Editing Jacques Delors (section)

==French politics==
Born in Paris in a family originating from [[Corrèze]], Delors first held in the 1940s through the 1960s a series of posts in French banking and state planning with the [[Bank of France]].<ref name="europa1">{{Cite web |url=http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/president/history/delors/index_en.htm |title=European Commission - Discover the former Presidents - Jacques Delors |access-date=21 September 2009 |archive-date=4 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104042326/http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/president/history/delors/index_en.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> As a member of the [[French Confederation of Christian Workers]] (CFTC), he participated in its secularization and the foundation of the [[French Democratic Confederation of Labour]] (CFDT). In 1969, he became social affairs adviser to the [[Gaullist]] Prime Minister [[Jacques Chaban-Delmas]], a move which was presented as part of Chaban's outreach to the centre-ground and first attracted media attention to Delors personally.<ref name="europa1"/>

In 1957, Delors left the CFDT when he became a high government official to avoid conflicts of interests. In 1974, he joined the [[Socialist Party (France)|Socialist Party]], with other left-wing Christians. He was one of the rare members of the party to be openly religious, thus challenging its long-standing secular tradition of {{Lang|fr|[[laïcité]]}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://biography.yourdictionary.com/jacques-delors|title=Jacques Delors Facts|website=biography.yourdictionary.com|language=en|access-date=21 June 2017|archive-date=7 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171007170759/http://biography.yourdictionary.com/jacques-delors|url-status=live}}</ref> He served in the [[European Parliament]] from 1979 to 1981, becoming chairman of its Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, actively taking part in debates about economic, social, and monetary policies.<ref name="europa1"/> Under President [[François Mitterrand]], Delors served as Economics and Finance Minister from 1981 to 1983, and Economics, Finance, and Budget Minister from 1983 to 1984.<ref name="europa1"/> He advocated a pause in the social policies, a clear acceptance of the market economy, and an alignment with European [[social democracy]]. Critically, he held the line on France's membership of the [[European Monetary System]] (EMS), giving priority to monetary stability over left-wing spending priorities. Mitterrand flirted with the idea of naming him Prime Minister, but never made the appointment.<ref name=f24>{{cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20231227-from-community-to-union-jacques-delors-champion-of-europe|title=From community to union: Jacques Delors, champion of Europe|publisher=France 24|date=27 December 2023|accessdate=28 December 2023|archive-date=27 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227224243/https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20231227-from-community-to-union-jacques-delors-champion-of-europe|url-status=live}}</ref>