Romain Rouillard (with Inès Zeghloul) / Photo credit: MARCEL MOCHET / AFP 19:50 p.m., December 27, 2023

Jacques Delors, who was also a former Minister of the Economy under François Mitterrand, died on Wednesday at the age of 98. Very quickly, the political class, especially on the left, paid tribute to the memory of the man who dedicated his life to Europe.

Former President of the European Commission, but also former Member of Parliament and even Minister of the Economy under President François Mitterrand, Jacques Delors died on Wednesday at the age of 98. Considered one of the great architects of European integration, he has left his mark on the political history of his country, but also that of the Old Continent. Many political figures were quick to pay tribute to him.

Emmanuel Macron, first of all, who, in a message published on X (ex-Twitter), salutes the memory of a "statesman with a French destiny", but also of an "inexhaustible craftsman of our Europe". His unwavering commitment to a united Europe naturally occupies a central place in the few words that the political class addressed to him on Wednesday evening.

Statesman with a French destiny.
He is an inexhaustible craftsman of our Europe.
Fighter for human justice.

Jacques Delors was all of these things.

His commitment, his ideals and his righteousness will always inspire us. I salute his work and his memory and share the grief of his loved ones. pic.twitter.com/3D5FBvdduh

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) December 27, 2023

'A huge legacy'

In those of Charles Michel, President of the European Council, who described him as "a great Frenchman and a great European". He added, also on X, "Jacques Delors led the transformation of the European Economic Community into a genuine Union based on humanist values and supported by a single market and a single currency. He was a passionate and concrete advocate until his last days.

Jacques Delors led the transformation of the European Economic Community into a genuine Union, based on humanist values and supported by a single market and a single currency, the euro.

He was a passionate and concrete defender of it, right down to his death.

— Charles Michel (@CharlesMichel) December 27, 2023

Ursula von der Leyen, current President of the European Commission, led by Jacques Delors between 1985 and 1995, evokes a "visionary" of Europe, also calling for "honouring his legacy". Olivier Faure, head of the Socialist Party, is also not stingy in his praise for the man he considers "a giant". "A child of the century, he had known the worst and sought to ward off misfortune by building a lasting peace. Through his trade union and ministerial commitment and finally at the head of Europe, he bequeaths us an immense legacy," he wrote on X, before sending his "condolences" to his daughter, Martine Aubry, mayor of Lille.

Jacques Delors was a visionary who made our Europe stronger.

His life's work is a united, dynamic and prosperous European Union.

It has shaped entire generations of Europeans, including my own.

Let us honour his legacy by constantly renewing our Europe.

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) December 27, 2023

A giant has just left us. A child of the century, he had experienced the worst and sought to ward off misfortune by building lasting peace. Through his trade union and ministerial commitment and, finally, as head of Europe, he bequeathed us an immense legacy. Condolences to @MartineAubryhttps://t.co/K1MahYJO

— Olivier Faure (@faureolivier) December 27, 2023

"We owe him a lot"

Contacted by Europe 1, Michel Barnier, former European Commissioner and Minister of Foreign Affairs under President Jacques Chirac, thanked Jacques Delors for all his work. "Jacques Delors was a humanist, he was a progressive. I think he knew that intolerance or bigotry was a sign of weakness. We owe him a lot at the European level and therefore at the French level," he said. Ségolène Royal shared her sentiments, and she also thanked him. "You have given us a noble vision of politics, guided by the morality of action. Your commitment to trade unionism, the spirit of fraternity, gave you the strength of a Europe that was close to the people," she added.

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Also at the head of a European body, in this case the Parliament, Roberta Metsola takes up the term "giant" used by Olivier Faure and assures that "generations of Europeans will continue to benefit from his legacy". Bruno Le Maire, the current Minister of the Economy, emphasises the "constancy" of Jacques Delors' convictions. "He never yielded to any ease of the times. He will have written the double history of France and Europe," he wrote on X.

With the death of Jacques Delors, the EU has lost a giant.

The last honorary citizen of Europe, he worked tirelessly, as President of @EU_Commission and member of @Europarl_FR, for a united Europe.

Generations of Europeans will continue to benefit from his legacy. pic.twitter.com/ytPxsojmRq

— Roberta Metsola (@EP_President) December 27, 2023

Finally, despite his (numerous) political disagreements with Jacques Delors, the rebellious leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon nevertheless took up the pen to salute "the militant and the man of action who acted with the common good in mind".

Jacques Delors was a socialist of the generation that 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