| Michel Hansenne | |
| Order: | Member of the European parliament for Belgium |
| Term Start: | July 20, 1999 |
| Term End: | July 19, 2004 |
| Order1: | Director-General of the International Labour Organization |
| Term Start1: | 1989 |
| Term End1: | 1999 |
| Predecessor1: | Francis Blanchard |
| Successor1: | Juan Somavía |
| Term Start2: | May 1988 |
| Term End2: | March 1989 |
| Order3: | Minister of Employment and Labour in Parliament of Belgium |
| Term Start3: | December 1981 |
| Term End3: | May 1988 |
| Order4: | Minister of French Culture in Parliament of Belgium |
| Term Start4: | April 1979 |
| Term End4: | December 1981 |
| Order5: | Member of the Parliament of Belgium |
| Term Start5: | 1974 |
| Term End5: | March 1989 |
| Birth Date: | 23 March 1940 |
| Birth Place: | Belgium |
Michel Hansenne (23 March 1940 in Belgium). He studied law and became a labour activist turned Belgium politician. In 1989 he was the first Director-General of the International Labour Organization since the end of the cold war. As Director-General, he was preceded by Francis Blanchard and succeeded by Juan Somavía. In 1999 he was elected as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Belgium a post he held till 2004.
Michel Hansenne was born on March 23, 1940. At the age of 23, Hansenne obtained a Doctor of Law, subsequently gaining a degree in Economics and Finance from the University of Liège. In 1962, Hansenne began working at the University of Liège as a researcher before beginning his career in politics in 1972.
In 1974, he became a member of the Parliament of Belgium, becoming Minister for French Culture from 1979–1981, Minister for Employment and Labour from 1981–1988 and Minister for Civil Service from 1988–1989.[1]
In 1989, Hansenne was elected the first post-Cold War Director-General of the International Labour Organization. Four years later, in 1993, Hansenne was elected for a second term. In 1997, during his time as Director-General of the ILO, Hansenne called for the certification of countries which adhere to his organisation's labour standards.[2] In 1999, he was elected a Member of the European Parliament representing Belgium, the same year publishing a book, Un garde-fou pour la mondialisation. Le BIT dans l'après-guerre froide. Hansenne's European Parliamentary career was as a member of the Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats).
Whilst a Member of the European Parliament, Hansenne served on the Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy and the Delegation for relations with Japan, serving as a substitute on the Committee on Constitutional Affairs and Committee on Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism.[3]
In 1999 he wrote and published the book about the history of the ILO and how he navigated the changing times: