Strasbourg / Brussels, 27/06/2000 (Agence Europe) - Pierre Pflimlin has died in Strasbourg, at the age of 93. He served several times as minister (and briefly prime minister, in 1958), MRP President, President of the Assembly of the Council of Europe and, from 1984 to 1987, President of the European Parliament.
Nicole Fontaine, President of the European Parliament, expressed her sadness at the death of "one of those historic Europeans who, since the end of the war" were "on every front fighting for the construction of a strong and united Europe". As a resident of Alsace and of Strasbourg, a friend and companion of Robert Schuman, he was one of those who promoted reconciliation between France and Germany", recalled Ms Fontaine, affirming that, during the presidency of Pierre Pflimlin, the European Parliament had become "an indispensable partner, mainly on the budgetary level". Pierre Pflimlin left the European Parliament in 1989 but remained for many Europeans, and mainly the young, "a reference of authority, a voice that gave rise to enthusiasm", said Ms Fontaine, stressing the "value and the clarity of his message, which still remains highly topical for all of us today".