Raymond Langendries

Raymond Long Dries ( born October 1, 1943 in Tubize ) is a Belgian politician of the Centre Démocrate Humaniste ( cdH ).

Life

Long Dries received in 1964 his teaching certificate for primary school teachers and was then until 1972 worked in this profession. In 1971 he was elected to the municipal council of Tubize, was from 1976 to 1982 and alderman since 1995, the mayor of his home town.

In 1972 he took over the office of the Secretary of the Parti Social Chrétien fraction (PSC ) - as the party cdH was called until 2002 - in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives from 1974 to 1979 and was party secretary. From 1979 to 1981, 1991 to 2004 Long Dries belonged to as a Member of the Chamber. During this time he was 1979-1981, 1991-1995 and 1999-2004 Leader of the PSC / cdH and 1995-1999 President of the Chamber of Deputies. Between 1985 and 1991 he was a member of the Belgian Senate, where he remained until 1989 was also leader of the PSC in 1985.

In 1989, Lange Dries was appointed Minister for the Civil Service and held this office until 1992. From 2004 to 2009 he was Member of the European Parliament. He was a member of the Group of the European People's Party and European Democrats, and the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and the Delegation to the ACP -EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.

On 17 July 2008 Long Dries was commissioned along with François -Xavier de Donnea and Karl -Heinz Lambertz of King Albert II as a mediator to mediate in the context of the ongoing government crisis between the Flemish and the Walloons and to pave the way for a reform of the state.

For his services Long Dries has won several awards. He was awarded the title of Commander of the Crown, a commander of the Order of Leopold, and in 2002 the rank of minister of state.