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AFP
Paris
Simone Veil, the Auschwitz survivor who became a towering figure in French politics after pushing to legalise abortion in the face of fierce opposition, was hailed Friday as"the best of France" following her death at 89.
Veil, a women's rights icon who served as the first elected president of the European Parliament, died at her home, her son Jean Veil said.
Expressing his condolences, French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted:"May her example inspire our fellow citizens, as the best of what France can achieve."
Macron's predecessor Francois Hollande said she"embodied dignity, courage and moral rectitude".
"France has lost a figure the likes of which history produces few," French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe tweeted.
