EN 
ELDR mourns Gaston Thorn’s demise and honour his memory.eldr, Tuesday 28 August 2007 09:00 ::ELDR President Annemie Neyts – Uyttebroeck is deeply affected by the death of Gaston Thorn. “ He was our first President,” she says. “He was one of the founders of the Federation of Liberal and Democratic Parties of the European Community, which was established in 1976, in view of the first direct elections of the European Parliament.”
At the time, he was Prime Minister of Luxembourg and had distinguished himself as a dynamic and dedicated Liberal and European. As ELDR President, he presided over the drafting and adoption of the first common liberal electoral manifesto. When he became President of the European Commission in 1981, he resigned as ELDR President but remained an influential and highly respected figure.
As President of the Commission, he contributed much to the second wave of enlargement and prepared the ground for the Single Act which was signed a few months after his presidential term. “I remember him as an extremely courteous man, who could however be caustic and incisive when debates dragged on. He was a shining role model in a period where liberal success stories were few and far between.” On behalf of the ELDR, Annemie Neyts has offered her deepest condolences to the family and friends of Gaston Thorn. |
  THE EU BUDGET – it's more than peanuts! 
Calendar Follow us  
Archives
|
About usELDR is the party for liberal democrat values in Europe. Together with our liberal members parties across the European continent we are transplanting the principle of freedom into politics, economics and all other areas of our societies. The ELDR provides an increasingly vital link between citizens and the EU institutions and is continuously growing in size and significance. |
Site navigation
|
ELDR Party - 31, rue Montoyer (7th floor) - 1000 Brussels - Belgium - Tel. +32 2 237 01 40 - Fax +32 2 231 19 07 - info@eldr.eu - with the support of the EP - Website created by 