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Long-serving former Belgian premier and European conservative leader Wilfried Martens died overnight Wednesday to Thursday aged 77.
Martens headed nine Belgian governments over a dozen years and presided the European People’s Party conservative group (EPP) for more than a quarter century.
His death was announced by his Belgian CD&V party and confirmed by the European Parliament and the EPP.
Born April 19, 1936, he served as prime minister between 1979 and 1992, with the exception of a short eight-month period in 1981.
He became president of the EPP in 1981 but a few days ago announced after having been hospitalised in August and early September that he would hand over the reins.