Former Prime Minister
of Luxembourg, Jacques Santer came to the presidency of the European Commission
(1995-1999) as a compromise choice. He was selected for a five-year term by the
European Council. Santer was drafted after Major had vetoed the selection of
Belgian Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene, whose candidacy had been advanced by
France and Germany.
After a row of
corruption problems, he resigned, and with him all the members of the Commission,
in 1999.
Juan
Carlos Ocaña
