Greek president honors founding father of Europe

Presidents Katerina Sakellaropoulou of Greece (right) and Emmanuel Macron of France (left) greet each other at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Thursday, during a ceremony honoring Valery Giscard d’Estaing (1926-2020) on the one-year anniversary of his death. The former French president and MEP “poured all his energy into building a stronger Europe,” David Sassoli, the head of the House, said in the opening speech. “Europe was a historic challenge for him.” In his address, Macron also highlighted d’Estaing’s support for Greece’s integration into the Union. “He believed we had to go back to our land of origin, had to bring in the land of Pericles, of Aristotle.” In comments to the media later, Sakellaropoulou also stressed d’Estaing’s contribution to “shaping contemporary Greece.”