Melchior Wathelet

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. Following that, Wathelet served as Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration.[1] Since October 2012 Wathelet serves as advocate-general at the Court of Justice.

Melchior Wathelet
Minister-President of Wallonia
In office 11 December 1985 – 3 February 1988
Preceded by	Jean-Maurice Dehousse
Succeeded by	Guy Coëme
Personal details
Born	6 March 1949 Petit-Rechain
Political party	Humanist Democratic Centre
Alma mater	University of Liège Harvard University

Political career

• Member of the Chamber of Representatives (1977–1995)
• Secretary of State for Regional Economy of the Walloon Region (1980–1981)
• Minister of New Technologies and SMEs of the Walloon Region (1981–1985)
• Minister-President of the Walloon Region (1985–1988)
• Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice and Middle Classes (1988–1992)
• Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice and Economic Affairs (1992–1995)
• Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence (1995)
• Mayor of Verviers (1995)[2]

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.[3] This particular release resulted in the European Parliament calling for his resignation as an ECJ judge in 1997.[4] 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.[5]

Wathelet was himself implicated as being part of an organised child abuse ring by two separate witnesses in the aftermath of the Dutroux case; Regina Louf, (an alleged victim of organised child abuse and prostitution), and Pascal Willens, (a Belgian Psychologist working with two young abuse victims aged 8–10 years).[6] Louf's entire testimony was later discredited by the Belgian authorities despite various other corroborative witness statements and her knowledge of specific facts about cases which at the time were known only to the police.[7]

See also

• List of members of the European Court of Justice

References

1. Wolff, S. (2012). The Mediterranean Dimension of the European Union's Internal Security. Springer. p. 251. ISBN 978-0-230-36942-9.
2. "Presentation of the Members". Court of Justice. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
3. David Canter (2003). Mapping Murder. The Secrets of Geographical Profiling. Virgin Books. ISBN 1-85227-078-0. Page 175.
4. Eades, David (6 November 1997). "Belgian judge urged to quit over Dutroux paedophile case". BBC News. London. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
5. "MEP tries to remove Belgian judge from European Court". POLITICO. 10 September 1997. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
6. "Dutroux case and X-Dossier victim-witnesses". docplayer.net. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
7. Pook, Sally. "Cruel campaign against victim who was ignored". The Telegraph.