François Léotard
Encyclopedia
François Gerard Marie Léotard (born 26 March 1942, Cannes
) is a retired French politician. The late singer and actor Philippe Léotard
was his brother.
Member of the Republican Party
, the liberal-conservative component of the Union for French Democracy
(UDF), he appeared in the foreground of the political scene in the 1980s. He led a new generation of right-wing politicians, the "renovationmen", who opposed to the old right-wing leaders Jacques Chirac
and Valéry Giscard d'Estaing
.
Culture Minister, from 1986 to 1988, he sold the main public TV chanel TF1
. He returned in the cabinet as Defense Minister, from 1993 to 1995. Supporting the candidacy of Edouard Balladur
in the 1995 presidential election
, he was dismissed after Chirac's election. Elected president of the UDF in 1996, he could not prevent the split of this confederation two years later with Alain Madelin
's secession. This and the party's poor showing in the 1998 regional elections prompted his resignation. After a mission in Macedonia
in 2001 as representative of the European Union
, he retired from politics. In 2003, he created together with other prominent European personalities the Medbridge Strategy Center, whose goal is to promote dialogue and mutual understanding between Europe and the Middle-East. He has since written several books.
Minister of State, minister of Defence : 1993–1995.
Minister of Culture and Communication : 1986–1988.
Electoral mandates
National Assembly of France
Member of the National Assembly of France for Var (department) : 1978–1986 (Bacem minister in 1986) / 1988–1993 (Became minister in 1993) / 1995–2001 (Resignation). Elected in 1978, reelected in 1981, 1986, 1988, 1993, 1995, 1997.
Regional Council
Regional councillor of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
: 1998–2004.
General Council
General councillor of Var (department) : 1979–1988 (Resignation). Reelected in 1985.
Municipal Council
Mayor of Fréjus
: 1977–1997 (Resignation). Reelected in 1983, 1989, 1995.
Municipal councillor of Fréjus
: 1977–1997 (Resignation). Reelected in 1983, 1989, 1995.
Political functions
President of the Union for French Democracy
: 1996–1998.
President of the Republican Party (France)
: 1982–1990 / 1995–1997.
Cannes
Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a Commune of France in the Alpes-Maritimes department....
) is a retired French politician. The late singer and actor Philippe Léotard
Philippe Léotard
Philippe Léotard was a French actor, poet, and singer....
was his brother.
Member of the Republican Party
Republican Party (France)
The Republican Party was a French right-wing political party founded in 1977. It replaced the National Federation of the Independent Republicans that was founded in 1966. It was created by former President of France Valéry Giscard d'Estaing...
, the liberal-conservative component of the Union for French Democracy
Union for French Democracy
The Union for French Democracy was a French centrist political party. It was founded in 1978 as an electoral alliance to support President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing in order to counterbalance the Gaullist preponderance over the right. This name was chosen due to the title of Giscard d'Estaing's...
(UDF), he appeared in the foreground of the political scene in the 1980s. He led a new generation of right-wing politicians, the "renovationmen", who opposed to the old right-wing leaders Jacques Chirac
Jacques Chirac
Jacques René Chirac is a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He previously served as Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988 , and as Mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995.After completing his studies of the DEA's degree at the...
and Valéry Giscard d'Estaing
Valéry Giscard d'Estaing
Valéry Marie René Georges Giscard d'Estaing is a French centre-right politician who was President of the French Republic from 1974 until 1981...
.
Culture Minister, from 1986 to 1988, he sold the main public TV chanel TF1
TF1
TF1 is a national French TV channel, controlled by TF1 Group, whose major share-holder is Bouygues. TF1's average market share of 24% makes it the most popular domestic network...
. He returned in the cabinet as Defense Minister, from 1993 to 1995. Supporting the candidacy of Edouard Balladur
Édouard Balladur
Édouard Balladur is a French politician who served as Prime Minister of France from 29 March 1993 to 10 May 1995.-Biography:Balladur was born in İzmir, Turkey, to an Armenian Catholic family with five children and long-standing ties to France...
in the 1995 presidential election
French presidential election, 1995
Presidential elections took place in France on 23 April and 7 May 1995, to elect the fifth president of the Fifth Republic.The incumbent Socialist president, François Mitterrand, did not stand for a third term. He was 78, had cancer, and his party had lost the previous legislative election in a...
, he was dismissed after Chirac's election. Elected president of the UDF in 1996, he could not prevent the split of this confederation two years later with Alain Madelin
Alain Madelin
Alain Madelin is a French politician and a former minister of that country.Madelin, a strong supporter of laissez-faire economics, was a candidate in the 2002 French presidential election as the leader of the Démocratie Libérale party, where he scored 3.91% on the first round...
's secession. This and the party's poor showing in the 1998 regional elections prompted his resignation. After a mission in Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
in 2001 as representative of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, he retired from politics. In 2003, he created together with other prominent European personalities the Medbridge Strategy Center, whose goal is to promote dialogue and mutual understanding between Europe and the Middle-East. He has since written several books.
Political career
Governmental functionsMinister of State, minister of Defence : 1993–1995.
Minister of Culture and Communication : 1986–1988.
Electoral mandates
National Assembly of France
Member of the National Assembly of France for Var (department) : 1978–1986 (Bacem minister in 1986) / 1988–1993 (Became minister in 1993) / 1995–2001 (Resignation). Elected in 1978, reelected in 1981, 1986, 1988, 1993, 1995, 1997.
Regional Council
Regional councillor of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur or PACA is one of the 27 regions of France.It is made up of:* the former French province of Provence* the former papal territory of Avignon, known as Comtat Venaissin...
: 1998–2004.
General Council
General councillor of Var (department) : 1979–1988 (Resignation). Reelected in 1985.
Municipal Council
Mayor of Fréjus
Fréjus
Fréjus is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It neighbours Saint-Raphaël, effectively forming one town...
: 1977–1997 (Resignation). Reelected in 1983, 1989, 1995.
Municipal councillor of Fréjus
Fréjus
Fréjus is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It neighbours Saint-Raphaël, effectively forming one town...
: 1977–1997 (Resignation). Reelected in 1983, 1989, 1995.
Political functions
President of the Union for French Democracy
Union for French Democracy
The Union for French Democracy was a French centrist political party. It was founded in 1978 as an electoral alliance to support President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing in order to counterbalance the Gaullist preponderance over the right. This name was chosen due to the title of Giscard d'Estaing's...
: 1996–1998.
President of the Republican Party (France)
Republican Party (France)
The Republican Party was a French right-wing political party founded in 1977. It replaced the National Federation of the Independent Republicans that was founded in 1966. It was created by former President of France Valéry Giscard d'Estaing...
: 1982–1990 / 1995–1997.