Jean-Pierre Raffarin
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Jean-Pierre Raffarin Template:Audio (born August 3, 1948) is a French conservative politician.
Jean-Pierre Raffarin served as the Prime Minister of France from May 6, 2002 to May 31, 2005, resigning after France's rejection of the referendum on the European Union draft constitution. However, after Mr Raffarin resigned, he said his decision was not based on the outcome of the vote. Opinion polls following his resignation suggested that Mr Raffarin was one of France's most unpopular prime ministers since the Fifth Republic was set up in 1958.
He was born in Poitiers. He studied law at the University of Paris II Panthéon-Assas and later graduated from the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Paris business school. He was named by President Jacques Chirac after the latter's re-election as President in the 2002 presidential election.
His political policies combine authority and moderate economical liberalism. In 2003, he launched the reforms of the public retirement scheme and of decentralization, which led to many strikes. During the summer of 2003, the country experienced an unusual heat wave which caused the death of more than 13,000 people. The perceived late reaction of the government was blamed on his administration. In 2004 he begun the reform of the French state-run health-care system.
On March 28, 2004, the ruling UMP party suffered an important defeat during the regional elections, with all but one régions 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 March 30, 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).
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Raffarin's First Government
7 May 2002 - 31 March 2004 (called Raffarin I until June 17, and became Raffarin II)
- 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
- Jean-François Lamour - Minister of Sport
- Brigitte Girardin - Minister of Overseas
- Giles 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
Minor Changes
- Michèle Alliot-Marie ceases to be Minister of Veterans, remaining only Minister of Defense.
- Dominique de Villepin ceases to be Minister of Cooperation and Francophonie, becoming solely Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Raffarin's Second Government
31 March 2004 - 29 November 2004 (called Raffarin III)
- 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
- Giles 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 - Nicolas Sarkozy left to be the president of the UMP. Thus there was a reshuffle.
- Dominique de Villepin - Minister of the Interior, Interior Security, and Local Liberties (Replaced Nicolas Sarkozy)
- Dominique Bussereau - Minister of Agriculture, Food, Fish, and Rural Affairs (Replaced Dominique de Villepin)
25 February 2005 - following a scandal forcing Hervé Gaymard resignation.
- Thierry Breton - Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industry,
International
- 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] (http://sg.news.yahoo.com/050423/1/3s3pn.html) [2] (http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=9677&t=1&c=1)
Foreign Affairs being by the consitution one of the President solely responsabilities, it is safe to assume that these remarks were made at the President's demand.
Critics
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").
See also
External links
- Official biography (in French) (http://www.premier-ministre.gouv.fr/acteurs/premier_ministre/histoire_chefs_gouvernement_28/jean_pierre_raffarin_295/)
- BBC Profile (in English) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1970512.stm)
References