Willy Clarisse Elvire Hector, Viscount De Clercq (8 July 1927 – 28 October 2011) was a Belgian liberal politician. De Clercq was born in

Ghent Ghent ( nl, Gent ; french: Gand ; traditional English: Gaunt) is a city and a municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the East Flanders province, and the third largest in the country, exceeded in ...

, son of Frans de Clercq.Etat présent de la noblesse belge 2015, p. 62 After his law and notariat studies at the

University of Ghent Ghent University ( nl, Universiteit Gent, abbreviated as UGent) is a public research university located in Ghent, Belgium. Established before the state of Belgium itself, the university was founded by the Dutch King William I in 1817, when the ...

and a scholarship at

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...

( Syracuse, United States), De Clerq became a lawyer at the Court of appeal in Ghent and a professor at

Ghent University Ghent University ( nl, Universiteit Gent, abbreviated as UGent) is a public research university located in Ghent, Belgium. Established before the state of Belgium itself, the university was founded by the Dutch King William I in 1817, when the ...

and the

Vrije Universiteit Brussel The Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) () is a Dutch and English-speaking research university located in Brussels, Belgium.The Vrije Universiteit Brussel is one of the five universities officially recognised by the Flemish Community, Flemish gov ...

. Although he could have had a successful career in law, he got into politics. He was member of the Liberal youth and was elected municipal councillor and member of parliament. De Clercq served in various coalition governments. He was secretary of state for the budget (1960–1961), deputy prime minister and minister of the budget from 1966 to 1968, deputy prime minister and

Minister of Finance A finance minister is an executive or cabinet position in charge of one or more of government finances, economic policy and financial regulation. A finance minister's portfolio has a large variety of names around the world, such as "treasury", " ...

in 1973–1974,

in 1974–1977 and deputy prime minister in 1980. De Clercq served as president of various international monetary instances and as president of the then liberal party PVV. He served for a term as a member of the

European Commission The European Commission (EC) is the executive of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with 27 members of the Commission (informally known as "Commissioners") headed by a President. It includes an administrative body o ...

(1985–1989). Moreover, he became

Minister of State Minister of State is a title borne by politicians in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a Minister of State is a Junior Minister of government, who is assigned to assist a specific Cabinet Minister. In o ...

in 1985. From 1989 to 2004, he was a member of the

European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it adopts ...

. In 2003, he created together with other prominent European personalities the

Medbridge Strategy Center MedBridge is a European organization whose goal is to promote dialogue and mutual understanding between Europe and the Middle East. Its aim is to enable Europeans willing to be informed on the Middle East or to support Israeli-Arab peace efforts, ...

, whose goal is to promote dialogue and mutual understanding between Europe and the

Middle-East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (Europea ...

. He died on 28 October 2011.

Honours

* Created

viscount A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. In many countries a viscount, and its historical equivalents, was a non-hereditary, administrative or judicial ...

de Clercq by Royal Decree in 2006. * Minister of State by Royal Decree. * Grand Cordon in the Order of Leopold. * Knight Grand Cross in the Order of the Crown. * Knight Grand Cross in the

Order of the Oak Crown The Order of the Oak Crown (french: Ordre de la Couronne de chêne, german: Eichenlaubkronenorden, lb, Eechelaafkrounenuerden) is an order of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. History The Order of the Oak Crown was established in 1841 by Gran ...

. * Knight Grand Cross in the

Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (german: Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, or , BVO) is the only federal decoration of Germany. It is awarded for special achievements in political, economic, cultural, intellect ...

. * Knight Grand Cross in the

Order of Merit of the Italian Republic The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic ( it, Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana) is the senior Italian order of merit. It was established in 1951 by the second President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi. The highest-ranking ...

. * Knight Grand Cross in the

Order of the White Rose of Finland The Order of the White Rose of Finland ( fi, Suomen Valkoisen Ruusun ritarikunta; sv, Finlands Vita Ros’ orden) is one of three official orders in Finland, along with the Order of the Cross of Liberty, and the Order of the Lion of Finland. ...

. * Grand officer in the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon, ...

Varia

He was the father of jonkheer

Yannick De Clercq Yannick is a first name that originated in Brittany, France, where the combination of its two Breton language parts, ''Yann (disambiguation), Yann'' and ''-ick'', results in the meaning of ''Little John'' or ''Petit Jean'' in French language, Frenc ...

and grandfather of jonkheer

Mathias De Clercq Mathias Toon Cecil Willy De Clercq, Jonkheer, esq. (born 26 December 1981, Ghent) is a Belgians, Belgian politician. He is a member of the Open Flemish Liberals and Democrats, Flemish liberal party. At the moment he is the List of mayors of Ghen ...

References

Sources

* W. Prevenier, C. Ysebaert, L. Pareyn (Ed.), ''Vijftig jaar liberale praxis. Willy De Clercq vijfenzeventig jaar'', 2002. * T. Goorden, Willy De Clercq, een biografie, Lannoo, 2004,

External links

medbridge.org
, - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:De Clercq, Willy 1927 births 2011 deaths Belgian European Commissioners Belgian Ministers of State Finance ministers of Belgium Ghent University alumni MEPs for Belgium 1989–1994 MEPs for Belgium 1994–1999 MEPs for Belgium 1999–2004 Open Vlaamse Liberalen en Democraten politicians Syracuse University alumni Viscounts of Belgium Recipients of the Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold II Grand Crosses 1st class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany European Commissioners 1985–1988