fernand Dehousse      (politician) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1906-07-03 Liège |
| Died | 1976-08-10 (Age 70) Liège |
| Nationality | Belgian |
| Alma mater | University of Liège |
| Children | Jean-Maurice Dehousse |
| Spouse | Rita Lejeune |
| Party | Socialist Party (Belgium) |
Fernand Dehousse was a Belgian politician was active in the construction of what later would become the European Union.[1][2].
Originally a Liberal, he went on to join the Socialist Party while he remained a Walloon activist.
Career
A dilligent student, he obtained his doctorate in law and graduated in social sciences in 1929. At first tempted by civil law, he was then influenced by his teacher Ernest Mahaim and turned towards “People's Law” or International Public Law. Eager to deepen his knowledge, Fernand Dehousse continued his training in Paris, Grenoble and Geneva (1929-1931).
He became a lawyer by profession and from 1940 was professor by special appointment at the University of Liège. During the Second World War he was part of the Resistance.
He taught at the Institute of International Law at the University of Liège from 1947.
He was Belgian representative to the United Nations General Assembly from 1946 to 1948 and then from 1951 to 1952, a member of the Economic and Social Council in 1946-1947 and 1950, co-opted (appointed) as Socialist Senator in 1950, and President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe from 1956 to 1959.
He was a member of the European Assembly (now European Parliament) from 17 July 1952 to 2 August 1965 and again from 29 March 1966 to 11 March 1971. As a member of the European Parliament's legal committee, Dehousse wrote the parliamentary report on the "Paramountcy (primauté) of European Law over the Law of the Member States" in May 1965 (doc 43/1965-66), in the wake of the 1964 Costa vs ENEL judgement of the European Court of Justice. When the Western European Union established a Commission for the Referendum in Saarland, Dehousse was appointed President (1955–1956).
Belgian politics
As a Walloon activist, he supported the federalist approach to the future of Belgium. On 20 October 1945, he supported a federalist proposal before the National Walloon Congress, which only received 40% of the votes as against 46% for unity, but which was finally adopted unanimously.
He was Minister of Labour in 1945, Minister of Education in 1965, and Minister of Community Relations from 1971 to 1972.
He was the father of the politician Jean-Maurice Dehousse, grandfather of the lawyer and political scientist Renaud Dehousse, and husband of the philologist Rita Lejeune.
Events Participated in
| Event | Start | End | Location(s) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bilderberg/1955 March | 18 March 1955 | 20 March 1955 | France Barbizon | The second Bilderberg meeting, held in France. Just 42 guests, fewer than any other. |
| Bilderberg/1956 | 11 May 1956 | 13 May 1956 | Denmark Fredensborg | The 4th Bilderberg meeting, with 147 guests, in contrast to the generally smaller meetings of the 1950s. Has two Bilderberg meetings in the years before and after |
