Victor de Tornaco

Who was Victor de Tornaco?

Baron Victor de Tornaco was a Luxembourgian politician. An Orangist, he was the fourth Prime Minister of Luxembourg, serving for seven years, from 26 September 1860 until 3 December 1867.

His parents were Charles Auguste de Tornaco and Elisabeth de Berlo-Suys.

He studied in Paris at the Ecole polytechnique. In the years after the Belgian Revolution of 1830 he supported William I, King of the Netherlands and Grand-Duke of Luxembourg. From 1841 to 1848 he was a member of the Assembly of Estates.

He was elected to represent the canton of Esch-sur-Alzette on the Constituent Assembly, in 1848. From 1848 to 1856 he was a member of the Chamber of Deputies, and from 1857 to 1860 of the re-established Assembly of Estates.

After the resignation of Charles-Mathias Simons, on 26 September 1860 he was appointed prime minister and Director-General for Foreign Affairs and until 1864 also for public transport. On 11 May 1867 he and Emmanuel Servais signed the Second Treaty of London, which had far-reaching consequences for Luxembourg.

On 3 December 1867 the De Tornaco gouvernment lost a parliament vote. They had been accused by the opposition of taking a too passive role at the negotiations in London. He was succeeded by Emmanuel Servais. De Tornaco was from 3 December 1867 to 20 June 1872 a member of the council of state.