François Fillon
![]() | This biographical article is written like a résumé. (July 2013) |
François Fillon | |
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![]() Fillon in 2012 | |
Prime Minister of France | |
In office 17 May 2007 – 16 May 2012 | |
President | Nicolas Sarkozy |
Preceded by | Dominique de Villepin |
Succeeded by | Jean-Marc Ayrault |
Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transport and Housing | |
In office 22 February 2012 – 16 May 2012 | |
President | Nicolas Sarkozy |
Preceded by | Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet |
Succeeded by | Nicole Bricq |
Minister of National Education, Higher Education and Research | |
In office 31 March 2004 – 31 May 2005 | |
President | Jacques Chirac |
Prime Minister | Jean-Pierre Raffarin |
Preceded by | Luc Ferry (National Education and Research) François Loos (Higher Education) |
Succeeded by | Gilles de Robien |
Minister of Social Affairs, Labour and Solidarity | |
In office 7 May 2002 – 30 March 2004 | |
President | Jacques Chirac |
Prime Minister | Jean-Pierre Raffarin |
Preceded by | Élisabeth Guigou |
Succeeded by | Jean-Louis Borloo |
President of the Regional Council of Pays de la Loire | |
In office 20 March 1998 – 16 May 2002 | |
Preceded by | Olivier Guichard |
Succeeded by | Jean-Luc Harousseau |
Minister responsible for Posts, Telegraphs and Telephones | |
In office 7 November 1997 – 2 June 1997 | |
President | Jacques Chirac |
Prime Minister | Alain Juppé |
Succeeded by | Christian Pierret |
Minister of Information Technologies and Posts | |
In office 18 May 1995 – 7 November 1995 | |
President | Jacques Chirac |
Prime Minister | Alain Juppé |
Preceded by | José Rossi |
Succeeded by | Franck Borotra |
Minister of Higher Education and Research | |
In office 30 March 1993 – 11 May 1995 | |
President | François Mitterrand |
Prime Minister | Édouard Balladur |
Preceded by | Hubert Curien (Research) |
Succeeded by | François Bayrou |
Personal details | |
Born | François Charles Amand Fillon 4 March 1954 Le Mans, France |
Political party | RPR (Before 2002) UMP (2002–2015) Les Républicains (2015–) |
Spouse |
Penelope Clarke (m. 1980) |
Children | 5 |
Alma mater | University of Maine Paris Descartes University |
Signature | ![]() |
François Charles Amand Fillon (French pronunciation: [fʁɑ̃.swa ʃaʁl amɑ̃ fi.jɔ̃]; born 4 March 1954) is a French lawyer and politician who served as Prime Minister of France from 17 May 2007 to 16 May 2012. He was appointed by President Nicolas Sarkozy on 17 May 2007.[1][2] As a member of the UMP, Fillon became Jean-Pierre Raffarin's Minister of Labour in 2002 and undertook controversial reforms of the 35-hour working week law and of the French retirement system.
Fillon became Minister of National Education in 2004 and proposed the much debated Fillon law on Education. In 2005, he was not included in the new government headed by Dominique de Villepin, but was elected Senator for the Sarthe Département. His role as a political advisor in Nicolas Sarkozy's successful race for President led to his becoming Prime Minister. Fillon resigned upon Sarkozy's defeat to François Hollande in the 2012 presidential elections. In 2013 during a visit in Russia, Fillon criticized the French government led by Francois Hollande for its support to a military intervention in Syria.
Early life
Fillon was born in Le Mans, Sarthe. His father is a civil law notary, while his mother, Anne Fillon, is a celebrated historian of Basque descent.[3] His youngest brother, Dominique, is a talented pianist.[4]
Fillon lives with his wife, Penelope, and five children, Marie, Charles, Antoine, Édouard and Arnaud, in the 12th-century Château de Beaucé, set in 20 acres (8 ha) of woodland on the banks of the River Sarthe at the famous monastery village of Solesmes, near Sablé-sur-Sarthe about halfway between Le Mans and Angers. M. and Mme Fillon resided in various other properties, always in the Sarthe, throughout their marriage, before buying Beaucé in 1993.[4]
Connections with United Kingdom
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dc/Fran%C3%A7ois_Fillon_%C3%A0_l%27Assembl%C3%A9e_nationale%2C_2007.jpg/170px-Fran%C3%A7ois_Fillon_%C3%A0_l%27Assembl%C3%A9e_nationale%2C_2007.jpg)
Fillon has a reputation as an Anglophile and has had speaking engagements at a wide variety of universities in Britain, notably the London School of Economics.[5]
His wife, Penelope Kathryn (née Clarke), was born in Llanover, Wales, the daughter of a solicitor. They met while she was teaching English during her gap year in Le Mans, and they were married in the bride's family church in June 1980.[4][6][7][8] Fillon's younger brother, Pierre, an ophthalmic specialist, later married Penelope Fillon's younger sister, Jane. [citation needed]
Having lived all his life in the Le Mans area and represented it politically, Fillon is an enthusiastic supporter of the city's famous 24 hour sportscar race, which he has attended nearly every year since he was a small child. He is a member of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest, which stages the event, and is on the race's organisation committee. He has competed himself in the Le Mans Legend historic sportscar races on the full 24-hour circuit and in a number of other classic road rallies.[9]
Professional résumé
Education
- 1972, Baccalaureat, Philosophy stream;
- 1976, M.A. Public Law, Université du Mans;
- 1977, DEA in Public Law, University of Paris V: René Descartes.
Political career
Governmental functions
Minister of Higher Education and Research : 1993–1995;
Minister of Information Technologies and Post : May–November 1995;
Minister of Post, Telecommunications and Space : 1995–1997;
Minister of Social Affairs, Labour and Solidarity : 2002–2004;
Minister of National Education, Higher Education and Research : 2004–2005;
Prime minister : 2007-2012.
February to May 2012 : he assumed the functions of the Minister for Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transport and Housing, after the resignation of Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet who became spokeswoman of Nicolas Sarkozy's presidential campaign.
Electoral mandates
National Assembly of France
President of the Rally-UMP Group in the National Assembly : November 2012 - January 2013;
Member of the National Assembly of France for Paris (2nd constituency) : Since 2012. Elected in 2012;
Member of the National Assembly of France for Sarthe (4th constituency) : 1981–1993 (Became minister in 1993) / 1997–2002 (Became minister in 2002) / Reelected in 2007 but he became Prime minister. Elected in 1981, reelected in 1986, 1988, 1993, 1997, 2002, 2007;
Senate of France
Senator of the Sarthe : 2005–2007 (Became Prime minister in 2007, and he appears again as a member of the National Assembly of France in June 2007). Elected in 2004, but he remains as minister. Reelected in 2005.
Regional Council
President of the Regional Council of Pays-de-la-Loire : 1998–2002. (Resignation);
Vice-president of the Regional Council of Pays-de-la-Loire : 2002–2004;
Regional councillor of Pays-de-la-Loire : 1998–2007 (Resignation). Reelected in 2004. Elected in Sarthe constituency.
General Council
President of the General Council of Sarthe : 1992–1998. Reelected in 1994;
Vice-President of the General Council of Sarthe : 1985–1992;
General councillor of the Sarthe, elected in the canton of Sablé-sur-Sarthe : 1981–1998. Reelected in 1985, 1992.
Municipal Council
Mayor of Sablé-sur-Sarthe : 1983–2001. Reelected in 1989, 1995;
Municipal councillor of Sablé-sur-Sarthe : 1983–2001. Reelected in 1989, 1995;
Municipal councillor of Solesmes : Since 2001. Reelected in 2008.
Community of communes Council
President of the Communauté de communes of Sablé-sur-Sarthe : 2001-2012 (Resignation). Reelected in 2008;
Member of the Communauté de communes of Sablé-sur-Sarthe : Since 2001. Reelected in 2008.
Prime Minister
The day after Nicolas Sarkozy became President, he appointed Fillon as Prime Minister of France, charging him with the task of forming a new cabinet, which was announced on 18 May 2007.[10] By appointing as Secretary of State André Santini, who had been indicted in the Fondation Hamon affair on charges of corruption, Fillon broke for the first time since 1992 with the so-called "Balladur jurisprudence," according to which an indicted governmental personality should resign until the case is closed.[11]
Fillon's First Government
From 17 May, to 18 June 2007.
- François Fillon – Prime Minister
Ministers
- Alain Juppé – Minister of State, Minister of Ecology and Sustainable Development and Planning (resigned on 17 June 2007 following his defeat in the legislative elections and thus non-reelection as a deputy for Bordeaux);
- Jean-Louis Borloo – Minister of the Economy, Finance and Employment;
- Michèle Alliot-Marie – Minister of the Interior, Overseas and Territorial Collectivities;
- Bernard Kouchner – Minister of Foreign and European Affairs;
- Brice Hortefeux – Minister of Immigration, Integration, National identity and Co-development;
- Rachida Dati – Keeper of the seals, Minister of Justice;
- Xavier Bertrand – Minister of Labour, Social Relations and Solidarity;
- Xavier Darcos – Minister of National Education;
- Valérie Pécresse – Minister of Higher Education and Research;
- Hervé Morin – Minister of Defence;
- Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin – Minister of Health, Youth Affairs and Sport;
- Christine Boutin – Minister of Housing and City;
- Christine Lagarde – Minister of Agriculture and Fishing;
- Christine Albanel – Minister of Culture and Communication – Spokeswoman of the Government;
- Éric Wœrth – Minister of Budget, Public Accounting and Civil Servants.
Secretaries of State
- Roger Karoutchi – Secretary of State for Parliamentary Relations (under Fillon);
- Éric Besson – Secretary of State for Economic Prospective and Evaluation of Public Policies (under Fillon);
- Dominique Bussereau – Secretary of State for Transport (under Juppé);
- Jean-Pierre Jouyet – Secretary of State for European Affairs (under Kouchner).
High Commissioner
- Martin Hirsch – High Commissioner for Active Solidarities against Poverty.
Fillon's Second Government
Appointed on 19 June 2007[12]
- François Fillon – Prime Minister.[13]
Ministers
- Jean-Louis Borloo – Minister of State, Minister of Ecology and Sustainable Development and Planning;
- Michèle Alliot-Marie – Minister of the Interior, Overseas and Territorial Collectivities;
- Bernard Kouchner – Minister of Foreign and European Affairs;
- Christine Lagarde – Minister of the Economy, Finance and Employment;
- Brice Hortefeux – Minister of Immigration, Integration, National identity and Co-development;
- Rachida Dati – Keeper of the seals, Minister of Justice;
- Michel Barnier – Minister of Agriculture and Fishing;
- Xavier Bertrand – Minister of Labour, Social Relations and Solidarity;
- Xavier Darcos – Minister of National Education;
- Valérie Pécresse – Minister of Higher Education and Research;
- Hervé Morin – Minister of Defence;
- Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin – Minister of Health, Youth Affairs and Sport;
- Christine Boutin – Minister of Housing and City;
- Christine Albanel – Minister of Culture and Communication;
- Éric Wœrth – Minister of Budget, Public Accounting and Civil Servants.
Secretaries of State
- Roger Karoutchi – Secretary of State for Parliamentary Relations (under Fillon);
- Jean-Pierre Jouyet – Secretary of State for European Affairs (under Kouchner);
- Laurent Wauquiez – Secretary of State, Spokesman of the Government (under Fillon);
- Éric Besson – Secretary of State for Economic Prospective and Evaluation of Public Policies (under Fillon);
- Valérie Létard – Secretary of State for Solidarity (under Bertrand);
- Dominique Bussereau – Secretary of State for Transport (under Borloo);
- Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet – Secretary of State for Ecology (under Borloo);
- Christian Estrosi – Secretary of State for Overseas (under Alliot-Marie);
- André Santini – Secretary of State for Civil Servants (under Wœrth);
- Jean-Marie Bockel – Secretary of State for Cooperation and Francophony (under Kouchner);
- Hervé Novelli – Secretary of State for Companies and Foreign Commerce (under Lagarde);
- Fadela Amara – Secretary of State for Urban Policies (under Boutin);
- Alain Marleix – Secretary of State for Veterans (under Morin);
- Rama Yade – Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Human Rights (under Kouchner);
- Luc Chatel – Secretary of State for Consumer affairs and Tourism (under Lagarde);
- Bernard Laporte – Secretary of State for Sport (under Bachelot-Narquin).
High Commissioner
- Martin Hirsch – High Commissioner for Active Solidarities against Poverty.
Shuffles
Appointment of Secretary of State for Sport
22 October 2007[14]
- Bernard Laporte is appointed Secretary of State for Sport (under Bachelot-Narquin).
After Municipal Elections of 2008
18 March 2008[15]
There was a shuffle of the secretaries of state following the municipal elections of 16 March 2008.
New Secretaries of State
- Yves Jégo is appointed Secretary of State for Overseas (under Alliot-Marie) to replace Christian Estrosi;
- Hubert Falco is appointed Secretary of State for development of the territory (under Borloo);
- Nadine Morano is appointed Secretary of State for Family (under Bertrand);
- Christian Blanc is appointed Secretary of State for the development of the «Région Capitale» (Region of Paris) (under Borloo);
- Anne-Marie Idrac is appointed Secretary of State for Foreign Commerce (under Lagarde);
- Alain Joyandet is appointed Secretary of State for Cooperation and Francophony to replace Jean-Marie Bockel (under Kouchner).
Changes of attributions – Ministers
- Jean-Louis Borloo – formerly Minister of State, Minister of Ecology and Sustainable Development and Planning becomes Minister of State, Minister of Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development and Planning;
- Christine Lagarde – formerly Minister of the Economy, Finance and Employment becomes Minister of the Economy, Industry and Employment;
- Brice Hortefeux – formerly Minister of Immigration, Integration, National identity and Co-development becomes Minister of Immigration, Integration, National identity and Solidary development;
- Xavier Bertrand – formerly Minister of Labour, Social Relations and Solidarity becomes Minister of Labour, Social Relations, Family and Solidarity;
- Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin – formerly Minister of Health, Youth Affairs and Sport becomes Minister of Health, Youth Affairs, Sport and Associations.
Changes of attributions – Secretaries of State
- Laurent Wauquiez formerly Spokesman of the Government, is appointed Secretary of State for Employment (under Lagarde);
- Luc Chatel formerly Secretary of State for Consumer affairs and Tourism is appointed Secretary of State for Consumer affairs and Industry, Spokesman of the Government (under Lagarde);
- Éric Besson – Secretary of State for Economic Prospective and Evaluation of Public Policies is now also in charge of the Development of digital economy (under Fillon);
- Jean-Marie Bockel – formerly Secretary of State for Cooperation and Francophony (under Kouchner), becomes Secretary of State for Defense and Veterans (under Morin);
- Alain Marleix – formerly Secretary of State for Veterans (under Morin) becomes Secretary of State for Local Collectivities (under Alliot-Marie);
- Bernard Laporte – formerly Secretary of State for Sport becomes Secretary of State for Sport, Youth and Associations (under Bachelot-Narquin);
- Hervé Novelli – formerly Secretary of State for Companies and Foreign Commerce (under Lagarde) becomes Secretary of State for commerce, craft, small and medium companies, tourism and services (under Lagarde).
In December 2008
- Patrick Devedjian is appointed Minister under the Prime Minister in charge of the Implementation of the Recovery Plan;[16]
- Bruno Le Maire replaces Jean-Pierre Jouyet as Secretary of State for European Affairs.[17]
In January 2009 – Xavier Bertrand becomes head of UMP[18]
- Brice Hortefeux becomes Minister of Labour, Social Relations, Solidarity and City to replace Xavier Bertrand;
- Éric Besson becomes Minister of Immigration, Integration, National identity and Solidary development;
- Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet becomes Secretary of State for Economic Prospective and Development of digital economy (under Fillon);
- Christine Boutin, formerly Minister of Housing and City becomes Minister of Housing;
- Bernard Laporte becomes back Secretary of State for Sport;
- Martin Hirsch becomes High Commissioner for Active Solidarities against Poverty and High Commissionner for Youth;
- Létard, Amara, Morano and are now Secretaries of State with Hortefeux;
- Woerth is now in charge of Evaluation of Public Policies;
- Chantal Jouanno becomes Secretary of State for Ecology, replacing Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet.
In June 2009 – After the European parliamentary elections[19]
- Jean-Louis Borloo – Minister of State, Minister of Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development and Sea, in charge of green technologies and of climate change negotiations;
- Michèle Alliot-Marie – Minister of State, Keeper of the seals, Minister of Justice and Freedoms;
- Brice Hortefeux – Minister of the Interior, Overseas and Territorial Collectivities;
- Xavier Darcos – Minister of Labour, Social Relations, Family and Solidarity;
- Éric Wœrth – Minister of Budget, Public Accounting, Civil Servants and Reform of the State;
- Luc Chatel – Minister of National Education, Spokesman of the Government;
- Bruno Le Maire – Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fishing;
- Frédéric Mitterrand – Minister of Culture and Communication;
- Michel Mercier – Minister of Rural Space and Spatial Planning;
- Henri de Raincourt – Minister of Parliamentary Relations (under Fillon);
- Christian Estrosi – Minister of Industry (under Lagarde);
- Valérie Létard – Secretary of State (under Borloo)
- Jean-Marie Bockel – Secretary of State (under Alliot-Marie);
- Hervé Novelli – Secretary of State for Commerce, Craftsmanship, Small and Medium Businesses, Tourism, Services and Consumer Rights (under Lagarde);
- Rama Yade – Secretary of State for Sport (under Bachelot-Narquin);
- Hubert Falco – Secretary of State for Defense and Veterans (under Morin);
- Nadine Morano – Secretary of State for Family and Solidarity (under Darcos);
- Pierre Lellouche – Secretary of State for European Affairs (under Kouchner);
- Nora Berra – Secretary of State for the Elderly (under Darcos);
- Benoist Apparu – Secretary of State for Housing and City (under Borloo);
- Marie-Luce Penchard – Secretary of State for Overseas (under Hortefeux);
- Christian Blanc – Secretary of State for the development of the «Région Capitale» (Region of Paris) (under Fillon).
In addition:
- Bernard Kouchner;
- Christine Lagarde;
- Patrick Devedjian;
- Valérie Pécresse;
- Hervé Morin;
- Roselyne Bachelot;
- Eric Besson;
- Laurent Wauquiez;
- Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet;
- Dominique Bussereau;
- Fadela Amara;
- Alain Marleix;
- Anne-Marie Idrac;
- Alain Joyandet;
- Chantal Jouanno;
- Martin Hirsch;
keep their current functions.
Resignation and Cabinet reshuffle
On 13 November 2010, Fillon resigned, paving the way for a cabinet reshuffle.[20] On 14 November 2010, French President Nicolas Sarkozy reappointed Fillion as Prime Minister, allowing Fillon to formally name a new cabinet.[21]
In 2012 in a country where foreign citizens are traditionally held to a devoir de réserve (non-involvement in politics) Fillon challenged the conviction accorded to Eva Joly (a French citizen but of Norwegian origin)'s expression. He subsequently suggested that Jews and Muslims abandon their traditional food practices (but has since apologised). Earlier as Minister for Education he had strongly advocated restriction on the wearing of religious signs in schools and other 'public' places.
Fillon resigned on 10 May 2012 with his cabinet, following the defeat of Nicolas Sarkozy to François Hollande in the 2012 presidential elections. Following the inauguration of Hollande as President on 15 May 2012, Jean-Marc Ayrault, mayor of Nantes, was appointed as Prime Minister.
UMP presidential election
Aiming at building consensus within the diverging views at the UMP after Francois Hollande's victory in the French presidential elections in 2012, Francois Fillon declared his candidacy to become the President of the UMP party. On the day of the vote, both candidates François Fillon and Jean-François Copé claimed victory and accused the other of cheating. This led to a major political crisis within the party with votes being recounted twice and Jean-François Copé finally being declared winner.
François Fillon threatened to split from UMP unless new elections were organized. In December 2012, Jean-François Copé, finally agreed to organizing new elections in 2013, thus putting an end to the crisis. To this date,[when?] François Fillon has not announced whether he will run again.
Awards and honours
- Grand Cross of the Ordre national du Mérite (21 November 2007 – Automatic six months after taking office)[22]
- Order of the Paulownia Flowers
- Order of the Rising Sun, Grand Cordon, awarded on 9 May 2013
References
- ^ "Communiqué de la Présidence de la République concernant la nomination du Premier ministre" (in French). Élysée Palace. 17 May 2007. Retrieved 17 May 2007.
- ^ "Décret du 17 mai 2007 portant nomination du Premier ministre" (in French). Legifrance.gouv.fr. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
- ^ "Décès d'Anne Fillon, mère de l'ex-Premier ministre". Ouest France. France. 17 August 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
- ^ a b c Willsher, Kim; Finan, Tim (7 May 2007). "Welshwoman prepares for life in French No 10". The Daily Telegraph. UK. Retrieved 12 May 2007.
- ^ Chrisafis, Angelique (18 May 2007). "Anglophile Fillon is new French PM". The Guardian. UK. Retrieved 18 May 2007.
- ^ Campbell, Matthew (7 October 2007). "Madame Rosbif pricks Gallic pride". The Times. UK. Retrieved 7 October 2007.
- ^ Chrisafis, Angelique (6 May 2007). "Sarkozy's first hundred days". The Guardian. UK. Retrieved 12 May 2007.
- ^ "François Fillon – Minister for National Education, Higher Education and Research". Embassy of France in the United States. 31 March 2004. Archived from the original on 10 May 2007. Retrieved 12 May 2007.
- ^ "Le Mans racer to be France's next Prime Minister?". GrandPrix.com. 7 May 2007. Retrieved 12 May 2007.
- ^ Communiqué de la Présidence de la République concernant la composition du gouvernement de M. François FILLON, Premier ministre. Élysée Palace, 18 May 2007
- ^ La mise en examen de M. Santini n'a pas empêché sa nomination au gouvernement, Le Monde, 22 June 2007 Template:Fr icon
- ^ Communiqué de la Présidence de la République annonçant la composition du gouvernement. Élysée Palace, 19 June 2007
- ^ Communiqué de la Présidence de la République concernant la démission du gouvernement de M. François FILLON. Élysée Palace, 18 June 2007
- ^ "Bernard Laporte, secrétaire d'Etat chargé des sports". Elysee.fr. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
- ^ "Décret de nomination du gouvernement" (PDF). Retrieved 4 August 2010.
- ^ "Décret de nomination du gouvernement". Elysee.fr. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
- ^ M. Bruno LE MAIRE secrétaire d’État chargé des affaires européennes – 12 December 2008
- ^ "Nomination au gouvernement". Elysee.fr. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
- ^ Composition du nouveau gouvernement – 23-06-09
- ^ AFP: Sarkozy clears decks for French government reshuffle
- ^ "French Prime Minister Reappointed". The New York Times. 14 November 2010. Retrieved 14 November 2010.
- ^ [1][dead link]
External links
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- Use dmy dates from May 2011
- 1954 births
- Living people
- French lawyers
- French people of Basque descent
- Grand Croix of the Ordre national du Mérite
- Nicolas Sarkozy
- People from Le Mans
- French Roman Catholics
- Politicians of the French Fifth Republic
- Prime Ministers of France
- Rally for the Republic politicians
- Union for a Popular Movement politicians
- French Ministers of National Education
- French Ministers of Posts, Telegraphs, and Telephones
- Paris Descartes University alumni