Watson marks the decease of Gaston Thorn

2.20.32pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 28th Aug 2007

At the first ALDE Group meeting after the summer break, European Liberal Democrat Leader Graham Watson will today commemorate the life of Gaston Thorn, a former MEP (1959-1969) and Vice-President of the Group and the first President of the ELDR Party as well as a former President of the European Commission and Prime Minister of Luxembourg.

"Gaston Thorn was a forward thinking liberal, always challenging, provoking, and reforming. He enriched European debate with a modern liberalism which stressed the need for a Free Market combined with social responsibility. Those ideas - considered inconceivable when articulated 30 years ago - have now been fully integrated into the mainstream of all political ideologies, whether on the right or left. For us, his thoughts, speeches and political action will remain a beacon for the future".