The Institute of Political Science at the University of Duisburg-Essen mourns the loss of Prof. Dr Klaus Hänsch, who, as a long-serving Member of the European Parliament and President of the European Parliament, played a key role in shaping European integration over the course of several decades.
Hänsch was not only a staunch European and parliamentarian, but also a proven expert on the institutional foundations of the European Union. He was able to contribute first-hand, particularly on issues relating to its institutional development: as a member of the Committee on Institutional Affairs and the Praesidium of the European Constitutional Convention, he was personally involved in drafting and formulating key proposals. He maintained close ties with the Institute for many years as an honorary professor, bringing his extensive political and practical experience to bear in teaching and academic exchange. His perspective on European politics was therefore of particular value to students and colleagues alike.
At the same time, Hänsch was far from viewing European integration as a foregone conclusion: for him, Europe’s path of development remained open, and he believed it was the responsibility of European leaders to secure majorities in the Member States for their vision of a united Europe. In this way, he combined a firm commitment to European policy with a realistic view of the political prerequisites and democratic processes of integration. Europe and the University of Duisburg-Essen owe a great deal to Klaus Hänsch.
We shall remember him with gratitude as a committed European, a dedicated parliamentarian and a valued academic colleague.