Lucienne Herman-Michielsens

Lucienne Adeline Jeanne Ida Michielsens (Ghent, 13 March 1926 -22 January 1995) was a Belgian liberal politician for the Party for Freedom and Progress (PVV). She was married to the physician Jacques Herman.

Biography

Michielsens first became a teacher like her mother, but later obtained a doctorate in law at the University of Ghent and became a civil servant. She became President of the national federation "PVV-Vrouwen" from 1970 and until 1978 and founder and first President of the federation of Flemish PVV-Vrouwen (1978-1980). From 1977 until 1991 she was Ghent municipal council member and senator for the PVV in the Belgian Senate.

On 3 April 1990 the bill, which she submitted together with Roger Lallemand to legalize abortion under certain conditions, was approved by the Belgian parliament. This law modified Article 348.,350.,351 and 352 of the Belgian penal code (title VII, chapter I) and raised Article 353. Herman-Michielsens was for a short period State Secretary for the Flemish community in 1980.

Except for the equality of man and woman and the right for abortion for women, Lucienne Herman-Michielsens has also fought for the guarantee of philosophical pluralism by law. After proposals on pluralism failed in June 1970, which have recognized Islam but not of the free-thinking, a law was passed on 23 January 1981. When her health started to fail, due to diabetes, which caused blindness and renal failure, she decided to resign in 1991 at the peak of her political career.

References

* [http://www.liberaalarchief.be/vraagbaak_lhmichielsens.html Lucienne Michielsens] (Dutch)
* [http://www.rosadoc.be/site/nieuw/kantklaar/spotop/LHermanMich.htm Lucienne Herman-Michielsens] (Dutch)