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. In France he is remembered for his radical reform drive which included the legalisation of abortion, the liberalisation of divorce and lowering the voting age to 18. But the name Valerie Giscard Destin is tied to the revolution in this country that happened in February 1979 (1357 BCE) and during his presidency.
He launched his political career in 1959, becoming finance minister in 1969. After his defeat in 1981 – which he said left him with “frustration at a job unfinished” – he remained active in centrist politics, first regaining a seat in the French parliament and then serving in the European Parliament. In 2001 was selected by European leaders to lead work on the bloc’s constitutional treaty – which French voters then rejected. In 2004, after losing his legislative seat, Giscard ended his active political career.
