“ Inexhaustible craftsman of our Europe “, ” great French “, “ visionary “… At the announcement of the death of Jacques Delors, father of the euro and figure of European construction, the French and European political class was moved and paid tribute to the former president of the European Commission.
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He was considered one of the great architects of European construction and in particular of the single currency: the former president of the European Commission Jacques Delors died this Wednesday.
The former president of the European Commission, ephemeral hope of the French left in the 1995 presidential election, has died “ at his Parisian home in his sleep », announced to AFP his daughter Martine Aubry, socialist mayor of Lille. Immediately, tributes to the former Minister of the Economy under François Mitterrand followed one another.
Disappearance of a giant »
Emmanuel Macron greeted on inexhaustible craftsman of our Europe “, A ” statesman of French destiny “. For Ursula Von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, it is even a “ visionary » of Europe, which she calls to honor. Jacques Delors is “ entered history as one of the builders of our Europe », also commented the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, describing it as “ great Frenchman and great European “.
“ He will have shaped the destiny of the EU through the power of his convictions and the rigor of his action. He thus enters the Pantheon of the greats that Europe has produced and whose legacy we must assume. », Says the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks of “ an architect of the EU as we know it today “.
Statesman of French destiny.
Inexhaustible craftsman of our Europe.
Fighter for human justice.Jacques Delors was all of that.
His commitment, his ideals and his righteousness will always inspire us. I salute his work and his memory and share the pain of his loved ones. pic.twitter.com/3D5FBvdduh
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) December 27, 2023
“ A giant has just left us », reacted on X the boss of the PS Olivier Faure. “ Child of the century, he had experienced the worst and sought to ward off misfortune by building lasting peace. Through his union, ministerial and finally at the head of Europe, he leaves us an immense legacy. »
A man “ who acted with the common good in mind »
Symbol ” of integrity ” and of ” righteousness » for Fabien Roussel, Benoît Hamon is keen to retain his desire to “ tirelessly build European harmony “. For the former minister, the death of Jacques Delors “ leaves millions of French and Europeans sad but grateful for the precious heritage he entrusted to us ». For his part, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, founder of La France insoumise (LFI), welcomes a “ socialist of the generation which had an ideal ” And “ who acted with the common good in mind “.
Jacques Delors was a socialist of the generation which had an ideal. However far away we may have been, I salute the activist and the man of action who acted with the common good in mind.
— Jean-Luc Mélenchon (@JLMelenchon) December 27, 2023
At the microphone of Aurélien Devernoix for RFIBoris Vallaud, president of the socialist group in the National Assembly, reacts to the death of Jacques Delors: “ He was a man who embodied both European construction and the left. It was basically at the confluence of these two ambitions, that of socialism and that of a Europe of peace, fraternity, of prosperity, after obviously a Europe which had torn itself apart. He had a great voice, a great conscience, even probity. And that’s all we’re losing today. »
The Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, also expresses his admiration for the figure of European construction. “ I salute the memory of Jacques Delors, the constancy of his convictions, the strength of his European commitment, his seriousness in the management of our public finances. He never gave in to any ease of the times. He will have written the double history of France and Europe. » While Yaël Braun-Pivet, president of the National Assembly, describes it as a “ incarnation of Europe », Lionel Jospin, former socialist presidential candidate, speaks of a “ Passionate European ” who has ” marked its era “.
“ A committed trade unionist »
In turn at the CFTC then at the CFDT, the leaders of the two organizations paid tribute to the memory of Jacques Delors in messages published on X (formerly Twitter). “ Jacques Delors was more than a traveling companion of the CFDT », Underlined the general secretary of the first union in France, Marylise Léon. “ He was a friend “, she continued, “ a member, an activist. A humanist and a fervent defender of the European idea “. Cyril Chabanier (CFTC) expressed his “ immense sadness “. “ Much more than a politician, he is a statesman and one of the builders of the European Union. He was also a committed trade unionist at the CFTC, very attached to the truth, the common good and social and human justice. “.
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