- Jean Van Houtte
Jean Marie Joseph, Baron Van Houtte ( 17 March 1907–23 May 1991) was a Belgian politician.
Born in
Ghent , van Houtte held a doctorate in law and lectured atGhent University and theUniversity of Liège . He served as chairman of the Belgian Institute of Public Finance and represented the PSC-CVP in theBelgian Senate from 1949 to 1968.Having served as Finance minister in the governments of
Jean Duvieusart (1950) andJoseph Pholien (1950–1952), van Houtte replaced Pholien asPrime Minister of Belgium in January 1952. His period in office was marked by disputes overconscription , and in particular the length of service of conscripts, and over the treatment of collaborators, where van Houtte controversially favoured a mild approach. Aneconomic recession added to his troubles.Van Houtte again served as Finance minister from 1958 to 1961 under
Gaston Eyskens . He was governor of theWorld Bank , named an honoraryMinister of State in 1966, and made aBaron in 1970.
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