Antoine Duquesne

Antoine Duquesne ( born February 3, 1941 in Ixelles / Elsene; † 4 November 2010) was a Belgian politician of the Mouvement Réformateur ( MR).

Life

From 1960 to 1965 Duquesne studied law at the University of Liège and graduated with honors. He then worked until 1975 as an attorney in the Liège Bar Association from 1975 to 1977 as Deputy General Secretary of the National Committee for education and training in craft and trade occupations. From 1977 to 1982 he served as Executive Director of the National Committee for coordination and harmonization of education and training of the middle class and the Francophone Institute for training and further education of the middle class and then held until 1988 the post of Director of the Caisse Nationale de Crédit Professionnel. Since 1988 he works as a lawyer in Marche- en- Famennian.

Duquesne was 1990-1992 chairman of the party " Parti du rassemblement of libéraux " (PRL ) and 1994-2004 Association Chairman of the party " Mouvement Réformateur " in the province of Luxembourg. From 2003 to 2004, he had also chaired the Mouvement Réformateur.

From 1989 to 2003 Duquesne was a member of the municipal council of Houffalize and 1995-1999 mayor of the municipality. In the Walloon Regional Council and in the French Community Council, he was active from 1991 to 1995.

Duquesne was repeatedly Senator in the Belgian Senate ( 1988-1991 and 2003-2004 ). From 1987 to 1988 he was Minister of Education and Minister of the Interior from 1999 to 2003 in Belgium. As of July 20, 2004 Duquesne was a member of the European Parliament.

For his merits Duquesne has won several awards. So he is an officer, Commander and Grand Officer of the Order of Leopold and Grand Officer of the Order of Orange -Nassau. In 1998 he was appointed Minister of State.

On the night of March 2, 2006 Duquesne suffered a stroke which partially paralyzed him and robbed him of his ability to speak. While this meant his withdrawal from political office, Duquesne was still officially a member until 2009 of the European Parliament, because he was physically unable to submit the required signatures for the resignation. He died on 4 November 2010 from the effects of his illness.