Julien Lahaut
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Julien Lahaut (6 September 1884 – 18 August 1950) was a Belgian politician and communist. He became leader of the Communist Party of Belgium after the First World War. A dissident during the German occupation of 1940–44, he became a vocal advocate for the abolition of the Belgian monarchy during the post-war "Royal Question". His assassination in August 1950, at the height of the crisis, has often been attributed to Belgian royalists but remains unsure.
Royal Question and assassination
The aftermath of the Liberation of Belgium from German forces at the end of World War II saw a prolonged period of political crisis, known as the Royal Question, over whether King Leopold III could return to his position as monarch. The crisis came to a head in 1950, when Leopold decided to abdicate in favour of his son, Baudouin.
On 11 August 1950 Baudouin took the constitutional oath as future King before the united Chambers of the Belgium Parliament. During the proceedings, one of the Communist deputies present shouted "Vive la République!" ("Long Live the Republic!"). Lahaut was reported to have been the deputy responsible, though in the confusion of the moment this remains unconfirmed. A week later, on 18 August 1950, Lahaut was assassinated by two unknown gunmen outside his home in Seraing.
Coming at the end of the constitutional crisis, Lahaut's death caused widespread outrage, especially in left-wing circles. Strikes were organized all over the country, while 300,000 people attended his funeral. The Communist newspaper Le Drapeau Rouge carried the headline "A monstrous crime! Our dear comrade Julien Lahaut, leader of the Communist party, was assassinated last night by the Leo-Rexists".
François Goossens, a Belgian royalist, was later identified as one of the murderers, although it is uncertain whether he fired the actual shots.
On 19 July 2012, the Belgian Senate agreed to consider a legal proposal to extend funding for a historical study on the assassination.
