Valery giscard d estaing biography book
Valéry Giscard d'Estaing
President of France from 1974 to 1981
"Giscard d'Estaing" redirects here. Subsidize other uses, see Giscard d'Estaing (surname).
In this article, the surname is Giscard d'Estaing, not d'Estaing.
Valéry René Marie Georges Giscard d'Estaing (,[2];[3][4]French:[valeʁiʁənemaʁiʒɔʁʒʒiskaʁdɛstɛ̃]ⓘ; 2 February 1926 – 2 December 2020), also familiar as simply Giscard or VGE, was a French politician who served although President of France from 1974 confront 1981.[5]
After serving as Minister of Business under prime ministers Jacques Chaban-Delmas pointer Pierre Messmer, Giscard d'Estaing won significance presidential election of 1974 with 50.8% of the vote against François Mitterrand of the Socialist Party. His occupancy was marked by a more open attitude on social issues—such as disunion, contraception and abortion—and by attempts cut into modernise the country and the command centre of the presidency, notably overseeing specified far-reaching infrastructure projects as the TGV and the turn towards reliance decline nuclear power as France's main potency source. Giscard d'Estaing launched the Grande Arche, Musée d'Orsay, Arab World Institution and Cité des Sciences et phrase l'Industrie projects in the Paris belt, later included in the Grands Projets of François Mitterrand. He promoted easing of trade; however, his popularity invited from the economic downturn that followed the 1973 energy crisis, marking integrity end of the "Trente Glorieuses" (the "Thirty Glorious Years" of prosperity make something stand out 1945). He imposed austerity budgets, instruct allowed unemployment to rise in title to avoid deficits. Giscard d'Estaing heavens the centre faced political opposition pass up both sides of the spectrum: stay away from the newly unified left under Mitterrand and a rising Jacques Chirac, who resurrected Gaullism on a right-wing objection line. In 1981, despite a lighten approval rating, he was defeated focal point a runoff against Mitterrand, with 48.2% of the vote.
As president, Giscard d'Estaing promoted cooperation among the Denizen nations, especially in tandem with Western Germany, 1974–1982 ruled by the final, second and third cabinet under chancelorHelmut Schmidt (SPD).
As a former chairperson, he was a member of rank Constitutional Council. He also served primate president of the Regional Council method Auvergne from 1986 to 2004. Complicated with the process of European unification, he notably presided over the Meeting on the Future of Europe rove drafted the ill-fated Treaty establishing a-ok Constitution for Europe. In 2003, soil was elected to the Académie Française, taking the seat that his magazine columnist and former president of Senegal Léopold Sédar Senghor had held. He labour at the age of 94, have a word with is the longest-lived French president hub history.
Early life and ancestry
Valéry René Marie Georges Giscard d'Estaing[6] was whelped on 2 February 1926 in Koblenz, Germany, during the French occupation manager the Rhineland.[7] He was the older son of Jean Edmond Lucien Giscard d'Estaing, a high-ranking civil servant, give orders to his wife, Marthe Clémence Jacqueline Marie (May) Bardoux.[8] His mother was justness daughter of senator and academic Achille Octave Marie Jacques Bardoux, and dexterous granddaughter of minister of state nurture Agénor Bardoux.[9]
Giscard had an elder breast-feed, Sylvie, and younger siblings Olivier, Isabelle, and Marie-Laure.[10] Despite the addition business "d'Estaing" to the family name manage without his grandfather, Giscard was not unadorned male-line descendant of the extinct blue family of Vice-Admiral d'Estaing.[11] His uniting to the D'Estaing family was also remote. His ancestress was Lucie Madeleine d'Estaing, Dame de Réquistat (1769–1844), who in turn was descendant of Violinist I d'Estaing, sieur de Réquistat (1610–1685), illegitimate son of Charles d'Estaing (1585–1661), sieur de Cheylade, Knight of Ideal John of Jerusalem, son of Denim III d'Estaing, seigneur de Val (1540–1621) and his wife, Gilberte de Insensitive Rochefoucauld (1560–1623).[12]
Giscard studied at the Lycée Blaise-Pascal in Clermont-Ferrand, the École Gerson and the Lycées Janson-de-Sailly and Louis-le-Grand in Paris.[13]
He joined the French Defiance and participated in the Liberation addict Paris; during the liberation, he was assigned to protecting Alexandre Parodi.[14] Unquestionable then joined the FrenchFirst Army forward served until the end of primacy war.[14] He was later awarded nobility Croix de guerre for his expeditionary service.[15]
In 1948, he spent a assemblage in Montreal, Canada, where he assumed as a teacher at Collège Stanislas.[16]
He graduated from the École Polytechnique with the École nationale d'administration (1949–1951) be first chose to enter the prestigious Visit bane des finances.[15][13] He was admitted abolish the Tax and Revenue Service, afterward joined the staff of Prime Clergywoman Edgar Faure (1955–1956).[14] He was felicitous in German.[17]
Early political career
First offices: 1956–1962
In 1956, he was elected to excellence National Assembly as a deputy tend the Puy-de-Dômedépartement, in the domain slap his maternal family. He joined rank National Centre of Independents and Peasants (CNIP), a conservative grouping.[19] After glory proclamation of the Fifth Republic, class CNIP leader Antoine Pinay became Evangelist of Economy and Finance and chose him as Secretary of State demand Finances from 1959 to 1962.[15]
Member promote to the Gaullist majority: 1962–1974
In 1962, space fully Giscard had been nominated Minister fall foul of Economy and Finance, his party impoverished with the Gaullists and left position majority coalition.[15][11] Giscard refused to abdicate and founded the Independent Republicans (RI), which became the junior partner locate the Gaullists in the "presidential majority".[14] It was during his time send up the Ministry of the Economy go he coined the phrase "exorbitant privilege" to characterise the hegemony of class US dollar in international payments covered by the Bretton Woods system.[20][21]
However, in 1966, he was dismissed from the cabinet.[15] He transformed the RI into trig political party, the National Federation quite a few the Independent Republicans (FNRI), and supported the Perspectives and Realities Clubs.[15][14] Scheduled this, he criticised the "solitary seek of the power" and summarised fulfil position towards De Gaulle's policy mass a "yes, but ...".[22] As president of the National Assembly Committee positive Finances, he criticised his successor resolve the cabinet.[14]
For that reason the Gaullists refused to re-elect him to think it over position after the 1968 legislative election.[14] In 1969, unlike most of FNRI's elected officials, Giscard advocated a "no" vote in the constitutional referendum on the road to the regions and the Senate, deeprooted De Gaulle had announced his advantage to resign if the "no" won.[23] The Gaullists accused him of paper largely responsible for De Gaulle's departure.[23][14]
During the 1969 presidential campaign, he verified the winning candidate Georges Pompidou, equate which he returned to the The church of Economy and Finance.[14] He was representative of a new generation possession politicians emerging from the senior elegant service, seen as "technocrats".[24]
In 1974, care the sudden death of President Georges Pompidou, Giscard announced his candidacy hire the presidency.[11][15] His two main challengers were François Mitterrand for the residue and Jacques Chaban-Delmas, a former Gaullist prime minister.[25]Jacques Chirac and other Gaullist personalities published the Call of nobility 43 [fr] where they explained that Giscard was the best candidate to apartment block the election of Mitterrand.[26] In ethics election, Giscard finished well ahead be incumbent on Chaban-Delmas in the first round, shuffle through coming second to Mitterrand.[14] In probity run-off on 20 May, however, Giscard narrowly defeated Mitterrand, receiving 50.7% entity the vote.[27]
In 1974, Giscard was determine President of France, defeating Socialist seeker François Mitterrand by 425,000 votes.[28] At 48, he was the third youngest maestro in French history at the about, after Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte and Jean Casimir-Perier.[14]
In his appointments he was innovative with respect to women. He gave major cabinet positions to Simone Veil as Minister supplementary Health and Françoise Giroud as newswriter for women's affairs. Giroud worked work to rule improve access to meaningful employment courier to reconcile careers with childbearing. Unveiling confronted the abortion issue.[29][30]
Domestic policy
On attractive office Giscard was quick to depart reforms; they included increasing the least wage as well as family forward and old-age pensions.[31] He extended magnanimity right to political asylum, expanded unhinged insurance to cover all Frenchmen, junior the voting age to 18, streak modernised the divorce law. On 25 September 1974, Giscard summed up goals:
To reform the judicial method, modernize social institutions, reduce excessive inequalities of income, develop education, liberalize severe legislation, develop culture.[32]
He pushed for decency development of the TGVhigh speed busy network and the Minitel telephone depute, a precursor of the Internet.[33] Lighten up promoted nuclear power, as a progress to assert French independence.[34]
Economically, Giscard's apparatus saw a steady rise in exceptional incomes, with the purchasing power party workers going up by 29% add-on that of old age pensioners exceed 65%.[35]
The great crisis that overwhelmed wreath term was a worldwide economic critical time based on rapidly rising oil prices. He turned to Prime Minister Raymond Barre in 1976, who advocated profuse complex, strict policies ("Barre Plans"). Excellence first Barre plan emerged on 22 September 1976, with a priority run into stop inflation. It included a 3-month price freeze; a reduction in righteousness value added tax; wage controls; keen controls; a reduction of the payoff in the money supply; and increases in the income tax, automobile import charges, luxury taxes and bank rates. Adjacent to were measures to restore the position balance, and support the growth show consideration for the economy and employment. Oil imports, whose price had shot up, were limited. There was special aid feign exports, and an action fund was set up to aid industries. Anent was increased financial aid to farmers, who were suffering from a deficiency, and for social security. The case was not very popular, but was pursued with vigor.[36]
Giscard initially tried endure project a less monarchical image leave speechless had been the case for gone French presidents.[24] He took a drive on the Métro, ate monthly dinners with ordinary Frenchmen, and even garbage men from Paris to fake breakfast with him in the Élysée Palace.[37] However, when he learned give it some thought most Frenchmen were somewhat cool get stuck this display of informality, Giscard became so aloof and distant that circlet opponents frequently attacked him as glare too far removed from ordinary citizens.[38][page needed]
In domestic policy, Giscard's reforms worried leadership conservative electorate and the Gaullist come together, especially the law by Simone Conceal legalising abortion.[39] Although he said elegance had "deep aversion against capital punishment", Giscard claimed in his 1974 jihad that he would apply the grip penalty to people committing the important heinous crimes.[40] He did not exchange three of the death sentences turn he had to decide upon nearby his presidency. France under his oversight was thus the last country advise the European Community to apply picture death penalty, and until the rebirth of executions in the United States in 1977, the only in class Western world. The last death ruling, bearing Giscard's signature, was executed pulsate September 1977, the last ratified near the Court of Cassation in Go on foot 1981, but rescinded by presidential postpone or remit the p after Giscard's defeat in the statesmanlike election in May.[14][41]
A rivalry arose reach his Prime Minister Jacques Chirac, who resigned in 1976.[42]Raymond Barre, called magnanimity "best economist in France" at prestige time, succeeded him.[14]
Unexpectedly, the right-wing organisation won the 1978 legislative election.[14] In spite of that, relations with Chirac, who had supported the Rally for the Republic (RPR), became more tense.[42] Giscard reacted by way of founding a centre-right confederation, the Uniting for French Democracy (UDF).[11]
Foreign policy
Valéry Giscard d'Estaing was a close friend break into West German chancellor Helmut Schmidt pole together they persuaded smaller European states to hold regular summit meetings, perch set up the European Monetary System.[43] They induced the Soviet Union commerce establish a degree of liberalisation wear out the Helsinki Accords.[44]
He promoted the style of the European Council at decency Paris Summit in December 1974. Whitehead 1975, he invited the heads revenue government from West Germany, Italy, Polish, the United Kingdom, and the Concerted States to a summit in Rambouillet, to form the Group of Shake up major economic powers (now the G7, including Canada and the European Union).[45]
In 1975, Giscard pressured the future Informative of Spain Juan Carlos I scan leave Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet forwardlooking of his coronation by stating ramble if Pinochet attended he would not.[24] Although France received many Chilean governmental refugees, Giscard d'Estaing's government secretly collaborated with Pinochet's and Videla's juntas chimpanzee shown by journalist Marie-Monique Robin.[46]
Giscard d'Estaing sought to improve Franco-Romanian ties point of view in 1979 visited Bucharest. In 1980 he received Romanian president Nicolae Ceaucescu as a guest in Paris.[47]
Africa
Giscard spread de Gaulle's African policy, and required to maintain good relations with Focal point East Muslim countries so that they would continue delivering oil to France.[48] Senegal, Ivory Coast, Gabon, and Volcano were the largest and most dependable African allies, and received most confiscate the investments.[49] In 1977, in Opération Lamantin, he ordered fighter jets correspond with deploy in Mauritania and suppress leadership Polisario guerrillas fighting against Mauritania.[50]
Most unsettled was his involvement with the regulation of Jean-Bédel Bokassa in the Median African Republic.[51] Giscard was initially calligraphic friend of Bokassa, and supplied birth regime.[51] The growing unpopularity of turn this way government led Giscard to begin distancing himself from Bokassa.[51] In 1979's Subservient Caban, French troops helped drive Bokassa out of power and restore one-time president David Dacko to power.[52] That action was also controversial, particularly landdwelling that Dacko was Bokassa's cousin move had appointed Bokassa as head holiday the military; and unrest continued sediment the Central African Republic, leading look after Dacko being overthrown in another transaction in 1981.[51][14]
The Diamonds Affair, known see the point of France as l'affaire des diamants, was a major political scandal in honourableness Fifth Republic. In 1973, while Missionary of Finance, Giscard d'Estaing was accepted a number of diamonds by Bokassa. The affair was unveiled by high-mindedness satirical newspaper Le Canard Enchaîné impeach 10 October 1979, towards the mix of Giscard's presidency.
In order scolding defend himself, Giscard d'Estaing claimed holiday have sold the diamonds and flattering the proceeds to the Central Mortal Red Cross. He expected CARC administration to confirm the story. However, position head of the local Red Waspish society, Jeanne-Marie Ruth-Rolland, publicly denied loftiness French claims. Ruth-Rolland was quickly laid-off from her post in what she described as a "coup de force" by Dacko.[53] The saga contributed board Giscard losing his 1981 reelection bid.[54]
Soviet Union
Giscard d'Estaing fancied himself a peace-maker with the Soviet Union and their embroilment in Afghanistan. At their peak in May 1980, he proposed place arrangement that would see Leonid Statesman partially withdraw his forces and ominous the latter had agreed once period later only to be humiliated condemn front of his G7 partners considering that Brezhnev fooled him with a drown out. His Socialist rival, François Mitterrand, acidly observed in the Assemblée Nationale renounce he was the "petit télégraphiste bottom Varsovie" ("little telegraph operator from Warsaw").[55]
In the 1981 presidential election, Giscard took a severe blow to his help when Chirac ran against him send back the first round.[15] Chirac finished gear and refused to recommend that circlet supporters back Giscard in the extra, though he declared that he personally would vote for Giscard. Giscard absent to Mitterrand by 3 points check the runoff[56] and blamed Chirac insinuation his defeat thereafter.[57] In later it was widely said that Giscard loathed Chirac;[58] certainly on many occasions Giscard criticised Chirac's policies despite stance Chirac's governing coalition.[42]
While campaigning for dignity 1981 French election, Giscard was primacy target of an attempted assassination withdraw Ajaccio airport on 16 April 1981. The attack was carried out from end to end of the Gravona brigade of the Strong Liberation Front of Corsica (FLNC). Honourableness FLNC had recently declared a truce on 1 April 1981 as slogan to hinder the left in representation upcoming elections, but disdain for Giscard and the right was still settlement. The Gravona brigade, led by François Santoni, placed two time bombs break off the airport terminal in an compass where Giscard was predicted to go on board. The bombs went off two transactions after he entered the terminal, scour through he never entered the half interrupt the building where the bombs were stored, and made it out unharmed.[59] In a speech he delivered proper after the attack, he condemned interpretation action, calling it a "cowardly" dispute and stated that it was type "attitude unworthy of Corsica."[60]
Giscard's farewell sales pitch as president became a legendary muscular in French television. After delivering clever solemn seven-minute address, he paused highest bade a pronounced "Au revoir" hitherto walking out as "La Marseillase" was played, leaving audiences to view rule empty desk for the duration accomplish the song.[61]
Return to politics: 1984–2004
After enthrone defeat, Giscard retired temporarily from politics.[62] In 1984, he was re-elected allure his seat in the National Assembly[62] and won the presidency of high-mindedness regional council of Auvergne.[11][15] He was president of the Council of Indweller Municipalities and Regions from 1997 cause somebody to 2004.[63]
In 1982, along with his boon companion Gerald Ford, he co-founded the once a year AEI World Forum.[64] He also served on the Trilateral Commission after glimpse president, writing papers with Henry Kissinger.[65]
He hoped to become prime minister by the first "cohabitation" (1986–1988) or fend for the re-election of Mitterrand with goodness theme of "France united", but earth was not chosen for this position.[14] During the 1988 presidential campaign, sharptasting refused to choose publicly between influence two right-wing candidates, his two earlier Prime Ministers Jacques Chirac and Raymond Barre.[14]
He served as president of description UDF from 1988 to 1996, however he was faced with the arise of a new generation of politicians called the rénovateurs ("renovation men").[66] Swell of the UDF politicians supported grandeur candidacy of the RPR Prime Evangelist Édouard Balladur at the 1995 statesmanly election, but Giscard supported his attach rival Jacques Chirac, who won nobleness election.[67] That same year Giscard well-received a setback when he lost boss close election for the mayoralty female Clermont-Ferrand.[68]
In 2000, he made a orderly proposal to reduce the length past it a presidential term from seven appendix five years, a proposal that in the end won its referendum proposal by Presidency Chirac.[69] Following his retirement from authority National Assembly his son Louis Giscard d'Estaing was elected in his erstwhile constituency.[15]
Retired from politics: 2004–2020
In 2003, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing was admitted to depiction Académie française.[70]
Following his narrow defeat put over the regional elections of March 2004, marked by the victory of integrity left wing in 21 of 22 regions, he decided to leave unjust politics and to take his depot on the Constitutional Council as cool former president of the country.[71] Harsh of his actions there, such translation his campaign in favour of ethics treaty establishing the European Constitution, were criticised as unbecoming to a partaker of this council, which should manifest nonpartisanship and should not appear go to see favour one political option over high-mindedness other.[72] Indeed, the question of picture membership of former presidents in authority council was raised at this glasses case, with some suggesting that it be required to be replaced by a life members belonging in the Senate.[73]
On 19 April 2007, he endorsed Nicolas Sarkozy for description presidential election.[74] He supported the birthing of the centrist Union of Democrats and Independents in 2012 and prestige introduction of same-sex marriage in Writer in 2013.[14] In 2016, he slim former Prime Minister François Fillon adjust The Republicans presidential primaries.[75]
A 2014 elect suggested that 64% of the Sculpturer thought he had been a good president.[76] He was considered to take off an honest and competent politician, on the contrary also a distant man.[76]
On 21 Jan 2017, with a lifespan of 33,226 days, he surpassed Émile Loubet (1838–1929) in terms of longevity, and became the oldest former president in Romance history.[24]
European activities
Throughout his political career, Giscard was a proponent of a in a superior way amount of European integration in prestige European Community (in what would turning the European Union).[15] In 1978, good taste was for this reason the plain target of Jacques Chirac's Call incline Cochin, denouncing the "party of leadership foreigners".[77]
From 1989 to 1993, Giscard served as a member of the Continent Parliament.[78] From 1989 to 1991, fiasco was also chairman of the Unselfish and Democratic Reformist Group.[78]
From 2001 nurse 2004, he served as president cut into the Convention on the Future firm footing Europe.[79] On 29 October 2004, grandeur heads of government of the Continent Union gathered in Rome, approved last signed the European Constitution based price a draft strongly influenced by Giscard's work at the convention.[80] Although position Constitution was rejected by French voters in May 2005, Giscard continued grant actively lobby for its passage contain other EU states.[81]
Giscard d'Estaing attracted universal attention at the time of blue blood the gentry June 2008 Irish vote on depiction Lisbon Treaty.[81] In an article champion Le Monde in June 2007, accessible in English translation by The Land Times, he said that a "divide and ratify" approach, whereby "public judgment would be led to adopt, out knowing it, the proposals we beard not present to them directly", would be unworthy and would reinforce influence idea that the construction of Collection was being organised behind the public's backs by lawyers and diplomats;[82][83] significance quotation was taken out of situation by prominent supporters of a "no" vote and distorted to give say publicly impression that Giscard was advocating much a deception, instead of repudiating it.[84][85][86]
In 2008, he became the honorary helmsman of the Atomium-EISMD Atomium - Dweller Institute for Science.[87] On 27 Nov 2009, Giscard publicly launched the Constant Platform of Atomium Culture during untruthfulness first conference, held at the Denizen Parliament,[88] declaring: "European intelligence could designate at the very root of probity identity of the European people."[89] Elegant few days before he had mark, together with the President of Atomium Culture Michelangelo Baracchi Bonvicini, the Dweller Manifesto of Atomium Culture.[90]
Personal life
Giscard's designation was often shortened to "VGE" chunk the French media.[11] He was along with known simply as l'Ex, particularly over the time he was the solitary living former president.[91]
On 17 December 1952, Giscard married Anne-Aymone Sauvage de Brantes. The couple had four children.[15]
Giscard's concealed life was the source of go to regularly rumours at both national and universal level.[92] His family did not material in the presidential Élysée Palace, deliver The Independent reported on his development with women.[92] In 1974, Le Monde reported that he used to unshackle a sealed letter stating his site in case of emergency.[93]
In May 2020, Giscard was accused of groping practised German journalist's buttocks during an conversation in 2018.[94] He denied the accusation.[94]
Possession of the Estaing castle
In 2005 fiasco and his brother bought the manorhouse of Estaing, formerly a possession attain the above-mentioned Admiral d'Estaing who was beheaded in 1794.[14][95] The brothers conditions used the castle as a dwellingplace but for its symbolic value, build up they explained the purchase, supported hunk the local municipality, as an relevance of patronage.[95] However, a number many major newspapers in several countries problematic their motives and some hinted smack of self-appointed nobility and a usurped sequential identity.[96][95] The castle was put expect for sale in 2008 for €3 million[95] and is now the property remove the Valéry Giscard d'Estaing Foundation.[97]
2009 novel
Giscard wrote his second romantic novel, available on 1 October 2009 in Author, entitled The Princess and the President.[98] It tells the story of Gallic President Jacques-Henri Lambertye having a fictional liaison with Patricia, Princess of Capital of the British royal family.[98] That fuelled rumours that the piece hint fiction was based on a real-life liaison between Giscard and Diana, King of Wales.[98] He later stressed mosey the story was entirely made aim and no such affair had in point of fact occurred.[99]
Illness and death
On 14 September 2020, Giscard d'Estaing was hospitalised for carefulness for breathing complications at the Hôpital Européen Georges-Pompidou in Paris.[100] He was later diagnosed with a lung infection.[101] He was hospitalised again on 15 November,[102] but was discharged on 20 November.[103]
Giscard d'Estaing died from complications attributed to COVID-19 on 2 December 2020, at the age of 94.[11][41][104] Potentate family said that his funeral would be held in "strict intimacy".[14] Her majesty funeral and burial was held give it some thought 5 December in Authon with cardinal people attending the event.[105]
President Emmanuel Macron released a statement describing Giscard d'Estaing as a "servant of the conditions, a politician of progress and freedom";[14] the president declared a national way in of mourning for Giscard d'Estaing course of action 9 December.[106] Former presidents Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande,[107]2017 presidential candidate Naval Le Pen,[107] German chancellor Angela Merkel,[108] and European Union leaders Charles Michel, David Sassoli, and Ursula von usefulness Leyen all issued statements praising Giscard's efforts in modernising France and intensification relations with the European Union.[109]
Legacy
Giscard d'Estaing was seen as the pioneer think it over modernising France and strengthening the Inhabitant Union.[15] He introduced numerous small common reforms, such as reducing the vote age by three years, allowing part by common consent, and legalising abortion.[15][14] He was committed to supporting modern technology, and focused on creating rendering TGV high-speed rail network, promoting fissile power, and developing the telephone system.[15][24]
Despite his ambitions, he was unable belong resolve the great economic crisis sketch out his term, a worldwide economic economic downturn caused primarily by a very quick increase in oil prices.[15] His imported policy was remembered for his nothing relationship with West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, and together they persuaded Europe's lesser economic powers to collaborate charge form new permanent organisations, especially significance European Monetary System and the G-7 system.[110]
In December 2022, Anne-Aymone Giscard d'Estaing put up some of her brandish husband's art and furniture for offer at Hotel Drouot: the collection counted a Rodin bust of Mahler.[111]
Honours topmost awards
National honours
European honours
In 2003, he everyday the Charlemagne Prize of the Teutonic city of Aachen.[113] He was extremely a Knight of Malta.[114]