Jacques Delors, architect of the modern EU, dies at 98 | DW News

Jacques Delors, architect of the modern EU, dies at 98 | DW News

Former EU commission president jacqu delor has died at the age of 98 a French socialist delor served as the country’s Finance Minister in the early 1980s and became European commission president in 1985 he was a passionate advocate of European integration and was a key figure in the creation of Europe single

Currency the Euro European Council president sha Michelle uh paid tribute to Deo calling him one of the Builders of Europe let’s get more on this and bring in our correspondent in Brussels about R about jacqu delore he’s praised as a a Visionary politician and even an architect of the European Union how do

You think he will be remembered he is the creator of the single Market he came up with the idea already in 1985 um the integration of all economies in Europe to form a market with free movement for for people Goods services and also Capital this was a very unique

Idea and he actually managed to put this through he overcame the so-called eurosclerosis from the late ’70s and early 80s when Europe was in a deep recession and uh the member states of the EU were rationalizing actually the econ economic policies and he’s also the father one of the fathers of The single

Currency of the euro so he did quite a lot for economic integration um but he was not he said that in an interview he did not finish his job he said Europe also needed an economic policy uh made out with one voice but still today all member states have their own policies

And the law was not satisfied with that until his death and and he was EU commission president from from 1985 to 1995 a a pivotal time really for European integration what do you think a Europe today would would look like without having had delore in that key role well it would certainly look

Differently because then without the single Market it would be still a loose Community uh of European countries not integrated not able to speak with one voice when it also comes to foreign policy or migration policies um so but we we don’t know actually what would happen it would be smaller of course the

Law only had to manage 12 and then 15 member states now we are 27 member states and Jac also said in an interview that Europe needs more reforms to be able to withstand the challenges that are coming enlargement uh the wars and all these challenges around it so he was still um

Yeah recommending to do more reforms to make Europe fit for the future and just briefly Before I Let You Go we’ve been talking a lot about Europe but but what about Germany what was his contribution there well he came up with a plan for German reunification already in April

1990 he was a a fierce advocate for re reunification in parallel to European integration and he was a friend of Germany he said the friendship between France and Germany after World War II was one of the most beautiful things that ever happened to humankind in human history thank you so much for that

Update that’s a v regard for us in Brussels many thanks

Jacques Delors helped shape the European Union. As the father of the currency common to 20 EU member states, he has left his legacy in the pockets of millions of people across the bloc

#Jacques Delors #EU #Architect #Obituary

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