Jules Renkin | |
Office: | Prime Minister of Belgium |
Term Start: | 6 June 1931 |
Term End: | 22 October 1932 |
Predecessor: | Henri Jaspar |
Successor: | Charles de Broqueville |
Birth Date: | 3 December 1862 |
Birth Place: | Ixelles, Belgium |
Death Place: | Brussels, Belgium |
Party: | Catholic Party |
Jules Laurent Jean Louis Renkin (3 December 1862 - 15 July 1934) was a Belgian politician. He served as the minister of colonies for the Belgian Congo from 30 October 1908 to 21 November 1918.
Born in Ixelles, Renkin studied and practised law, and helped found the journal L'Avenir Sociale. In 1896 he was elected as a member of the Catholic Party to the Belgian Chamber of Representatives for Brussels, a seat he held until his death. Original on the Christian Democratic wing of the party, Renkin's views became more conservative with time.
He held several ministerial posts, Justice in 1907 - 1908, Colonies from 1908 to 1918, the Interior in 1918 - 1920, and Railway and Posts from 1918 to 1921. In 1920 he was named an honorary minister of State.
In 1931 he became the prime minister of Belgium, also holding the Interior, Finance, and Health portfolios. His government was unable to deal effectively with the economic crisis facing Belgium at the time and fell in 1932. His term coincided with the general strike of July-September 1932.
He was married to Emma van Hamme.[1]