Paul Janson

Paul Janson (* April 11, 1840 in Herstal, † April 19, 1913 in Sint -Gillis ) was a Belgian liberal politician.

He is especially known for his efforts to universal suffrage. It is known as the father of the Belgian liberalism.

Life

Janson received his doctorate in philosophy and literature in 1859 and 1862 in Law at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. He became in 1862 a member of the Bar Association in Brussels.

After first contacts with the Socialists, he joined the Liberal Party. From the beginning of his political career at Janson was a champion for the abolition of the census suffrage. He was the leader of the progressive wing of the Liberals. In 1877 he was elected to the Chamber of Deputies. 1884 the Liberal Party suffered a major defeat and he was not re-elected. In that year he became head of the City Council of Brussels.

1887 there was a break between the conservatives and the progressives in the Liberal Party and he founded together with other lawyers, the progressivist Partij that fought for universal suffrage. Paul Janson was the leader of this party. 1894 lost the liberal parties strongly again in the elections after the voting reform of 1893 and Janson lost his seat in the chamber. He receives a seat in the Belgian Senate.

In 1900, he came through the mediation of Paul Hymans back to a more conciliatory and " moderate " position of the Liberals and the " progressivist Partij " was abandoned. Janson was re-elected to the chamber of the Belgian Chamber of Deputies for the " Liberal Partij " and remained there as an MP until his death. He remained with his political positions on electoral law, without distinction of social position, for the reduction of working hours and for the introduction of collective bargaining agreements. His connections with the socialists of the Belgian Werkliedenpartij were very close and under his mediation a red and blue list compound was formed in 1912 to break the absolute majority of Catholics. But that failed and the Catholics retained an absolute majority.

After the election, Janson was on August 14, 1912 Minister van State / Ministre d'Etat in Belgium This is a title of honor, which is awarded by the King for life in special cases. The Minister van State are not members of the Council of Ministers. Paul Janson was a member of the Federation of the Freemasons, his Loge Les Amis vrais l' Union et de l' Honneur is based in Brussels.

Progeny

Paul Janson was the founder of a political and artistic dynasty. He was the father of Paul -Emile Janson and Marie Janson. Through them he was the grandfather of Paul -Henri Spaak and great-grandfather of Antoinette Spaak, the Belgian first female party leader. He is also the great-grandfather of Isabelle Spaak and Agnès Spaak and grandfather of Charles Spaak and Claude Spaak.

Several cities and towns in Brussels and Wallonia have named streets after him.