Editing Pierre Werner

{{Short description|Luxembourgish politician (1913–2002)}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{more citations needed|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name			= Pierre Werner
|image			= Pierre Werner 204g.jpg
|office1		= [[List of Prime Ministers of Luxembourg|Prime Minister of Luxembourg]]
|term_start1		= 16 July 1979
|term_end1		= 20 July 1984
|monarch1		= [[Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg|Jean]]
|predecessor1		= [[Gaston Thorn]]
|successor1		= [[Jacques Santer]]
|term_start2		= 2 March 1959
|term_end2		= 15 June 1974
|monarch2		= [[Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg|Charlotte]]<br> Jean
|predecessor2		= [[Pierre Frieden]]
|successor2		= Gaston Thorn
|office3  = [[List of Ministers for Finances of Luxembourg|Minister of Finances]]
|term_start3 = 23 December 1953
|term_end3 = 15 June 1974
|primeminister3= [[Joseph Bech]] <br> Pierre Frieden <br> ''Himself''
|predecessor3= [[Pierre Dupong]]
|successor3= [[Raymond Vouel]]
|office4= [[List of Ministers for Justice of Luxembourg|Minister of Justice]]
|term_start4= 2 March 1959
|term_end4= 3 January 1967
|primeminister4= ''Himself''
|predecessor4= [[Victor Bodson]]
|successor4= [[Jean Dupong]]
|office5= [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Luxembourg)|Minister of Foreign Affairs]]
|term_start5= 15 July 1964
|term_end5= 3 January 1967
|primeminister5= ''Himself''
|predecessor5= [[Eugène Schaus]]
|successor5= [[Pierre Grégoire]]
|office6= [[List of Ministers for Defence of Luxembourg|Minister of Defence]]
|term_start6= 23 December 1953
|term_end6= 2 March 1959
|primeminister6= Joseph Bech <br> Pierre Frieden 
|predecessor6= Joseph Bech
|successor6= Eugène Schaus
|birth_date		= {{birth date|1913|12|29|df=y}}
|birth_place		= [[Saint-André-lez-Lille]], [[France]]
|death_date		= {{Death date and age|2002|6|24|1913|12|29|df=y}}
|death_place		= [[Luxembourg City|Luxembourg]], [[Luxembourg]]
|party			= [[Christian Social People's Party|Christian Social People's]]
}}

'''Pierre Werner''' (29 December 1913 – 24 June 2002)<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url = https://www.theguardian.com/news/2002/jun/28/guardianobituaries.euro|title = Obituary: Pierre Werner. The man who dreamed up the euro|last = Bates|first = Stephen|date = 28 June 2002|work = The Guardian|access-date = 7 December 2015}}</ref> was a Luxembourgish politician of the [[Christian Social People's Party]] (CSV) who was the [[prime minister of Luxembourg]] from 1959 to 1974 and from 1979 to 1984.

==Training and early activities==

Pierre Werner was born in [[Saint-André-lez-Lille]], [[Nord (French department)|Nord]], France, to Luxembourgish parents.<ref name=":2" /> He studied at the ''Cours Supérieurs de Luxembourg'' (a forerunner to the [[University of Luxembourg]]) from 1933 to 1934 and continued his higher education at the [[Paris Law Faculty|Law Faculty of the University of Paris]] and the [[Sciences Po|École libre des sciences politiques]] from 1934 to 1937. In 1938, he completed a PhD in law in Luxembourg.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url = https://www.gouvernement.lu/817424/bio_eng1.pdf|title = Pierre Werner (* 1913 – † 2002) Biographical note|website = gouvernement.lu|publisher = Service Information et Presse}}</ref> He was involved in several student organisations, becoming chairman of the Association of Catholic Students from 1935 to 1937 and vice-president of the [[Pax Romana (organization)|Pax Romana]] movement (The International Movement for Intellectual and Cultural Affairs) in 1937.<ref name=":2" />

In 1938 he became a lawyer in Luxembourg City, before becoming a banker instead.<ref name=":2" /> During the Nazi occupation of Luxembourg (1940–1945) Werner gave clandestine support to the resistance against the occupation forces.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}} After World War II he became the Controller of the banking system in his country.<ref name=":1">Thewes, Guy. [http://www.gouvernement.lu/1828371/Gouvernements_depuis_1848-version_2011.pdf "Les gouvernements du Grand-Duché depuis 1848."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303182824/http://www.gouvernement.lu/1828371/Gouvernements_depuis_1848-version_2011.pdf |date=3 March 2016 }} Service information et presse. Luxembourg: Imprimerie Centrale, 2011.</ref> He attended the [[Bretton Woods Conference]] which set up the [[International Monetary Fund]] (IMF).{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}

== Government ==
Werner was appointed as Finance Minister of Luxembourg in 1953, and was 19th and 21st [[Prime Minister of Luxembourg|Prime Minister]] from 1959 to 1974 and from 1979 to 1984. He also served as Minister for Culture.

As head of government, he governed in coalition with the [[Democratic Party (Luxembourg)|Democratic Party]] (1959–1964), then the [[Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party]] (1964–1969), then the DP again (1969–1974). Werner and the CSV went into opposition for the first time since World War II from 1974 to 1979. When he returned to power, his last government was another coalition with the DP (1979–1984).

Werner was instrumental in solving the "empty chair" crisis provoked in 1965 by President [[Charles de Gaulle]] who, dissatisfied with the orientations of European integration at that time, had decided France would suspend its participation in meetings with other Member States; Werner persuaded France to resume its seat, thus re-enabling the decision-making process. In 1970, Werner was given the mandate by the heads of State or government to draft, with a group of experts, a blueprint for an economic and monetary union within the EEC. His report advocated gradual reforms, the irreversible fixing of exchange rates, and the introduction of a single currency within a decade.<ref name=":0" /> As it happened, the plan was not implemented at the time, due to internal political disagreements, and the oil crisis;<ref name=":0" /> however the “[[Werner Plan]]” was later revived and extended by [[Jacques Delors]]. Its principles were enshrined in the [[Treaty of Maastricht]], paving the way for the [[single European currency]], i.e. the [[euro]].

As Prime Minister, Werner, a [[Christian Democrat]], undertook the diversification of the national economy, hard hit by a major Europe-wide crisis in the steel industry, by attracting new industrial investments, as well as financial services to the Grand Duchy. He placed Luxembourg on the map of global satellite communications. He is remembered for having used "[[Tripartism|tripartite]]" social mediation (industry, labour and government) to overcome the severe steel crisis which lasted from 1979 to 1984. He placed the process of [[European integration]] at the centre of the policy of his country. With friends such as Joseph Bech, [[Jean Monnet]] and [[Robert Schuman]], Werner was a determined advocate of European integration. During his terms in office, he negotiated the relocation of several European institutions to Luxembourg.

The [[Pierre Werner Institute]] (Institut Pierre Werner, IPW) was created in Luxembourg in 2003 at the behest of the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany and Luxembourg (at the time, respectively [[Dominique de Villepin]], [[Joschka Fischer]] and [[Lydie Polfer]]), the project having been fostered by [[Erna Hennicot-Schoepges]], then Minister for Culture, Universities and Research in Luxembourg. IPW organises seminars and conferences aimed at promoting better understanding among the three founding countries, but also more widely throughout Europe.

Werner, a sponsor of culture and especially music, actively promoted the restoration of Luxembourg's heritage (e.g. [[Vianden Castle]]). A fan of cricket since living in London, the United Kingdom, in 1930, Werner was Honorary President of the [[Optimists Cricket Club]], which he promoted during, between, and after his premierships.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.optimists.cc/optimists/pwobituary.htm |title=Pierre Werner |access-date=8 October 2006 |year=2002 |publisher=Optimists Cricket Club |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070928162132/http://www.optimists.cc/optimists/pwobituary.htm <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 28 September 2007}}</ref> In his honour, Luxembourg's main cricket ground, the [[Pierre Werner Cricket Ground]] in [[Walferdange]], is named after him.

Pierre Werner died on 24 June 2002, in Luxembourg City.<ref>{{Cite news|url = http://www.economist.com/node/1213163|title = Pierre Werner|date = 2002-07-04|access-date = 2016-01-22|newspaper = The Economist}}</ref>

==Political responsibilities==

Pierre Werner served as 'President of the Government' (Prime Minister) from 1959 to 1974 and from 1979 to 1984.<br>On each occasion this post was combined with several ministerial portfolios :

* 1954–1959: Minister of Finance and Minister of the Armed Forces;<ref name=":1" />
* 1959–1964: President of the Government and Minister of Finance;<ref name=":1" />
* 1964–1967: President of the Government, Minister for the Treasury, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister for Justice;<ref name=":1" />
* 1967–1969: President of the Government, Minister for the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service;<ref name=":1" />
* 1969–1974: President of the Government, Minister for Finance;<ref name=":1" />
* 1979–1984: President of the Government.<ref name=":1" />

Werner was a member of parliament and leader of the [[Christian Social People's Party|CSV]] from 1974 to 1979. During this period he was the leader of the parliamentary opposition. In 1979 the CSV won the parliamentary elections in Luxembourg. At this time, Werner was also elected to the European Parliament but he chose not to sit as an MEP, to serve as President of the Government.

==Other activities==

After withdrawing from politics in 1984, Pierre Werner continued to assume some official duties and pursue cultural activities. From 1985 to 1987, he was Chairman of the Governing Board of the ''Compagnie luxembourgeoise de télédiffusion'' (CLT, Radio Luxembourg).<ref name=":1" /> Werner placed Luxembourg on the map of global satellite communications. From 1989 to 1996, he was chairman of the board of directors of the [[SES (company)|Société Européenne des Satellites]], becoming honorary chairman in 1996. During this last term of office, he had laid the ground for the establishment of this company. He worked hard both within Luxembourg<ref name="b">{{harvsp|CORTAY, Linda. Envers et contre tous, le Luxembourg a lancé Astra : 25e anniversaire du lancement du premier satellite luxembourgeois. In ''Luxemburger Wort''. Montag, den 9. Dezember 2013. pp.2–3.|id=b}}</ref> and abroad to realise his vision for a medium-power satellite in Luxembourg, enabling his country to become a forerunner in global satellite telecommunications.<ref name="c">{{harvsp|ZIMMER, Paul. ASTRA: Eine Erfolgsstory. In ''Innovation: Integration : Festschrift Für Pierre Werner / Mélanges pour Pierre Werner''. KIRT, Romain; MEISCH, Adrien; WERNER, Pierre. Luxembourg: Editions Saint-Paul, 1993. OCLC:41492719. pp.135–144|id=c}}</ref>

Pierre Werner was also a member of the National Ethics Committee of Luxembourg.

== See also ==
* [[List of prime ministers of Luxembourg]]
* [[Werner-Schaus Ministry I]]
* [[Werner-Cravatte Government]]
* [[Werner-Schaus Ministry II]]
* [[Werner-Thorn Ministry]]
* [[Werner-Flesch Ministry]]
* [[East-West United Bank]]
* [[Institut Monétaire Luxembourgeois]]

==Notes and references==

{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{cite news  |first = Stephen |last = Bates |url = https://www.theguardian.com/euro/story/0,11306,745398,00.html |title = Pierre Werner: the man who dreamed up the euro |work = The Guardian |date = 28 June 2002 |access-date = 15 July 2006 }}

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{{end}}

{{Luxembourg Prime Ministers}}
{{Presidents of the European Council}}
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{{Prince of Asturias Award for Social Sciences}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Werner, Pierre}}
[[Category:1913 births]]
[[Category:2002 deaths]]
[[Category:Politicians from Nord (French department)]]
[[Category:Luxembourgian Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Christian Social People's Party politicians]]
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[[Category:Bretton Woods Conference delegates]]
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