CELEBRITY

Jacques Delors Dead or Alive

Published

6 months ago

December 29, 2023

Jacques Delors was a French politician who served as the eighth president of the European Commission (EC) from 1985 to 1995. He played a crucial role in the creation of the single market, the euro, and the modern European Union. Delors implemented policies that closely linked member nations together and promoted the need for unity. He created a single market that made the free movement of persons, capital, goods, and services within the European Economic Community (EEC) possible. He also headed the Delors Committee which proposed the monetary union to create the euro, a new single currency to replace individual national currencies. This was achieved by the signing of the Maastricht Treaty in 1992.

Jacques Delors was a member of the French Socialist Party and served in the European Parliament from 1979 to 1981. Before becoming president of the EC, he was France's finance minister from 1981 to 1984 and a member of the European Parliament from 1979 to 1981. His early professional life was marked by roles in French banking and state planning with the Bank of France, solidifying his understanding of economic dynamics. As a member of the French Confederation of Christian Workers (CFTC), he actively contributed to its secularization and played a crucial role in founding the French Democratic Confederation of Labour (CFDT).

In 1974, Delors joined the Socialist Party, challenging the party's secular tradition with his open religious affiliation. He served in the European Parliament from 1979 to 1981, chairing the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and actively participating in debates on economic, social, and monetary policies. Under President François Mitterrand, Delors assumed the role of Economics and Finance Minister from 1981 to 1983, followed by Economics, Finance, and Budget Minister from 1983 to 1984.

Jacques Delors

In January 1985, Delors took the helm as the President of the European Commission, a position he held until 1995. His presidency witnessed groundbreaking budgetary reforms and laid the foundation for the single market within the European Community. The implementation of the Maastricht Treaty in 1992, proposed by the Delors Committee, led to the creation of the euro, replacing individual national currencies.

Delors' legacy is one of visionary leadership, marked by his contributions to European integration, economic policies, and educational reforms. His impact on shaping the European Union's trajectory remains influential, making him a key figure in the continent's political history. In his personal life, Delors was married to Marie Lephaille until her passing in 2020. His daughter, Martine Aubry, served as the First Secretary of the Socialist Party, while his son, Jean-Paul Delors, was a journalist who tragically passed away at the age of 29 in 1982 from leukemia.

On 27 December 2023, Jacques Delors passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in Paris, leaving behind a legacy that transcends political boundaries and continues to shape the European narrative.