Jean Van Houtte

Who was Jean Van Houtte?

Jean Marie Joseph, Baron Van Houtte was a Belgian politician.

Born in Ghent, van Houtte held a doctorate in law and lectured at Ghent University and the University of Liège. He served as chairman of the Belgian Institute of Public Finance and represented the PSC-CVP in the Belgian Senate from 1949 to 1968.

Having served as Finance minister in the governments of Jean Duvieusart and Joseph Pholien, van Houtte replaced Pholien to become the 38th Prime Minister of Belgium in January 1952. His period in office was marked by disputes over conscription, and in particular the length of service of conscripts, and over the treatment of collaborators, where van Houtte controversially favoured a mild approach. An economic recession added to his troubles.

Van Houtte again served as Finance minister from 1958 to 1961 under Gaston Eyskens. He was governor of the World Bank, named an honorary Minister of State in 1966, and made a Baron in 1970.