Jacques Delors was President of the EU Commission for ten years. The French politician has now died at the age of 98.
Former EU Commission President Jacques Delors is dead. The Frenchman, who headed the EU Commission from 1985 to 1995 and is considered one of the founding fathers of the monetary union, died on Wednesday in Paris at the age of 98, as did his daughter Martine Aubry AFP news agency said. “He died in his sleep this morning in his home in Paris,” said the mayor of Lille. French President Emmanuel Macron praised him on the online platform X as a “fighter for human justice”.
Jacques Delors played a decisive role in driving forward the EU internal market
The French socialist, born on July 20, 1925 in Paris, was Minister of Economy and Finance under President François Mitterrand from 1981 to 1984 before moving to Brussels in 1985. At the head of the EU Commission, he played a key role in reviving and promoting the idea of European integration. His achievements include the completion of the EU internal market, the signing of the Schengen Agreement and the beginning of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), which led to the introduction of the euro. Delors is therefore considered the architect of the modern EU.
In France, Delors declined to run for the Socialists’ presidential candidacy in 1995, even though he was considered the most promising candidate.
The incumbent EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described Delors on X as a “visionary who made our Europe stronger.” His life’s work is a united, dynamic and prosperous European Union that has shaped entire generations of Europeans.
Macron wrote: “His commitment, his ideals and his integrity will always inspire us. I pay tribute to his work and his memory and share the pain of his loved ones.”
The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, wrote on X that with the death of Jacques Delors, the EU is losing a giant. As an honorary citizen of Europe, he worked tirelessly for a united Europe as President of the European Commission and Member of the European Parliament. “Generations of Europeans will continue to benefit from his legacy,” said the EU leader.
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Source: Stern
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