Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe

Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe (often called Van Cau in the press) is a Belgian politician , member of the Socialist party, born with Charleroi on April 28th, 1944.

Biography

Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe is the son of André Van Cauwenberghe, journalist and politician, member of the PS which was, inter alia, Secretary of State of the government Harmel (1965 to 1966), alderman of Charleroi and member of the French-speaking cultural Council of 1971 to 1974. His/her mother was nurse. Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberge is doctor in right to ULB.

Its political commitment goes back to its student's period at the Jeunes Socialists of which it became national president in 1965. As of its studies, it is engaged with the cabinet of Lucien Harmegnies, then Minister of Interior Department. Lucien Harmegnies was active in the Walloon Popular movement, like Van Cauwenberghe.

In 1977, Van Cauwenberghe is elected as a member of Parliament. Post that it leaves in 1982 when it becomes burgomaster of Charleroi. Function which it occupies during seventeen years. After the elections of 1995, he will become Walloon regional Minister for the Budget and public Minister for Labor after the elections of 1999.

In April 2000, it succeeds Elio Di Rupo as a minister-president of the Walloon region. It starts a second mandate at this station after the elections of June 13rd, 2004.

September 30th, 2005, Van Cauwenberghe will resign of its post of minister-president continuation of the attacks of which it was the object in the press at the time of the investigation concerning of the frauds to the Carolorégienne, company of social housing in Charleroi. Let us note that it was to date by no means worried by justice in this file. At the time of this business, he also begged the three aldermen PS concerned in the business to present their resignation, at the time of an emotional intervention at the town council of Charleroi. Elio Di Rupo succeeds to him.

In April 2006, it deposits with the Walloon Parlement a proposal for a special decree instituting a Walloon Constitution, with five other Walloon deputies PS, of which Jose Happart, president of the assembly. This project is however accommodated without enthusiasm by the Walloon Parliament, including by the other deputies of the PS.

In June 2006, he is highly criticized for his authoritative influence near the Communal Socialist Union of Charleroi and his insults with the address of journalists who inquired within the framework of what was called “the businesses” (fraud in Carolorégienne, helps with the professional sporting clubs, management of the ICDI - Inter-commune of collection and destruction of the rubbish).

In 2007, Jean-Claude Van Cauwenberghe is isolated national office of the Socialist party where it sat since the years 1970;

Political career

Local mandates

1983-2000 : Burgomaster of the Town of Charleroi
2000-2006: To advise communal Town of Charleroi

Other mandates and loads

1977-1983 : Deputy (Walloon region and the French Community)
1995-1999: Minister for the Budget, Finances, the Use and the Formation of the Walloon region and Ministre for the Budget, Finances and the Public office of the the French Community
1999-2000: Minister for the Budget, the Equipment and Public works of the Walloon region
2000- 9/30/2005: Minister-president of the Walloon Government
2005 -: Deputy (Walloon region and the French Community)

Random links: