Willy Claes
Willy Claes | |
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![]() Willy Claes by Filip Naudts | |
Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization | |
In office 17 October 1994 – 20 October 1995 | |
Preceded by | Sergio Balanzino (Acting) |
Succeeded by | Sergio Balanzino (Acting) |
President of the Party of European Socialists | |
In office November 1992 – October 1994 | |
Preceded by | Guy Spitaels |
Succeeded by | Rudolf Scharping |
Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
In office 7 March 1992 – 10 October 1994 | |
Prime Minister | Jean-Luc Dehaene |
Preceded by | Mark Eyskens |
Succeeded by | Frank Vandenbroucke |
Personal details | |
Born |
Hasselt, Belgium | 24 November 1938
Political party | Different Socialist Party |
Alma mater | Free University of Brussels |
Willem Werner Hubert "Willy" Claes[1] (Dutch: [ˈʋɪli klaːs]; born 24 November 1938) is a former Belgian politician who served as the eighth Secretary General of NATO, from 1994 to 1995. Claes was a member of the Flemish Socialist Party.
Claes was born in Hasselt, Belgium. He graduated in political and diplomatic sciences at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB).
Willy Claes began his political career in the Hasselt city council. In 1968, he was elected to the national parliament. In 1972, he entered the cabinet for the first time as minister of education. Between 1973 and 1992, he was minister of economic affairs of Belgium three separate times. He also served as deputy prime minister five times, and was an important negotiator in the formation of coalition governments during the 1980s.
Claes was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1992 until 1994, and Secretary General of NATO from 1994 until 1995, when he resigned after the discovery of a bribe of over 50 million Belgian francs (BEF) that was accepted during contract negotiations with Agusta helicopters during the time he was minister of economic affairs. A criminal trial was handled by the Court of Cassation, which is responsible for cases involving minister in function. Claes received a 60 000 BEF fine, a three-year probationary sentence and a five-year prohibition on running for public office. An appeal at the European Court of Human Rights resulted in the confirmation of the Belgian sentence.
Honours
- Minister of State
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold II. [2]
References
- ↑ Decan, Rik, Wie is wie in Vlaanderen 2000-2002, Brussel: BRD, 1999.
- ↑ https://www.dekamer.be/kvvcr/showpage.cfm?section=/depute&language=nl&cfm=cvview54.cfm?key=00191&lactivity=48
External links
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Political offices | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by Mark Eyskens |
Minister of Foreign Affairs 1992–1994 |
Succeeded by Frank Vandenbroucke |
Party political offices | ||
Preceded by Guy Spitaels |
President of the Party of European Socialists 1992–1994 |
Succeeded by Rudolf Scharping |
Diplomatic posts | ||
Preceded by Sergio Balanzino Acting |
Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 1994–1995 |
Succeeded by Sergio Balanzino Acting |