Michelle, Joseph

Born into a mason's family. In 1951 he graduated from the Faculty of Economics and Law of the Catholic University of Louvain with a doctorate in law. In addition, he had a bachelor's degree in philosophy. He worked as a lawyer and notary, was a lawyer in a lawyer in the Court of Appeal of Liège.

Even in his youth, he joined the Humanist Democratic Center party, from 1949 to 1955 he was chairman of the youth branch of the Virton County Party. In 1958, he became chairman of the party branch of the district. In October 1958, he was elected adviser to the Virton commune. From 1970 to 1982 he was mayor of Virton.

In 1961, he was first elected to the Chamber of Deputies from the Humanist Democratic Center and retained his mandate until 1991. He led the party faction (1979-1980).

He was part of the Belgian government:

• 1974-1977 - the Minister of the Interior, during his tenure there was a municipal reform (1976-1977), when the Belgian communities were merged into new large municipalities and the total number of municipalities was radically reduced from 2359 to 596,
• 1977-1979 - Minister of National Education.

From 1979 to 1987, he was a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

In 1980-1981 - Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies of the Belgian Parliament. From 1981 to 1986 - Deputy Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies, from 1985-1986. headed the finance committee. From 1980 to 1991, he was also a member of the Walloon Parliament .

In 1986-1988 - Minister of the Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization of Belgium.

In 1993-1994. He was co-president of the National Committee, responsible for organizing the pastoral visit of the pope to Belgium and for the beatification of Damian's father (May 1994).

In addition to his professional and political career, he was also actively involved in writing, was the author of history books and several novels. His literary debut took place in 1954 with the monograph “The Economic History of Luxembourg in the 19th Century”. After leaving political life in 1988, he continued his literary career and published many books, including:

• Worst Time (1988),
• The Beautiful Era (1989),
• "Great time" (1990),
• “The History of Virton, from Origins to 2000” (1998),
• "Gaumaiseries" (1994),
• 2000 Cramps, novel (1999),
• “Adventure Story, Fictional Biography of Margarita Brohon” (2003),
• The Little Old Man (2003),
• “The empty talk of the square table” (2004),
• The Round Wind, novel (2006),
• Lawyers, Essay (2006).

In September 2013, he was elevated to the rank of Officer of the Walloon Order of Merit.

• http://connaitrelawallonie.wallonie.be/fr/wallons-marquants/dictionnaire/michel-joseph#.W9q1hNteNBx
• https://web.archive.org/web/20110423022717/http://assembly.coe.int/ASP/AssemblyList/AL_MemberDetails.asp?MemberID=2085
• http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20160604_02323691