Jacques Delors, former European Commission chief and a founding father of the European Union’s (EU) historic single currency project, has died. He was 98.

The French socialist and ardent advocate of post-war European integration died in his sleep at his Paris home on Wednesday, his family said.

Delors served as president of the European Commission for three terms – longer than any other holder of the office – from January 1985 until the end of 1994.