The former president of the European Commission and a founding father of the European Union's (EU) historic single currency project, Jacques Delors, has died at age 98.
Delors was a French socialist and an ardent advocate of post-war European integration. His family said that he died in his sleep at his Paris home on Wednesday. Delors served three terms as the European Commission president from January 1985 until the end of 1994, which is longer than any individual who has held the office.
Jacques Delors Dies at 98
During the official's decade as the European Commission chief, the EU was able to complete its integrated single market and agreed to introduce a single currency, the euro. It was also able to build a common foreign and security policy.
The then-12-nation bloc set the conditions for eventually admitting the former communist states of Central and Eastern Europe following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. This was done under the watch of Delors, as per Aljazeera.
Delors also served as finance minister under former French President Francois Mitterand from 1981 to 1984. However, he refused to run for the presidency in 1995 despite being overwhelmingly ahead against other candidates in the polls. This was a decision because of "a desire for independence that was too great."
After his refusal, Delors said that he had no regrets but added that he was not saying that his decision was right. The current French President, Emmanuel Macron, paid tribute to the late official and called him an "inexhaustible architect of our Europe" and a fighter for human justice.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Macron said that Delors' commitment, ideals, and rectitude will always be an inspiration to them. He also called the former European Commission president a "statesman with a French destiny."
Delors repeatedly clashed with former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. He also became the chief bogeyman for British Eurosceptics, leading the Sun to run its 1990 front-page headline: "Up yours Delors," which was a preview of the Brexit campaign 25 years later, according to The Guardian.
Former European Commission President's Legacy
Former Labour Leader Lord Kinnock recalled the exchanges that Delors had with Thatcher. He said that her consideration of the former European Commission president as a fanatical federalist was extremely misleading.
Kinnock also described Delors as a "very polite man" who was calm and highly intelligent. He said that the late official would never let his judgment of what was possible and practical be clouded by personal reservation or dislike.
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also spoke about Delors, saying that the latter was the "pre-eminent architect" of the modern European Union. He added that whether or not people agreed with this or not, Delors' vision made him a towering political figure.
The current president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said that Delors was a "visionary" who made the region stronger. Lord Clarke of Nottingham said that Delors and Thatcher were at odds because they disliked each other personally for both personal and political reasons, said BBC.
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