Paris: Former French president Valery Giscard d'Estaing died late Wednesday of coronavirus, as informed by his family. He led France into a new modern era and onto a firmly pro-European path. 

Mr. Giscard had been in the hospital several times in the last months as he had heart problems, died "surrounded by his family" at the family home in the Loire region. The family in a statement to AFP said, "His state of health had worsened and he died as a consequence of Covid-19," and that his funeral would take place in intimate circumstances according to his wishes. He became the youngest ever president at 48 in 1974, beating his Socialist rival Francois Mitterrand. Later he was elected to the European Parliament, serving from 1989 to 1993. His presidency marked a clear break from the Gaullist conservatism of postwar France which had been dominated by Charles de Gaulle himself, and his successor Georges Pompidou. Among younger generations, the former president is also known for his concession speech after his defeat to Mitterrand, saying “Au revoir” to the French people before theatrically leaving his desk.

Another former French president Sarkozy said in a Twitter post that Giscard had “worked his whole life to reinforce the bonds between European nations, sought and achieved the modernization of political life, and dedicated his great intelligence to analyzing the most complex international issues.”

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