Jean Van Houtte

Jean Van Houtte
Van Houtte's official portrait bust in the Belgian Federal Parliament
Prime Minister of Belgium
In office 15 January 1952 – 23 April 1954
Monarch	Baudouin
Preceded by	Joseph Pholien
Succeeded by	Achille Van Acker
Personal details
Born	(1907-03-17)17 March 1907 Ghent, Belgium
Died	23 May 1991(1991-05-23) (aged 84) Brussels, Belgium
Political party	Christian Social Party
Alma mater	University of Liège

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 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 (1950) and Joseph Pholien (1950–1952), 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.

Honours

• Belgium: Created Baron van Houtte by Royal Decree in 1970.
• Belgium: Minister of State, by Royal Decree.
• Belgium: President of the Royal Academy.
• Belgium: Commander in the Order of Leopold.
• Belgium: knight Grand Cross in the Order of the Crown.
• knight Grand Cross in the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.