Jacques Santer

Jacques Santer (Jean Jacques Santer) , 1937-, Luxembourg political leader and European statesman. A lawyer and economist, he entered politics as a member of the Christian Social party in 1965 and later held several ministerial posts, notably finance minister (1979-84). Santer became Luxembourg's prime minister in 1984 and served until 1995, when he became president of the European Commission, the European Union's executive body. He and the rest of the commissioners resigned in 1999 as a result of financial scandals involving the European Commission.

Santer, Jacques (1937– ) Luxembourg statesman, prime minister of Luxembourg (1984–94), president of the European Union (1994–99). Santer was a member of the Luxembourg Chamber of Deputies before being elected to the European Parliament, of which he was vice president (1975–77). In 1999, following charges of corruption, Santer and all the European commissioners resigned.

Santer, Jacques (b. 18 May 1937). President of the European Commission 1995–99 Born in Wasserbillig (Luxembourg), he studied in Strasburg and Paris, where he received a doctorate, and worked as a lawyer. He became the secretary to the parliamentary group of the Christian Social People's Party of Luxembourg in 1966, and advanced to being a Minister of State in 1972. In 1974 he became a member of the Luxembourg Parliament and of the European Parliament, of which he was one of the Vice-Presidents 1975–9. In 1979 he became the Minister of Labour in Luxembourg, and in 1984 he was elected Prime Minister. He was also president of the (Christian Democrat) European People's Party, the second largest party in the European Parliament, 1987–90. On 23 January 1995 he succeeded Delors as President of the European Commission. Although he was seen especially by the British as more moderate on the question of European integration than his predecessor, he continued to press ahead with plans for monetary union, albeit in a more conciliatory manner. At the same time, he failed to respond adequately to accusations of impropriety against two of his Commissioners. As the threat of impeachment of the entire Commission grew, he submitted a collective resignation shortly before his term of office expired, in 1999. The resignation was extremely damaging to the institution of the Commission, while the corruption allegations violated Santer's efforts at bringing greater transparency to the Commission. He was succeeded by Romano Prodi.