André H.P. Cools (1 August 1927 – 18 July 1991) was a Belgian politician and a senior figure within the Walloon

Socialist Party Socialist Party is the name of many different political parties around the world. All of these parties claim to uphold some form of socialism, though they may have very different interpretations of what "socialism" means. Statistically, most of ...

(PS) in the

Liège Liège ( , , ; wa, Lîdje ; nl, Luik ; german: Lüttich ) is a major city and municipality of Wallonia and the capital of the Belgian province of Liège. The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse, in the east of Belgium, not far fro ...

region. He was assassinated in 1991 and the subsequent investigation uncovered widespread graft within Belgium's two socialist parties.

Political career

Cools had a long and distinguished political career. He was the Belgian budget minister from 1968 to 1971, Deputy Prime Minister from 1969 to 1972, head of the Walloon section of the Belgian Parti Socialiste (PS) from 1973 to 1978, chairman of the national party from 1978 to 1981, president of the Walloon Council from 1982 to 1985, and minister of the government of the Walloon Region from 1988 to 1990. He was also given the honorific title of

Minister of State Minister of State is a title borne by politicians in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a Minister of State is a Junior Minister of government, who is assigned to assist a specific Cabinet Minister. I ...

in 1983. In 1990 he retired from the national political scene after an internal power struggle within the PS but he remained influential in the local party in Liège. Cools was noted for his pithy pronouncements. For example, when in 1984 he commented on who he thought the four greatest United States presidents had been, he said: '

Roosevelt Roosevelt may refer to: *Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919), 26th U.S. president * Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945), 32nd U.S. president Businesses and organisations * Roosevelt Hotel (disambiguation) * Roosevelt & Son, a merchant bank * Rooseve ...

, Roosevelt, Roosevelt and Roosevelt'. His nickname was "''Le maître de

Flémalle Flémalle (; wa, Flémåle) is a municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Liège, Belgium. On January 1, 2006, Flémalle had a total population of 25,140. The total area is 36.68 km² which gives a population density of 685 inha ...

''" ("Master of Flémalle"). Cools had been mayor of from 1964 to 1977 and after the merger with Flémalle from 1977 until his death.

Assassination and aftermath

He was shot dead in

in 1991. While the police were investigating the assassination, several scandals involving André Cools became public (like the Agusta-affair). In 2003, a Liège trial started, accusing Richard Taxquet (former personal chauffeur and secretary for , a Parti Socialiste minister), Giuseppe "Pino" di Mauro, and others of involvement in the Cools murder. In January 2004, Taxquet and di Mauro were sentenced to twenty years' imprisonment.Maesschalck and Van de Walle, 2006.

References

Works cited

Sources

André Cools
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cools, Andre 1927 births 1991 deaths Assassinated Belgian politicians Belgian Ministers of State Belgian Socialist Party politicians Deaths by firearm in Belgium Socialist Party (Belgium) politicians People from Flémalle People murdered in Belgium Walloon movement activists Walloon people of Flemish descent

Political career

Assassination and aftermath

See also

References

Works cited

Sources