Santer, Jacques (1937 - )

: Jacques Santer (Photo: EP)

Santer, Jacques (1937 - )

As Prime Minister of Luxembourg (1984-1995), Jacques Santer led the negotiations on the Single European Act, which effectively set aside the 20-year old Luxembourg Compromise.

Santer subsequently became President of the EU Commission when the UK vetoed the nomination of the Belgian Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene, preferring the similarly, federalist but supposedly weaker, Santer.

He and the rest of his Commission resigned on 15^th March 1999 following an investigation into administrative failings (incompetence and malpractice) by an independent group of experts. The report stated that they had not found a single person showing the slightest sense of responsibility.

From 1999 - 2004, Santer has been a Christian Democratic member of the European Parliament. EPP.

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