François (Frans) Victor Marie Ghislain Schollaert (19 August 1851 – 29 June 1917) was a Belgian Catholic Party politician.

Frans Schollaert
Prime Minister of Belgium
In office
31 December 1907 – 17 June 1911
MonarchsLeopold II
Albert I
Preceded byJules de Trooz
Succeeded byCharles de Broqueville
President of the Chamber of Representatives
In office
12 November 1912 – 29 June 1917
Preceded byGérard Cooreman
Succeeded byProsper Poullet
In office
12 November 1901 – 9 January 1908
Preceded byLouis Marie Joseph de Sadeleer
Succeeded byGérard Cooreman
Personal details
Born(1851-08-19)19 August 1851
Wilsele, Belgium
Died29 June 1917(1917-06-29) (aged 65)
Sainte-Adresse, France
Political partyCatholic Party

Born in Wilsele, Schollaert trained as a lawyer and practiced in Leuven. He served as head of the Flemish farmer's union, the Boerenbond. He sat in the Belgian Chamber of People's Representatives from 1888 onwards, holding the office of President of the Chamber from 1901 to 1908, and from 1911 until his death.

On Jules de Trooz's sudden death on the last day of 1907, Schollaert replaced him as the prime minister of Belgium, also holding the Interior and Agriculture portfolios from 1908 to 1910, and the Arts and Science portfolio from 1910 to 1911. Schollaert was PM while the Belgian parliament, in heated debates, voted to annex the Congo Free State, which had been privately owned by Belgian King Leopold II. It became known as the Belgian Congo.[1][2]

Honours

edit

The Schollaert Channel, discovered in 1898 by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition under Gerlache, was named for him.

References

edit
  1. ^ Ascherson, Neal (1999). The King Incorporated : Leopold the Second and the Congo. London : Granta. ISBN 978-1-86207-290-9.: 278 
  2. ^ Kossmann, E. H. (Ernst Heinrich) (1978). The Low Countries, 1780-1940. Oxford : Clarendon Press ; New York : Oxford University Press. p. 394. ISBN 978-0-19-822108-1.
edit
Political offices
Preceded by President of the Chamber of Representatives
1901–1908
Succeeded by
Preceded by Prime Minister of Belgium
1908–1911
Succeeded by
Preceded by President of the Chamber of Representatives
1912–1917
Succeeded by