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Former Dutch PM Lubbers has died
By EUobserver
Ruud Lubbers, prime minister of the Netherlands (1982-1994), died on Wednesday at age 78 from a long-standing illness. The centre-right politician was one of the main architects of the 1992 Maastricht treaty and one of the most respected leaders in the Netherlands, but less successful internationally. In 1994 he failed in his bid to become European Commission chief, after irking German chancellor Helmut Kohl with lukewarm comments on German reunification.