Jean-Pierre Raffarin
Jean-Pierre Raffarin
|
![Jean-Pierre Raffarin](/2009-wikipedia_en_wp1-0.7_2009-05/I/200px_Jean_Pierre_Raffarin_par_Guillaume_Kretz.jpg)
|
Prime Minister of France
|
In office
6 May 2002 – 31 May 2005 |
President |
Jacques Chirac |
Preceded by |
Lionel Jospin |
Succeeded by |
Dominique de Villepin |
Minister of Commerce and Industry
|
In office
18 May 1995 – 4 June 1997 |
Prime Minister |
Alain Juppé |
Preceded by |
Alain Madelin |
Succeeded by |
Marylise Lebranchu |
|
Born |
3 August 1948 (1948-08-03) (age 61)
Poitiers, France |
Political party |
UMP |
Spouse |
Anne-Marie Perrier |
Occupation |
Lawyer |
Religion |
Roman Catholic |
Jean-Pierre Raffarin listen (born 3 August 1948) is a French conservative politician and senator for Vienne.
Jean-Pierre Raffarin served as the Prime Minister of France from 6 May 2002 to 31 May 2005, resigning after France's rejection of the referendum on the European Union draft constitution. However, after Raffarin resigned, he said that his decision was not based on the outcome of the vote. Opinion polls following his resignation suggested that Raffarin was one of France's least popular prime ministers since the Fifth Republic was established in 1958. However, according to the book "France: 1815 - 2003", written by Martin Evans and Emmanuel Godwin, Raffarin was "a remarkably popular prime minister" despite his ability "to state the obvious and to make empty statements".
Raffarin is married to Anne-Marie Perrier (b. 1952 in Chamalières) and has a daughter, Fleur.
Early life
He was born in Poitiers, Poitou-Charentes. He studied law at the University of Paris II Panthéon-Assas and later graduated from the École Supérieure de Commerce de Paris business school. He started his professional career in marketing.
In the 1970s, his first political commitment was in the association of Valéry Giscard d'Estaing's young supporters. Defining himself as a "giscardien", he joined the staff of Lionel Stoléru, Secretary of state for Manual Workers and Immigration, and the Republican Party, the liberal-conservative component of the center-right confederation the Union for French Democracy (UDF).
Member of National Assembly
In the 1980s, he started a career in local politics in Poitou-Charentes region. With the support of René Monory, the local political leader, he took the chair of the regional council in 1988. Seven years later, he was elected senator of Vienne département.
In government
During the 1995 presidential campaign, while most UDF politicians supported Édouard Balladur, he chose the winning candidacy of Jacques Chirac. In return, he was nominated Minister of Small and Medium-sized Companies, Commerce and Craft Industry in Alain Juppé's cabinet (1995-1997).
At the same time, the pro-Chirac UDF members founded the Popular Party for French Democracy. Then, he returned in the Republican Party, became Liberal Democracy (DL) in 1997. He was vice-president of DL until 2002.
Prime Minister
During the 2002 presidential campaign, he advocated the union of the right behind the incumbent President Chirac. After his re-election, Chirac wished to give a sign of political renewal. Furthemore, elected in a special second round by a majority of left-wing voters, he searched for a moderate to lead the cabinet and the June 2002 legislative campaign. Raffarin participated in the formation of the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP).
His political policies combined authority and moderate economical liberalism — that is, the support of laissez-faire economic policies. In 2003 he launched reforms of the public retirement scheme and of decentralisation, which led to many strikes. During the summer of 2003 the country experienced an unusual heat wave which caused the death of nearly 15,000 people. The perceived late reaction of the government was blamed on his administration. In 2004 he began a reform of the French state-run health-care system.
Raffarin's governments were known for their internal quarrels with various ministers taking opposite positions in public. The alleged lack of authority of the Prime Minister was mocked by the media.
On 28 March 2004 the ruling UMP party suffered an important defeat during the regional elections, with all but one région out of 22 of mainland France going to the opposition (PS, PCF, Les Verts). This was generally interpreted, including by Raffarin himself in his post-election speech, as "a sign of distrust against the government from the electorate". On 30 March 2004 Jean-Pierre Raffarin tendered the resignation of his government to president Jacques Chirac, who immediately re-appointed him prime minister, with the delegation to form a new government. This major cabinet reshuffle removed some of its most controversial ministers like Luc Ferry (education) or Jean-François Mattei (health).
Resignation
Raffarin's resignation was accepted by President Chirac on 30 May 2005, after the "no" victory at the European Constitution referendum, and he was replaced as Prime Minister by Dominique de Villepin.
On 18 September 2005, he was elected Senator in the Vienne département. Speculation were that he could eventually try to become President of the Senate or President of the Union for a Popular Movement if Nicolas Sarkozy won the 2007 presidential election. He became one of the Vice Presidents of the UMP in 2007. In September 2008, he sekked the Senate UMP fraction’s investiture to become President of the Senate, but was defeated by Gérard Larcher.
Raffarin is Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur (Legion of Honour) and Grand-Croix de l'ordre national du Mérite (National Order of Merit).
International policies
In September 2004 the US conservative blogosphere erupted with criticism of France when a New York Post opinion piece claimed that Le Figaro reported that Raffarin said "the Iraqi insurgents are our best allies". There is no trace of this quote in Le Figaro, and the opinion piece is no longer available from the NYP website. During a state visit to China on 21 April 2005 he avoided opposing the new "anti-secession" law on Taiwan, stating that "The anti-secession law is completely compatible with the position of France" and "The position of France has always been to 'one China' and we will remain attached to this position". On the embargo on weapons, he stated that "France continues to ask for a lifting of the embargo, and does not see what could lead the European Council to change position on that question". [1] [2] By convention, foreign affairs are one of the President's—and not the Prime Minister's—sole responsibilities.
Governments
First ministry (7 May 2002 - 17 June 2002
- Jean-Pierre Raffarin - Prime Minister
- Dominique de Villepin - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, and Francophonie
- Michèle Alliot-Marie - Minister of Defense and Veterans
- Nicolas Sarkozy - Minister of the Interior, Interior Security, and Local Liberties
- Francis Mer - Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industry
- François Fillon - Minister of Labour, Social Affairs, and Solidarity
- Dominique Perben - Minister of Justice
- Luc Ferry - Minister of National Education, Youth, Higher Education, and Research
- Jean-Jacques Aillagon - Minister of Culture and Communication
- Hervé Gaymard - Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs
- Roselyne Bachelot - Minister of Ecology and Sustainable Development
- Tokia Saïfi - Minister Delegate of Sustainable Development
- Jean-François Lamour - Minister of Sport
- Brigitte Girardin - Minister of Overseas
- Gilles de Robien - Minister of Transport, Housing, Tourism, Sea, and Equipment
- Jean-François Mattei - Minister of Health, Family, and Handicapped People
- Jean-Paul Delevoye - Minister of Civil Service, Reform of the State, and Regional Planning
- Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres - Minister of European affairs
Second ministry (17 June 2002 - 31 March 2004)
- Jean-Pierre Raffarin - Prime Minister
- Dominique de Villepin - Minister of Foreign Affairs
- Michèle Alliot-Marie - Minister of Defense
- Nicolas Sarkozy - Minister of the Interior, Interior Security, and Local Liberties
- Francis Mer - Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industry
- François Fillon - Minister of Labour, Social Affairs, and Solidarity
- Dominique Perben - Minister of Justice
- Luc Ferry - Minister of National Education, Youth, Higher Education, and Research
- Jean-Jacques Aillagon - Minister of Culture and Communication
- Hervé Gaymard - Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs
- Roselyne Bachelot - Minister of Ecology and Sustainable Development
- Tokia Saïfi - Minister Delegate of Sustainable Development
- Jean-François Lamour - Minister of Sport
- Brigitte Girardin - Minister of Overseas
- Gilles de Robien - Minister of Transport, Housing, Tourism, Sea, and Equipment
- Jean-François Mattei - Minister of Health, Family, and Handicapped People
- Jean-Paul Delevoye - Minister of Civil Service, Reform of the State, and Regional Planning
- Noëlle Lenoir - Minister of European affairs
Third ministry (31 March 2004 - 29 November 2004)
- Jean-Pierre Raffarin - Prime Minister
- Michel Barnier - Minister of Foreign Affairs
- Michèle Alliot-Marie - Minister of Defense
- Dominique de Villepin - Minister of the Interior, Interior Security, and Local Liberties
- Nicolas Sarkozy - Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industry
- Jean-Louis Borloo - Minister of Labour, Employment, and Social Cohesion
- Dominique Perben - Minister of Justice
- François Fillon - Minister of National Education, Higher Education, and Research
- François d'Aubert - Minister delegate of Research
- Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres - Minister of Culture and Communication
- Hervé Gaymard - Minister of Agriculture, Food, Fish, and Rural Affairs
- Serge Lepeltier - Minister of Ecology and Sustainable Development
- Jean-François Lamour - Minister of Youth, Sport, and Community Life
- Brigitte Girardin - Minister of Overseas
- Gilles de Robien - Minister of Transport, Tourism, Regional Planning, Sea, and Equipment
- Philippe Douste-Blazy - Minister of Health and Social Protection
- Marie-Josée Roig - Minister of Family and Childhood
- Renaud Dutreil - Minister of Civil Service and Reform of the State
- Nicole Ameline - Minister of Parity and Professional Equality
Minor changes
29 November 2004 - following a Nicolas Sarkozy's resignation to become president of the UMP scandal forcing Hervé Gaymard resignation.
- Hervé Gaymard - Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industry (replaced Nicolas Sarkozy)
- Dominique Bussereau - Minister of Agriculture, Food, Fish, and Rural Affairs (replaced Hervé Gaymard)
25 February 2005 - following a scandal forcing Hervé Gaymard's resignation
- Thierry Breton - Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industry
Raffarinades
Jean-Pierre Raffarin was often teased for his optimistic aphorisms, known colloquially and ironically as raffarinades, the best known being La route est droite, mais la pente est forte ("The road is straight, but the slope is steep"). Some consider that the word raffarinade was created in reference to the other French word mazarinade. However, mazarinade refers to the songs that the frondeurs (French revolutionaries during the Régence of Queen Anne - Archduchess of Austria - and chief minister Cardinal de Mazarin, before king Louis XIV's personal reign) sang to mock the unpopular chief minister.
Raffarin also tried his English prior to the referendum on the European draft Constitution but this turned out to be an ill-advised idea, as shown in this famous excerpt [3] from his speech: "Win the yes need the no to win against the no." The referendum itself was enventually nicknamed le Raffarindum by its opponents while Whit Monday is sometimes referred to as la Saint-Raffarin by discontented workers (following a decision by Raffarin, French workers are supposed to work on Whit Monday for free).
Honours
- Grand-Cross of the National Order of Merit of the French Republic (ex-officio) (2002)
- Officer of the National Order of Quebec (2003) [4]
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Star of Romania (2004)
See also
- List of Prime Ministers of France
- Politics of France
External links
References
Preceded by
Alain Madelin |
Minister of Small and Medium-sized Companies, Commerce, and Craft Industry
1995–1997 |
Succeeded by
Marylise Lebranchu |
Preceded by
Lionel Jospin |
Prime Minister of France
2002–2005 |
Succeeded by
Dominique de Villepin |
Heads of government of France |
|
Restoration |
Talleyrand · Richelieu · Dessolles · Decazes · Richelieu · Villèle · Martignac · Poignac
|
|
July Monarchy |
3rd duc de Broglie · Laffitte · Perier · Soult · Gérard · Maret · Mortier · 3rd duc de Broglie · Thiers · Molé · Soult · Thiers · Soult · Guizot · Molé
|
|
Second Republic |
Dupont de l'Eure · Arago · Cavaignac · Barrot · Hautpoul · Faucher
|
|
Second Empire |
Ollivier · Cousin-Montauban
|
|
Interregnum |
Trochu · Chevandier de Valdrôme
|
|
Third Republic |
Dufaure · 4th duc de Broglie · Cissey · Buffet · Dufaure · Simon · Broglie · Rochebouët · Dufaure · Waddington · Freycinet · Ferry · Gambetta · Freycinet · Duclerc · Fallières · Ferry · Brisson · Freycinet · Goblet · Rouvier · Floquet · Tirard · Freycinet · Loubet · Ribot · Dupuy · Casimir-Perier · Dupuy · Ribot · Bourgeois · Méline · Brisson · Dupuy · Waldeck-Rousseau · Combes · Rouvier · Sarrien · Clemenceau · Briand · Monis · Caillaux · Poincaré · Briand · Barthou · Doumergue · Ribot · Viviani · Briand · Ribot · Painlevé · Clemenceau · Millerand · Leygues · Briand · Poincaré · François-Marsal · Herriot · Painlevé · Briand · Herriot · Poincaré · Briand · Tardieu · Chautemps · Tardieu · Steeg · Laval · Tardieu · Herriot · Paul-Boncour · Daladier · Sarraut · Chautemps · Daladier · Doumergue · Flandin · Bouisson · Laval · Sarraut · Blum · Chautemps · Blum · Daladier · Reynaud · Pétain
|
|
Vichy France |
|
|
Provisional
Government |
|
|
Fourth Republic |
Ramadier · Schuman · Marie · Schuman · Queuille · Bidault · Queuille · Pleven · Queuille · Pleven · Faure · Pinay · Mayer · Laniel · Mendès-France · Faure · Mollet · Bourgès-Maunoury · Gaillard · Pflimlin · de Gaulle
|
|
Fifth Republic |
Debré · Pompidou · Couve de Murville · Chaban-Delmas · Messmer · Chirac · Barre · Mauroy · Fabius · Chirac · Rocard · Cresson · Bérégovoy · Balladur · Juppé · Jospin · Raffarin · de Villepin · Fillon
|
|
Italics indicates interim holder |
|
Members of the Senate of France |
|
President: Gérard Larcher |
|
Senators · Nicolas About · Philippe Adnot · Jean-Paul Alduy · Nicolas Alfonsi · Jacqueline Alquier · Jean-Paul Amoudry · Michèle André · Pierre André · Serge Andreoni · Bernard Angels · Jean-Etienne Antoinette · Alain Anziani · Jean Arthuis · Éliane Assassi · David Assouline · Bertrand Auban · François Autain · Robert Badinter · Denis Badré · Gérard Bailly · Gilbert Barbier · Jean-Michel Baylet · Marie-France Beaufils · René Beaumont · Michel Bécot · Jean-Pierre Bel · Claude Belot · Claude Bérit-Débat · Pierre Bernard-Reymond · Jacques Berthou · Jean Besson · Laurent Béteille · Joël Billard · Michel Billout · Claude Biwer · Jean Bizet · Jacques Blanc · Paul Blanc · Marie-Christine Blandin · Maryvonne Blondin · Yannick Bodin · Nicole Bonnefoy · Pierre Bordier · Didier Borotra · Nicole Borvo · Yannick Botrel · Didier Boulaud · Alima Boumediene-Thiery · Joël Bourdin · Martial Bourquin · Bernadette Bourzai · Brigitte Bout · Michel Boutant · Jean Boyer · Dominique Braye · Nicole Bricq · Marie-Thérèse Bruguiére · Elie Brun · François-Noël Buffet · Jean-Pierre Caffet · Christian Cambon · Claire-Lise Campion · Jean-Pierre Cantegrit · Jean-Claude Carle · Jean-Louis Carrére · Françoise Cartron · Auguste Cazalet · Bernard Cazeau · Monique Cerisier-ben Guiga · Gérard César · Michel Charasse · Yves Chastan · Alain Chatillon · Jean-Pierre Chauveau · Jacqueline Chevé · Jean-Pierre Chevènement · Marcel-Pierre Cléach · Christian Cointat · Yvon Collin · Gérard Collomb · Pierre-Yves Collombat · Gérard Cornu · Raymond Couderc · Roland Courteau · Jean-Patrick Courtois · Philippe Dallier · Jean-Claude Danglot · Philippe Darniche · Serge Dassault · Yves Daudigny · Yves Dauge · Marc Daunis · Annie David · Isabelle Debré · Robert del Picchia · Jean-Pierre Demerliat · Michelle Demessine · Chistiane Demontés · Christian Demuynck · Marcel Deneux · Gérard Déeriot · Béatrice Descamps · Jean Dessessard · Sylvie Desmarescaux · Denis Detcheverry · Yves Détraigne · Évelyne Didier · Muguette Dini · Eric Doligé · Claude Domeizel · Philippe Dominatti · Michel Doublet · Daniel Dubois · Alain Dufaut · André Dulait · Catherine Dumas · Ambroise Dupont · Bernadette Dupont · Jean-Léonce Dupont · Josette Durrieu · Louis Duvernois · Marie-Hélène des Esgaulx · Jean-Paul Emorine · Anne-Marie Escoffier · Jean-Claude Etienne · Pierre Fauchon · Alain Fauconnier · Jean Faure · Françoise Férat · André Ferrand · Jean-Luc Fichet · Guy Fischer · Louis-Constant Fleming · Gaston Flosse · François Fortassin · Alain Fouché · Jean-Pierre Fourcade · Bernard Fournier · Jean-Paul Fournier · Jean Francois-Poncet · Christophe-André Frassa · Jean-Claude Frécon · Bernard Frimat · Yann Gaillard · René Garrec · Joëlle Garriaud-Maylam · Christian Gaudin · Jean-Claude Gaudin · Charles Gautier · Gisèle Gautier · Jacques Gautier · Patrice Gélard · Samia Ghali · Bruno Gilles · Jacques Gillot · Adrien Giraud · Colette Giudichelli · Jean-Pierre Godefroy · Brigitte Gonthier-Maurin · Nathalie Goulet · Jacqueline Gourault · Alain Gournac · Adrien Gouteyron · Sylvie Goy-Chavent · Francis Grignon · Charles Guené · Jean-Noël Guérini · Michel Guerry · Didier Guillaume · Hubert Haenel · Claude Haut · Françoise Henneron · Pierre Hérisson · Marie-Thérèse Hermange · Edmond Hervé · Odette Herviaux · Gélita Hoarau · Michel Houel · Alain Houpert · Robert Hue · Jean-François Humbert · Christiane Hummel · Benoît Huré · Jean-Jacques Hyest · Soibahadine Ibrahim Ramadani · Pierre Jarlier · Annie Jarraud-Vergnolle · Claude Jeannerot · Jean-Jacques Jégou · Sophie Joissains · Jean-Marc Juilhard · Christiane Kammermann · Fabienne Keller · Joseph Kergueris · Bariza Khiari · Virginie Klès · Yves Krattinger · Philippe Labeyrie · Françoise Laborde · Serge Lagauche · Alain Lambert · Marc Laménie · Élisabeth Lamure · Gérard Larcher · Serge Larcher · André Lardeux · Robert Laufoaulu · Daniel Laurent · Françoise Laurent-Perrigot · Gérard Le Cam · Jean-René Lecerf · Dominique Leclerc · Antoine Lefèvre · Jacques Legendre · Dominique de Legge · Jean-François Le Grand · André Lejeune · Jean-Pierre Leleux · Jacky Le Menn · Claudine Lepage · Philippe Leroy · Raymonde Le Texier · Alain Le Vern · Claude Lise · Gérard Longuet · Simon Loueckhote · Jean-Jacques Lozach · Roland du Luart · Roger Madec · Philippe Madrelle · Michel Magras · Jacques Mahéas · Lucienne Malovry · François Marc · Philippe Marini · Daniel Marsin · Pierre Martin · Jean-Pierre Masseret · Marc Massion · Jean Louis Masson · Josiane Mathon-Poinat · Hervé Maurey · Pierre Mauroy · Jean-François Mayet · Rachel Mazuir · Jean-Luc Mélenchon · Colette Mélot · Jean-Claude Merceron · Michel Mercier · Louis Mermaz · Jacques Mézard · Lucette Michaux-Chevry · Jean-Pierre Michel · Jean Milhau · Alain Milon · Gérard Miquel · Jean-Jacques Mirassou · Aymeri de Montesquiou · Albéric de Montgolfier · Catherine Morin-Desailly · Jacques Muller · Philippe Nachbar · Robert Navarro · Louis Nègre · Jacqueline Panis · Monique Papon · Charles Pasqua · Isabelle Pasquet · Jean-Marc Pastor · Georges Patient · François Patriat · Philippe Paul · Anne-Marie Payet · Daniel Percheron · Jean-Claude Peyronnet · Jackie Pierre · François Pillet · Xavier Pintat · Louis Pinton · Bernard Piras · Jean-Pierre Plancade · Rémy Pointereau · Christian Poncelet · Ladislas Poniatowski · Hugues Portelli · Roland Povinelli · Yves Pozzo di Borgo · Gisèle Printz · Catherine Procaccia · Jean-Pierre Raffarin · Marcel Rainaud · Henri de Raincourt · Jack Ralite · Daniel Raoul · Paul Raoult · François Rebsamen · Daniel Reiner · Ivan Renar · Thierry Repentin · Bruno Retailleau · Charles Revet · Philippe Richert · Roland Ries · Josselin de Rohan · Roger Romani · Janine Rozier · Michèle San Vicente-Baudrin · Bernard Saugey · Patricia Schillinger · Mireille Schurch · Michel Sergent · Bruno Sido · René-Pierre Signé · Esther Sittler · Daniel Soulage · Jean-Pierre Sueur · Catherine Tasca · Odette Terrade · Michel Teston · René Teulade · Michel Thiollière · Jean-Marc Todeschini · André Trillard · Catherine Troendle · Robert Tropeano · François Trucy · Richard Tuheiava · Alex Türk · Raymond Vall · Jean-Marie Vanlerenberghe · André Vantomme · Alain Vasselle · François Vendasi · Bernard Vera · René Vestri · Jean Pierre Vial · Jean-Paul Virapoullé · Jean-François Voguet · Dominique Voynet · Richard Yung · François Zocchetto
|
|