Victor Leemans

Victor Leemans (21 July 1901 – 3 March 1971) was a Belgian (Flemish) sociologist, politician and a prominent ideologist of the radical Flemish movement in the 1930s. He was a member of the militant organisation Verdinaso, and is seen by some as the main Flemish exponent of the historical phenomenon known as the Conservative Revolution.

Leemans was born at Stekene. He obtained his doctorate from the Ecole des Hautes Études Sociales in Paris, and lectured at the Catholic University of Leuven. In 1936, he was named president of the Arbeidsorde, a Flemish Fascist trade union closely tied to the Flemish National Union (VNV) and Rex-Vlaanderen.

During the German occupation he was Secretary-General of Economical Affairs, and as such was prosecuted after the war for collaboration.

He was acquitted in 1947, and pursued a political career in the Christian-democratic Christian Social Party (PSC-CVP). He was appointed provincial senator for Antwerp in 1949, and served as President of the European Parliament from 1965 to 1966. He died in Leuven in 1971.

Presidents of the European Parliament Common Assembly: 1952–1958 Paul-Henri Spaak Alcide De Gasperi Giuseppe Pella Hans Furler Parliamentary Assembly: 1958–1962 Robert Schuman Hans Furler European Parliament (appointed): 1962–1979 Gaetano Martino Jean Duvieusart Victor Leemans Alain Poher Mario Scelba Walter Behrendt Cornelis Berkhouwer Georges Spénale Emilio Colombo European Parliament (elected): 1979–present Simone Veil Piet Dankert Pierre Pflimlin Henry Plumb Enrique Barón Crespo Egon Klepsch Klaus Hänsch José María Gil-Robles Nicole Fontaine Pat Cox Josep Borrell Hans-Gert Pöttering Jerzy Buzek Martin Schulz Gianni Pittella (Acting) Martin Schulz Commission President President of the European Council Council Presidency President of Parliament