Ex-French president dies at 94 after contracting COVID

PARIS

Former French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing died Wednesday at the age of 94 after contacting the novel coronavirus.

His family said in a statement that he passed away at his home in the Loir-et-Cher region.

He was hospitalized in the city of Tours on Nov. 17 due to respiratory problems.

D'Estaing served as president from 1974-1981.

He started his political life as a parliamentarian in 1956 and served as minister of finance and economic affairs under President Charles de Gaulle from 1962 to 1966 and as minister of economy and finance under President Georges Pompidou from 1969 to 1974.