Jacques Delors

Member of the Jury

Jacques Lucien Jean Delors (born July 20, 1925, in Paris, France) is a French economist and politician, who served two terms as President of the European Commission from 1985-1995. In the 1940s-1960s, Delors held a series of posts in French banking and state planning. In 1969, he became an adviser to the Gaullist Prime Minister Jacques Chaban-Delmas. He served in the European Parliament from 1979 to 1981. Under President François Mitterrand, Delors served as Economics and Finance Minister from 1981-83, and Economics, Finance, and Budget Minister from 1983-84, during which time he helped to revive the French economy.

Delors became the President of the European Commission in 1985. During his presidency, he oversaw important budgetary reforms and laid the groundwork for the introduction of a single market within the European Community, which came into effect on January 1, 1993.

In 1995, the members of the French Socialist party, which Delors had joined in 1974, attempted to persuade him to run for President of France. It was thought that he would have a very good chance of defeating either of the main conservative contenders—Édouard Balladur and Jacques Chirac. However Delors declined to run and the eventual Socialist nominee, Lionel Jospin, was defeated in the presidential election by Chirac.

Jacques Delors brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the jury of the António Champalimaud Science Award.