Hervé Gaymard
Encyclopedia
Hervé Gaymard is a French politician and a member of UMP
conservative party. He served as the country's Minister of Finances
from 30 November 2004 until his resignation on 25 February 2005.
Gaymard attended the Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po) and then at the École nationale d'administration
, graduating from the latter in 1986. After that he worked as a civil servant in a number of finance-related positions.
He was elected as a local councillor in Savoie's canton de Moûtiers in 1994. He later served on the departmental council of Savoie, and in 1999, became its president
. He was appointed to the finance ministry in November 2004, and was forced to resign barely 12 weeks later, on Friday, 25 Feb 2005.
He is married to Clara Lejeune, daughter of geniticist Jérôme Lejeune
. A devout catholic, he is the father of eight children: Philothée, Bérénice, Thaïs, Amédée, Eulalie, Faustine, Jérôme-Aristide, Angélico.
disclosed on 16 Feb 2005 that the government was funding an exclusive apartment for Gaymard and his family (his wife and his 8 children). The duplex
apartment, located in the exclusive "Golden Triangle" neighbourhood off Paris' Champs-Élysées
, reportedly had an area of 600 m² (6460 sq ft) and cost the state a monthly rental of €14,000. Aside from the luxuriously high rent, the state was also funding $3,300 a month for maintenance and three parking spaces, $42,000 to renovate the apartment and the parking area, and $16,000 in real estate fees.
He resigned less than 5 hours before he was to give a televised interview defending his actions. In his issued statement, he said, "I am aware that I committed blunders and, above all, a serious error of judgement…"
Following this scandal, Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin
tightened up the rules for public officials using state-funded apartments. However, the Canard soon revealed that Budget Minister Jean-François Copé
also enjoyed an expensive apartment paid for by the state while he owned an apartment in Paris.
There has been some controversy regarding how the Canard and Libération had obtained such information. It was at some point suggested that they were orchestrated by Nicolas Sarkozy
, a political rival of Gaymard from the same party.
On August 26, 2005, Hervé Gaymard was reintegrated into the civil service
corps of the administrateurs civils, with a hors-classe rank, and assigned to the Ministry of Finances (direction of the budget). (ministerial decision in Journal Officiel
, 13 September 2005; Le Monde
, 20 September 2005) after refunding the state the €58,894 that the refurbishing of his apartment had cost. Hervé Gaymard has previously announced that he considered working in the private sector. It is unknown, at this point, whether he considers going back to politics in the future.
Minister of Economy, Finance and Industry : 2004–2005 (Resignation, involved in a court case in 2005).
Minister of Agriculture, of Food, Fisheries and Rural Affairs : 2002–2004.
Secretary of State for Health and Social Security : November 1995–1997.
Secretary of State for Finance : May–November 1995.
Electoral mandates
National Assembly of France
Member of the National Assembly of France for Savoie
: 1993–1995 (Became secretary of State in 1995) / 1997–2002 (Became minister in 2002) / And since 2007. Elected in 1993, reelected in 1997, 2002, 2007.
Regional Council
Regional councillor of Rhône-Alpes
: 2004–2007 (Resignation).
General Council
President of the General Council of Savoie
: 1999–2002 (Resignation) / Since 2008.
Vice-president of the General Council of Savoie
: 2002–2008. Reelected in 2004.
General councillor of Savoie
: Since 1994. Reelected in 2001, 2008.
Union for a Popular Movement
The Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party...
conservative party. He served as the country's Minister of Finances
Minister of the Economy, Finance and Industry (France)
The Minister for the Economy, Industry and Employment , or Minister of Finance for short, is one of the most prominent positions in the cabinet of France after the Prime Minister....
from 30 November 2004 until his resignation on 25 February 2005.
Gaymard attended the Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po) and then at the École nationale d'administration
École nationale d'administration
The École Nationale d'Administration , one of the most prestigious of French graduate schools , was created in 1945 by Charles de Gaulle to democratise access to the senior civil service. It is now entrusted with the selection and initial training of senior French officials...
, graduating from the latter in 1986. After that he worked as a civil servant in a number of finance-related positions.
He was elected as a local councillor in Savoie's canton de Moûtiers in 1994. He later served on the departmental council of Savoie, and in 1999, became its president
President of the general council
In France, the President of the General Council is the locally-elected head of the General Council, the assembly governing a departments in France. The position is elected by the general councillors from among their number. If there is a tie, the senior Councillor is elected.The President of the...
. He was appointed to the finance ministry in November 2004, and was forced to resign barely 12 weeks later, on Friday, 25 Feb 2005.
He is married to Clara Lejeune, daughter of geniticist Jérôme Lejeune
Jérôme Lejeune
Servant of God Jérôme Jean Louis Marie Lejeune was a French Catholic pro-life paediatrician and geneticist, best known for his discovery of the link of diseases to chromosome abnormalities...
. A devout catholic, he is the father of eight children: Philothée, Bérénice, Thaïs, Amédée, Eulalie, Faustine, Jérôme-Aristide, Angélico.
Scandal
Gaymard's resignation as Minister of Finances came after the satirical and investigative newspaper Le Canard enchaînéLe Canard enchaîné
Le Canard enchaîné is a satirical newspaper published weekly in France. Founded in 1915, it features investigative journalism and leaks from sources inside the French government, the French political world and the French business world, as well as many jokes and humorous cartoons.-Early...
disclosed on 16 Feb 2005 that the government was funding an exclusive apartment for Gaymard and his family (his wife and his 8 children). The duplex
Duplex
Duplex commonly means double or twofold.It may also refer to:* Duplex , a two-unit apartment building or condominium* Duplex, a common electrical receptacle with two NEMA type 5 plugs* Duplex locomotive, a type of steam locomotive...
apartment, located in the exclusive "Golden Triangle" neighbourhood off Paris' Champs-Élysées
Champs-Élysées
The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is a prestigious avenue in Paris, France. With its cinemas, cafés, luxury specialty shops and clipped horse-chestnut trees, the Avenue des Champs-Élysées is one of the most famous streets and one of the most expensive strip of real estate in the world. The name is...
, reportedly had an area of 600 m² (6460 sq ft) and cost the state a monthly rental of €14,000. Aside from the luxuriously high rent, the state was also funding $3,300 a month for maintenance and three parking spaces, $42,000 to renovate the apartment and the parking area, and $16,000 in real estate fees.
Resignation
While Gaymard's actions were not illegal, the exposure of Gaymard's accepting lavish, state-funded perks, then attempting to lie in interviews, was bad news for the government at a time when the French public was asked to accept more economic sacrifices while reeling from a staggering unemployment rate that reached 10% in January, the highest level in over five years. Gaymard himself had said that the French should become "detoxified" of public spending. Curbing spending has been at the fore-front of Gaymard's office, giving hope to voters that the economy there would soon improve. And, as it was part of his responsibilities to regulate the housing market, he could not be unaware of the difficulties facing families seeking affordable accommodations.He resigned less than 5 hours before he was to give a televised interview defending his actions. In his issued statement, he said, "I am aware that I committed blunders and, above all, a serious error of judgement…"
Following this scandal, Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin
Jean-Pierre Raffarin
Jean-Pierre Raffarin 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...
tightened up the rules for public officials using state-funded apartments. However, the Canard soon revealed that Budget Minister Jean-François Copé
Jean-François Copé
Jean-François Copé , is a French politician. He is currently Mayor of Meaux, Deputy for the 6th constituency of Seine-et-Marne, and acts as President of the Union for a Popular Movement Group in the French National Assembly...
also enjoyed an expensive apartment paid for by the state while he owned an apartment in Paris.
There has been some controversy regarding how the Canard and Libération had obtained such information. It was at some point suggested that they were orchestrated by Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
, a political rival of Gaymard from the same party.
On August 26, 2005, Hervé Gaymard was reintegrated into the civil service
French Civil Service
The French Civil Service is the set of civil servants working for the French government.Not all employees of the state and public institutions or corporations are civil servants; however, the media often incorrectly equate "government employee" or "employee of a public corporation" with...
corps of the administrateurs civils, with a hors-classe rank, and assigned to the Ministry of Finances (direction of the budget). (ministerial decision in Journal Officiel
Journal Officiel de la République Française
The Journal Officiel de la République Française is the official gazette of the French Republic. It publishes the major legal official information from the national Government of France.-Publications:...
, 13 September 2005; Le Monde
Le Monde
Le Monde is a French daily evening newspaper owned by La Vie-Le Monde Group and edited in Paris. It is one of two French newspapers of record, and has generally been well respected since its first edition under founder Hubert Beuve-Méry on 19 December 1944...
, 20 September 2005) after refunding the state the €58,894 that the refurbishing of his apartment had cost. Hervé Gaymard has previously announced that he considered working in the private sector. It is unknown, at this point, whether he considers going back to politics in the future.
Political career
Governmental functionsMinister of Economy, Finance and Industry : 2004–2005 (Resignation, involved in a court case in 2005).
Minister of Agriculture, of Food, Fisheries and Rural Affairs : 2002–2004.
Secretary of State for Health and Social Security : November 1995–1997.
Secretary of State for Finance : May–November 1995.
Electoral mandates
National Assembly of France
Member of the National Assembly of France for Savoie
Savoie
Savoie is a French department located in the Rhône-Alpes region in the French Alps.Together with the Haute-Savoie, Savoie is one of the two departments of the historic region of Savoy that was annexed by France on June 14, 1860, following the signature of the Treaty of Turin on March 24, 1860...
: 1993–1995 (Became secretary of State in 1995) / 1997–2002 (Became minister in 2002) / And since 2007. Elected in 1993, reelected in 1997, 2002, 2007.
Regional Council
Regional councillor of Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes is one of the 27 regions of France, located on the eastern border of the country, towards the south. The region was named after the Rhône River and the Alps mountain range. Its capital, Lyon, is the second-largest metropolitan area in France after Paris...
: 2004–2007 (Resignation).
General Council
President of the General Council of Savoie
Savoie
Savoie is a French department located in the Rhône-Alpes region in the French Alps.Together with the Haute-Savoie, Savoie is one of the two departments of the historic region of Savoy that was annexed by France on June 14, 1860, following the signature of the Treaty of Turin on March 24, 1860...
: 1999–2002 (Resignation) / Since 2008.
Vice-president of the General Council of Savoie
Savoie
Savoie is a French department located in the Rhône-Alpes region in the French Alps.Together with the Haute-Savoie, Savoie is one of the two departments of the historic region of Savoy that was annexed by France on June 14, 1860, following the signature of the Treaty of Turin on March 24, 1860...
: 2002–2008. Reelected in 2004.
General councillor of Savoie
Savoie
Savoie is a French department located in the Rhône-Alpes region in the French Alps.Together with the Haute-Savoie, Savoie is one of the two departments of the historic region of Savoy that was annexed by France on June 14, 1860, following the signature of the Treaty of Turin on March 24, 1860...
: Since 1994. Reelected in 2001, 2008.
External links
- Interview sealed French minister's fate
- Who framed Hervé Gaymard? – An editorial defending Gaymard, complete with conspiracy theory. Provides an interesting perspective on the scandal.
- French National Parliament Biography Page – In French