Élisabeth Guigou

Élisabeth Guigou
Member of the French National Assembly for Seine-Saint-Denis (9th constituency)
Incumbent
Assumed office 19 June 2002
Preceded by	Véronique Neiertz
French Minister for Social Affairs
In office 18 October 2000 – 5 May 2002
Preceded by	Martine Aubry
Succeeded by	François Fillon
French Minister for Justice
In office 4 June 1997 – 1 October 2000
Preceded by	Jacques Toubon
Succeeded by	Marylise Lebranchu
French Deputy Minister for European Affairs
In office 3 October 1990 – 29 March 1993
Preceded by	Édith Cresson
Succeeded by	Alain Lamassoure
Member of the European Parliament for France
In office 19 July 1994 – 5 July 1997
Personal details
Born	6 August 1946 (1946-08-06) Marrakesh, Morocco
Political party	Socialist
Spouse(s)	Jean-Louis Guigou
Alma mater	ENA

Élisabeth Guigou (born Élisabeth Vallier, 6 August 1946, Marrakesh, Morocco) is a French Socialist politician.

Biography

After attending ENA, France's elite graduate school of public affairs, she worked on Jacques Delors' staff in 1982 before being hired by Hubert Védrine in François Mitterrand's. She was appointed Secretary-General of the Interminsterial Committee on European Economical Matters in 1986 during the period of cohabitation.

She first got a taste of front-line politics when she was appointed Minister of Eureopean Affairs (1990–1993), during the campaign on the Maastricht Treaty, before she was elected to the European Parliament in 1994. During 1994–1995 she was member of the Tindemans group.

In 1997, she was elected to the National Assembly in the Vaucluse département and entered incoming Prime Minister Lionel Jospin's cabinet, as Minister of Justice (1997–2000) and then as Minister of Employment (2000–2002).

She failed to be elected Mayor of Avignon and, facing possible defeat in her district, got nominated as a candidate for the National Assembly in 2002 in the heavily left-wing département of Seine-Saint-Denis. She was re-elected in 2007.

Legislation

Guigou co-sponsored several bills which became law. She co-sponsored a 2000 law, which articulated French policy on presumption of innocence in media by prohibiting magazines and newspapers from publishing photographs of accused individuals wearing handcuffs or other scenes which may "jeopardise a victim's dignity". This law, which was unanimously supported by the Senate, was openly opposed by leading publications such as Paris Match, which ignores the law.

She also co-sponsored a 1998 law which abrogated the requirement of "manifestation of will" for children born in France of foreign parents to gain citizenship.

Activism

She is a founding chairwoman and co-president with Jean-Noël Jeanneney of Europartenaires, a group linking business interests with the European Union. She has also created a lobby group called Femmes d'Europe (Women of Europe) and sits on the board of directors of Jacques Delors's foundation Notre Europe (Our Europe). She campaigned for the Yes in the referendum on the 2005 Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe.

Guigou was a supporter of Martine Aubry's presidential bid.

Personal life

She is the spouse of Jean-Louis Guigou, a professor of economics, former technical adviser to Michel Rocard and civil servant. They have one child.

Political career

Governmental function

Minister of Employment and Solidarity : 2000–2002.

Keeper of the seals, Minister of Justice : 1997–2000.

Minister of European Affairs : 1990–1993.

Electoral mandates

European Parliament

Member of the European Parliament : 1994–1997 (Became minister in 1997, and elected in parliamentary elections). Elected in 1994.

Member of the National Assembly of France for Seine-Saint-Denis : Since 2002. Elected in 2002, reelected in 2007.

Member of the National Assembly of France for Vaucluse : Elected in 1997 (Became minister in 1997).

Regional Council

Regional councillor of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur : 1992–2001 (Resignation). Reelected in 1998.

Municipal Council

Deputy-mayor of Noisy-le-Sec : Since 2008.

Municipal councillor of Noisy-le-Sec : Since 2008.

Studies

• Bachelor of Literature
• Master of Political Science, Institut d'études politiques d'Aix-en-Provence.
• Alumna of the École nationale d'administration (ENA).

Political offices
Preceded by Jacques Toubon	Minister of Justice 1997–2000	Succeeded by Marylise Lebranchu