Melchior H. M. J. F. C. Wathelet (born 6 March 1949) is a Belgian politician and member of the Humanist Democratic Centre who served as 4th Minister-President of Wallonia. He has degrees in law and in economics (University of Liège) and is a Master of Laws (Harvard University). He is also a professor at the Catholic University of Louvain and the Université de Liège. From 1995 to 2003 he was a Judge at the European Court of Justice.^[1] Following that, Wathelet served as Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration [nl].^[2] In 2012-2018, Wathelet served as Advocate-General at the Court of Justice.^[1]

This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. (March 2009)

• Member of the Chamber of Representatives (1977–1995)
• Secretary of State for Regional Economy of the Walloon Region (1980–1981)
• Minister of New Technologies and SMEs of the Walloon Region (1981–1985)
• Minister-President of the Walloon Region (1985–1988)
• Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice and Middle Classes (1988–1992)
• Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice and Economic Affairs (1992–1995)
• Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence (1995)
• Mayor of Verviers (1995)^{[3][failed verification]}

As Justice Minister he had, according to David Canter, "encouraged the early release of many sex offenders" which included Marc Dutroux, a convicted child molester and subsequent serial killer.^[4] This particular release resulted in the European Parliament calling for his resignation as an ECJ judge in 1997.^[5] The European Parliament does not have the right to appoint ECJ judges, and it was the first time that it attempted to influence their selection.^[6]

• List of members of the European Court of Justice