Frans Schollaert

François (Frans) Victor Marie Ghislain Schollaert (19 August 1851 – 29 June 1917) was a Belgian Catholic Party politician.

Born in Wilsele, Schollaert trained as a lawyer and practiced in Leuven. He served as head of the Flemish farmer's union, the Boerenbond. He sat in the Belgian Chamber of People's Representatives from 1888 onwards, holding the office of President of the Chamber from 1901 to 1908, and from 1911 until his death.

On Jules de Trooz's sudden death on the last day of 1907, Schollaert replaced him as the prime minister of Belgium, also holding the Interior and Agriculture portfolios from 1908 to 1910, and the Arts and Science portfolio from 1910 to 1911. Schollaert was PM while the Belgian parliament, in heated debates, voted to annex the Congo Free State, which had been privately owned by Belgian King Leopold II. It became known as the Belgian Congo.

Honours

 * 🇧🇪 Belgium: Minister of State by Royal Decree.
 * 🇧🇪 Belgium: Grand Cross in the Order of the Crown
 * 🇧🇪 Belgium: Grand Officier in the Order of Leopold
 * 🇫🇷 France: Grand Cross in the Legion of Honour
 * Holy See: Grand Cross in the Order of Pius IX
 * 🇳🇴 Norway: Grand Cross in the Order of Saint Olav
 * 🇷🇴 Romania: Grand Cross in the Order of the Star of Romania

The Schollaert Channel, discovered in 1898 by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition under Gerlache, was named for him.