Théo Lefèvre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Théo Lefèvre
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Théo Lefèvre in 1964
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| Prime Minister of Belgium | |
| In office 25 April 1961 – 28 July 1965 |
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| Monarch | Baudouin |
| Preceded by | Gaston Eyskens |
| Succeeded by | Pierre Harmel |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 January 1914 Ghent, Belgium |
| Died | 18 September 1973 (aged 59) Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, Belgium |
| Political party | Christian Social Party |
Théodore Joseph Albéric Marie "Théo" Lefèvre (born January 17, 1914 – died September 18, 1973) was an important Belgian lawyer and politician. He worked as a lawyer in the city of Ghent. In 1946, he became a member of the Belgian parliament for the PSC-CVP. He is most famous for serving as the Prime Minister of Belgium from April 25, 1961, to July 28, 1965. The Prime Minister is the head of the government in Belgium.
Contents
Théo Lefèvre's Political Journey
Théo Lefèvre began his political career in 1946. He was elected to the Chamber of Representatives. This is one of the main parts of the Belgian parliament. He served there until 1971. After that, he became a member of the Belgian Senate from 1971 to 1973. The Senate is the other main part of the parliament.
Leading His Political Party
In September 1950, Théo Lefèvre became the Chairman of his political party, the PSC-CVP. He led the party for many years, until 1961. In December 1958, he was given a special title: Minister of State. This is an honorary title given to important politicians in Belgium.
Becoming Prime Minister of Belgium
In 1961, the government led by Gaston Eyskens ended. This led to a new election. Théo Lefèvre then became the Prime Minister. He led a "coalition government," which means his party worked together with the Belgian socialists.
During his time as Prime Minister, the Belgian army helped in Congo. This was part of an action called "Operation Dragon Rouge." His government faced many challenges. They tried to make changes to healthcare, but it was difficult. They had to make many compromises to get the changes approved.
After the Prime Minister Role
Théo Lefèvre became less popular by 1965. His party lost the election that year. Because of this, he was not part of the next government. That government was formed by Christian-democrats and liberals.
However, Théo Lefèvre returned to government in 1968. He joined the government led by Gaston Eyskens again. He served as a minister without a specific department. His job was to focus on scientific policy from 1968 to 1972. In 1972, he became the state secretary for scientific policy. He held this role until January 1973.
His Family Life
On August 26, 1944, Théo Lefèvre married Marie-José Billiaert. She was born in 1918 and passed away in 1998. They had three children together.
Special Recognitions
Théo Lefèvre received several important honors during his life:
- He was named a Minister of State by a royal decision.
- He became a Commander in the Order of Leopold. This is a high honor in Belgium.
- He was made a Knight Grand Cross in the Order of the Crown. This is another significant Belgian honor.
- He also received the Knight Grand Cross in the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. This is a top award from Germany.
See also
In Spanish: Théo Lefèvre para niños
