Gérard (Gerard) François Marie Cooreman (25 March 1852 – 2 December 1926) was a Belgian Catholic Party politician who served as Prime Minister of Belgium from June to November 1918. Born in

Ghent Ghent ( ; ; historically known as ''Gaunt'' in English) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the Provinces of Belgium, province ...

, Cooreman was trained in law, and practised as a lawyer, but was more active as a businessman and financier, and became involved with Catholic social groups. In 1892 Cooreman was elected to the Belgian Senate, and from 1898 to 1914 he represented Ghent in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives, holding the position of leader of the Chamber from 1908 to 1912. He held office as Labour and Industry minister for a short time in 1899, and on the fall of Frans Schollaert's government in 1911 he was asked to become the prime minister of Belgium and form the new government, but declined. He was appointed an honorary

Minister of State Minister of state is a designation for a government minister, with varying meanings in different jurisdictions. In a number of European countries, the title is given as an honorific conferring a higher rank, often bestowed upon senior minister ...

in 1912 and left politics in 1914 to become a director of the Société Générale de Belgique. During the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, Cooreman followed the Belgian government into exile at

Le Havre Le Havre is a major port city in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy (administrative region), Normandy region of northern France. It is situated on the right bank of the estuary of the Seine, river Seine on the English Channel, Channe ...

. On the fall of Charles de Broqueville, King

Albert I of Belgium Albert I (8 April 1875 – 17 February 1934) was King of the Belgians from 23 December 1909 until his death in 1934. He is popularly referred to as the Knight King (, ) or Soldier King (, ) in Belgium in reference to his role during World War I ...

appointed Cooreman to lead a new government on 1 June 1918. With the end of the war in November 1918, Cooreman resigned as the prime minister.

Honours

* :

, by Royal Decree. * : Grand Cordon in the Order of Leopold, By royal Decree of 1918. * : Knight grand Cross in the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

* : Knight grand Cross in the Order of the Polar Star * : Knight grand Cross in the

Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order () is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the monarch, members of the royal family, or to any viceroy or senior representative of the m ...

* : Knight grand Cross in the Imperial Order of the Rising Sun * Knight Commander in the Order of Pius IX

References

External links

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Gerard Cooreman
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ODIS - Online Database for Intermediary Structures

Archives of Gerard Cooreman
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ODIS - Online Database for Intermediary Structures
, - 1852 births 1926 deaths Ministers of state of Belgium Industry ministers of Belgium Ministers of labour of Belgium Catholic Party (Belgium) politicians Grand Cordons of the Order of the Rising Sun Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order Politicians from Ghent Presidents of the Chamber of Representatives (Belgium) Prime ministers of Belgium {{Flanders-politician-stub