Willy Claes is a Belgian politician, serving as Foreign Minister of Belgium from 1992 to 1994, and as the eighth Secretary General of NATO from 1994 to 1995.
Willy Claes began his political career in the Hasselt City Council. In 1968, he was elected to the National Parliament. In 1972, Claes entered the cabinet for the first time as Minister of Education. Between 1973 and 1992, he was the Minister of Economic Affairs of Belgium. He also served as a Deputy Prime Minister, and was an important negotiator in the formation of coalition governments during the 1980s.