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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| French president's widow Danielle Mitterrand dead | French president's widow Danielle Mitterrand dead |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Danielle Mitterrand, the widow of former French President Francois Mitterrand, has died at the age of 87. | Danielle Mitterrand, the widow of former French President Francois Mitterrand, has died at the age of 87. |
| Mrs Mitterrand had been admitted to Georges-Pompidou hospital in Paris after suffering from respiratory problems on Friday. | Mrs Mitterrand had been admitted to Georges-Pompidou hospital in Paris after suffering from respiratory problems on Friday. |
| She was put in an artificial coma on Sunday and died in the early hours of Tuesday morning. | She was put in an artificial coma on Sunday and died in the early hours of Tuesday morning. |
| Francois Mitterrand led the Socialist party and served two terms as president of France, from 1981 to 1995. | Francois Mitterrand led the Socialist party and served two terms as president of France, from 1981 to 1995. |
| A member of the French Resistance and a humanitarian campaigner, Danielle Mitterrand was often an outspoken first lady. | A member of the French Resistance and a humanitarian campaigner, Danielle Mitterrand was often an outspoken first lady. |
| Resistance nurse | Resistance nurse |
| A friend of Cuban leader Fidel Castro, she also campaigned on behalf of the Kurds and Tibetans. She embraced numerous causes, including an equitable share-out of water resources. | A friend of Cuban leader Fidel Castro, she also campaigned on behalf of the Kurds and Tibetans. She embraced numerous causes, including an equitable share-out of water resources. |
| Born Danielle Gouze in the eastern town of Verdun, she joined the Resistance as a nurse aged only 17, when German troops occupied most of France in 1940. | Born Danielle Gouze in the eastern town of Verdun, she joined the Resistance as a nurse aged only 17, when German troops occupied most of France in 1940. |
| On 27 October, 1944, she married Francois Mitterrand, a fellow Resistance member, whom she met when he was on the run from the Gestapo. | On 27 October, 1944, she married Francois Mitterrand, a fellow Resistance member, whom she met when he was on the run from the Gestapo. |
| The couple had three sons Gilbert, Jean-Christophe and Pascal. Pascal died very young. | |
| 'Icon' | 'Icon' |
| After President Mitterrand's election in 1981, she devoted herself to human rights work. | After President Mitterrand's election in 1981, she devoted herself to human rights work. |
| Francois Mitterrand died of cancer in 1996, but his widow continued her work. | Francois Mitterrand died of cancer in 1996, but his widow continued her work. |
| The organisation she founded in 1986, France Libertes, celebrated its 25th anniversary in October this year. | The organisation she founded in 1986, France Libertes, celebrated its 25th anniversary in October this year. |
| President Nicolas Sarkozy said "she never abandoned her values and pursued to the end of her might the battles she considered fair". | President Nicolas Sarkozy said "she never abandoned her values and pursued to the end of her might the battles she considered fair". |
| Jack Lang, a minister in Francois Mitterrand's government in the 1980s, described her as "a friend, a militant, a conscience, an icon". | Jack Lang, a minister in Francois Mitterrand's government in the 1980s, described her as "a friend, a militant, a conscience, an icon". |
| Danielle Mitterrand's nephew, Frederic - the current culture minister - said she had contributed enormously towards "humanising the very idea of the presidency, while maintaining her freedom of thought and speech". | Danielle Mitterrand's nephew, Frederic - the current culture minister - said she had contributed enormously towards "humanising the very idea of the presidency, while maintaining her freedom of thought and speech". |