French politician Simone Veil honored with Pantheon burial
PARIS (AP) — Holocaust survivor Simone Veil, who repeatedly broke barriers for women in French politics and spearheaded the fight to legalize abortion, was buried at the Pantheon on Sunday, an honor reserved for French heroes.
Veil's remains were interred at the Paris monument one year after her death at age 89, along with those of her husband, Antoine, who died in 2013. Relatives and friends joined dozens of dignitaries, including French President Emmanuel Macron and former presidents Nicolas Sarkozy and Francois Hollande, for the ceremony.
Republican Guard pallbearers carried the couple's caskets up a blue carpet, a color that symbolized peace, the United Nations and the European Union. Veil was a firm believer in a united Europe.