Émile Royer (27 April 1866 – 16 May 1916) was a Belgian

socialist Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...

politician and member of the Chamber of Representatives. Royer obtained a

law degree A law degree is an academic degree conferred for studies in law. Some law degrees are professional degrees that are prerequisites or serve as preparation for legal careers. These generally include the Bachelor of Civil Law, Bachelor of Laws, an ...

at the Free University of Brussels on 4 November 1887 and soon began practicing law in Brussels. In 1903 he represented the anarchist Gennaro Rubino at his trial for having attempted to assassinate

King Leopold II Leopold II (9 April 1835 – 17 December 1909) was the second king of the Belgians from 1865 to 1909, and the founder and sole owner of the Congo Free State from 1885 to 1908. Born in Brussels as the second but eldest-surviving son of King Le ...

the previous year. Royer had joined the

Belgian Workers' Party The Belgian Labour Party (, , BWP; , , POB) was the first major socialist party in Belgium. Founded in 1885, the party achieved its first electoral breakthrough in the aftermath of World War I. It was officially disbanded after the German invasi ...

in 1894, and in 1908 was elected a member of parliament for the Tournai-Ath constituency. Royer became a leader of the

Walloon Movement The Walloon Movement () is an umbrella term for all Belgium political movements that either assert the existence of a Walloon identity and of Wallonia and/or defend French culture and language within Belgium, either within the framework of the 1 ...

and strongly opposed the annexationist policies of Belgian nationalists such as Pierre Nothomb, Fernand Neuray, and Maurice des Ombiaux. Royer died in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

on 16 May 1916.

References

1866 births 1916 deaths Belgian socialists 19th-century Belgian lawyers Belgian Labour Party politicians 20th-century Belgian lawyers {{Wallonia-politician-stub