Pierre Bérégovoy
Encyclopedia
Pierre Eugène Bérégovoy (pjɛʁ beʁeɡɔvwa; 23 December 1925 – 1 May 1993) was a French Socialist politician. He served as Prime Minister
under François Mitterrand
from 1992 to 1993.
, Seine-Maritime to a Ukrainian
father (original family name Береговий in Ukrainian or Береговой in Russian) who had left the Russian Empire
after the Russian Civil War
and a French mother.
He started his professional life at the age of 16 as a qualified metal worker. He got involved in politics following his activities in the French Resistance
– while working at SNCF
during World War II
. Member of the SFIO Socialist Party and of the trade unions confederation Workers Force, he joined the staff of the Minister of Public Works and Transport, Christian Pineau
, as adviser for relations with the trade unons in 1949. One year later, he became technical agent in Gaz de France
.
In 1959, he left the SFIO and participated to the foundation of the dissident Unified Socialist Party
(PSU). He became an adviser of Pierre Mendès-France
. In 1967, with Alain Savary
, he create the pro-Mendès-France Union of clubs for the renewal of the left. This group joined the renewed Socialist Party
(PS) in 1969. He joined the executive group of the party behind François Mitterrand
, and participated notably to the negotiations of the Common Program of the Union of the left.
In 1981, when Mitterrand was elected President of France, he was chosen as secretary general of the presidency. One year later, he joined the cabinet as Minister of Social affairs
. He was among the Socialist politicians who advised President Mitterrand to leave the European Monetary System
in order to continue Socialist economic policy. But in March 1983, Mitterrand listened to his Prime minister Pierre Mauroy
and ratified the change of economic policy.
Bérégovoy became Minister of Economy and Finance
, from 1984 to the 1986 Socialist electoral defeat.
Elected mayor of Nevers
in 1983, and deputy of Nièvre
département in 1986, in the electoral land of Mitterrand, he led his 1988 presidential campaign
. After his re-election, at the time of each cabinet reshuffle, his name was mentioned as a possible Prime Minister. In the end, he returned to the Ministry of Economy and Finance. In this function, he symbolized the adaptation of French socialism to the market economy and struck up hearty relations with employers representatives.
After the 1992 regional elections
, which were a disaster for the PS, he was appointed Prime Minister
at last. He promised to fight unemployment, economic decline and corruption. During his inaugural speech in the French National Assembly
, he claimed he knew the names of politicians from the right-wing opposition implicated in corruption scandals, causing a great hue and cry. Bérégovoy forced Bernard Tapie, his Minister of City, to resign in May 1992 after his indictment by the French justice. He thus created the misnamed "Balladur jurisprudence
".
He resigned after the Socialist electoral collapse of the 1993 legislative election
.
Governmental functions
Prime Minister : 1992–1993.
Minister of Economy and Finances : 1984–1986 / 1988–1992.
Minister of Social Affairs : 1982–1984.
Electoral mandates
National Assembly of France
Member of the National Assembly of France for Nièvre
(1st constituency) : 1986–1988 (Became minister in 1988) / March–May 1993 (Died in May 1993). Elected in 1986, reelected in 1988, 1993.
General Council
General Councillor of the Nièvre
: 1985–1993 (Died in May 1993). Reelected in 1992.
Municipal Council
Mayor of Nevers
: 1983–1993 (Died in May 1993). Reelected in 1989.
Municipal councillor of Nevers
: 1983–1993 (Died in May 1993). Reelected in 1989.
's deposition, who said the former prime minister was with him when he grabbed the guard's gun, while according to the first version of events which appeared in the press Bérégovoy had returned alone to the car and had taken the gun from the glove box. The press also reported that "witnesses heard two shots...." before finding the corpse. The only photo released to the press showed Bérégovoy with a small wound.
Most of Bérégovoy's close friends admitted that he had been depressed ever since he lost the March legislative elections in which his Socialist Party won only 67 out of 577 parliamentary seats. Bérégovoy was also being investigated concerning a one-million-franc, interest-free, loan he received from businessman and close friend, Roger Patrice-Pelat. Patrice-Pelat died of a heart attack on 7 March 1989, less than one month after being found guilty in the Péchiney-Triangle affair.
Bérégovoy's death came on the eve of the opening of a new trial concerning the acquisition of Triangle by Péchiney
. His wife expressed some doubt about whether his death actually was a suicide, mainly because he had not left a suicide note
, and that his note pad, which he always kept in his pocket, had disappeared.
Changes
Prime Minister of France
The Prime Minister of France in the Fifth Republic is the head of government and of the Council of Ministers of France. The head of state is the President of the French Republic...
under François Mitterrand
François Mitterrand
François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand was the 21st President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra, serving from 1981 until 1995. He is the longest-serving President of France and, as leader of the Socialist Party, the only figure from the left so far elected President...
from 1992 to 1993.
Early career
Pierre Bérégovoy was born in Déville-lès-RouenDéville-lès-Rouen
-Population:-Places of interest:* The church of St.Pierre, dating from the nineteenth century.* The ruins of a Rouen bishop's manor house dating from the thirteenth century.* A sixteenth century stone cross.-Notable people:...
, Seine-Maritime to a Ukrainian
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
father (original family name Береговий in Ukrainian or Береговой in Russian) who had left the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
after the Russian Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
and a French mother.
He started his professional life at the age of 16 as a qualified metal worker. He got involved in politics following his activities in the French Resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
– while working at SNCF
SNCF
The SNCF , is France's national state-owned railway company. SNCF operates the country's national rail services, including the TGV, France's high-speed rail network...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Member of the SFIO Socialist Party and of the trade unions confederation Workers Force, he joined the staff of the Minister of Public Works and Transport, Christian Pineau
Christian Pineau
Christian Pineau was a noted French Resistance fighter.He was born in Chaumont-en-Bassigny, Haute-Marne, France and died in Paris.His father-in-law was the writer Jean Giraudoux, who was married to Pineau's mother...
, as adviser for relations with the trade unons in 1949. One year later, he became technical agent in Gaz de France
Gaz de France
Gaz de France was a French company which produced, transported and sold natural gas around the world, especially in France, its main market. The company was also particularly active in Belgium, the United Kingdom, Germany, and other European countries. Through its part-owned Belgian subsidiary SPE...
.
In 1959, he left the SFIO and participated to the foundation of the dissident Unified Socialist Party
Unified Socialist Party (France)
The Unified Socialist Party was a socialist political party in France, founded on April 3, 1960. It was originally led by Édouard Depreux , and by Michel Rocard .- History :...
(PSU). He became an adviser of Pierre Mendès-France
Pierre Mendès-France
Pierre Mendès France was a French politician. He descended from a Portuguese Jewish family that moved to France in the sixteenth century.-Third Republic and World War II:...
. In 1967, with Alain Savary
Alain Savary
Alain Savary was a French Socialist politician, deputy to the National Assembly of France during the Fourth and Fifth Republic, chairman of the Socialist Party and a government minister in the 1950s and in 1981, when he was nominated by President François Mitterrand as Minister of National...
, he create the pro-Mendès-France Union of clubs for the renewal of the left. This group joined the renewed Socialist Party
Socialist Party (France)
The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement...
(PS) in 1969. He joined the executive group of the party behind François Mitterrand
François Mitterrand
François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand was the 21st President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra, serving from 1981 until 1995. He is the longest-serving President of France and, as leader of the Socialist Party, the only figure from the left so far elected President...
, and participated notably to the negotiations of the Common Program of the Union of the left.
In 1981, when Mitterrand was elected President of France, he was chosen as secretary general of the presidency. One year later, he joined the cabinet as Minister of Social affairs
Minister of Social Affairs (France)
The Minister of Social Affairs and Employment The Minister of Social Affairs and Employment The Minister of Social Affairs and Employment (French: Ministre des Affaires sociales et de l'emploi is a cabinet member in the Government of France. The position was originally known as Minister of Labor...
. He was among the Socialist politicians who advised President Mitterrand to leave the European Monetary System
European Monetary System
There are three stages of monetary cooperation in the European Union.-Background:European currency exchange rate stability has been one of the most important objectives of European policy makers at least since the Second World War....
in order to continue Socialist economic policy. But in March 1983, Mitterrand listened to his Prime minister Pierre Mauroy
Pierre Mauroy
Pierre Mauroy is a French Socialist politician and former Prime Minister under François Mitterrand . Mauroy also served as Mayor of Lille from 1973 to 2001. Mauroy is currently emeritus mayor of Lille.-Biography:...
and ratified the change of economic policy.
Bérégovoy became Minister of Economy and Finance
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 1984 to the 1986 Socialist electoral defeat.
Elected mayor of Nevers
Nevers
Nevers is a commune in – and the administrative capital of – the Nièvre department in the Bourgogne region in central France...
in 1983, and deputy of Nièvre
Nièvre
Nièvre is a department in the centre of France named after the Nièvre River.-History:Nièvre is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
département in 1986, in the electoral land of Mitterrand, he led his 1988 presidential campaign
French presidential election, 1988
Presidential elections were held in France on 24 April and 8 May 1988.In 1981, the Socialist Party leader, François Mitterrand, was elected President of France and the Left won the legislative election. However, in 1986, the Right regained a parliamentary majority. President Mitterrand was forced...
. After his re-election, at the time of each cabinet reshuffle, his name was mentioned as a possible Prime Minister. In the end, he returned to the Ministry of Economy and Finance. In this function, he symbolized the adaptation of French socialism to the market economy and struck up hearty relations with employers representatives.
After the 1992 regional elections
French regional elections, 1992
Regional elections were held in France on 22 March 1992. At stake were the presidencies of each of France's 26 régions, which, though they don't have legislative autonomy, manage sizeable budgets. The parliamentary right, led by the conservative Rally for the Republic and the centre-right Union for...
, which were a disaster for the PS, he was appointed Prime Minister
Prime Minister of France
The Prime Minister of France in the Fifth Republic is the head of government and of the Council of Ministers of France. The head of state is the President of the French Republic...
at last. He promised to fight unemployment, economic decline and corruption. During his inaugural speech in the French National Assembly
French National Assembly
The French National Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of France under the Fifth Republic. The upper house is the Senate ....
, he claimed he knew the names of politicians from the right-wing opposition implicated in corruption scandals, causing a great hue and cry. Bérégovoy forced Bernard Tapie, his Minister of City, to resign in May 1992 after his indictment by the French justice. He thus created the misnamed "Balladur jurisprudence
Balladur jurisprudence
The "Balladur jurisprudence," named after former French Prime Minister Edouard Balladur, is an unwritten rule according to which a member of the French government who has been indicted in a judicial affair should resign from his functions...
".
He resigned after the Socialist electoral collapse of the 1993 legislative election
French legislative election, 1993
French legislative elections took place on 21 and 28 March 1993 to elect the 10th National Assembly of the Fifth Republic.Since 1988, President François Mitterrand and his Socialist cabinets had relied on a relative parliamentary majority. Without the support of the Communists, Prime minister...
.
Political career
Secretary General of the Presidency of the Republic : 1981–1982.Governmental functions
Prime Minister : 1992–1993.
Minister of Economy and Finances : 1984–1986 / 1988–1992.
Minister of Social Affairs : 1982–1984.
Electoral mandates
National Assembly of France
Member of the National Assembly of France for Nièvre
Nièvre
Nièvre is a department in the centre of France named after the Nièvre River.-History:Nièvre is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
(1st constituency) : 1986–1988 (Became minister in 1988) / March–May 1993 (Died in May 1993). Elected in 1986, reelected in 1988, 1993.
General Council
General Councillor of the Nièvre
Nièvre
Nièvre is a department in the centre of France named after the Nièvre River.-History:Nièvre is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
: 1985–1993 (Died in May 1993). Reelected in 1992.
Municipal Council
Mayor of Nevers
Nevers
Nevers is a commune in – and the administrative capital of – the Nièvre department in the Bourgogne region in central France...
: 1983–1993 (Died in May 1993). Reelected in 1989.
Municipal councillor of Nevers
Nevers
Nevers is a commune in – and the administrative capital of – the Nièvre department in the Bourgogne region in central France...
: 1983–1993 (Died in May 1993). Reelected in 1989.
Death
Pierre Bérégovoy died on 1 May 1993, in Paris after being transported by helicopter from Nevers (Nièvre), where he had been found an hour earlier, in a coma with two bullets in the head. The second bullet was attributed to a nervous reflex. Police investigators ruled his death as a suicide, confirming his bodyguardBodyguard
A bodyguard is a type of security operative or government agent who protects a person—usually a famous, wealthy, or politically important figure—from assault, kidnapping, assassination, stalking, loss of confidential information, terrorist attack or other threats.Most important public figures such...
's deposition, who said the former prime minister was with him when he grabbed the guard's gun, while according to the first version of events which appeared in the press Bérégovoy had returned alone to the car and had taken the gun from the glove box. The press also reported that "witnesses heard two shots...." before finding the corpse. The only photo released to the press showed Bérégovoy with a small wound.
Most of Bérégovoy's close friends admitted that he had been depressed ever since he lost the March legislative elections in which his Socialist Party won only 67 out of 577 parliamentary seats. Bérégovoy was also being investigated concerning a one-million-franc, interest-free, loan he received from businessman and close friend, Roger Patrice-Pelat. Patrice-Pelat died of a heart attack on 7 March 1989, less than one month after being found guilty in the Péchiney-Triangle affair.
Bérégovoy's death came on the eve of the opening of a new trial concerning the acquisition of Triangle by Péchiney
Pechiney
Pechiney SA was a major aluminium conglomerate based in France. The company was acquired in 2003 by the Alcan Corporation, headquartered in Canada...
. His wife expressed some doubt about whether his death actually was a suicide, mainly because he had not left a suicide note
Suicide note
A suicide note or death note is a message that states the author has died by suicide, and left to be discovered and read in anticipation of suicide....
, and that his note pad, which he always kept in his pocket, had disappeared.
Funeral
At Bérégovoy's funeral, held at Nevers in an atmosphere of tension and shock, Mitterrand stated that media pressure in connection with the Pelat scandal was responsible for Bérégovoy's suicide. Targeting the press, he said "the honour of a man was given to dogs" but attributed to Bérégovoy "the greatness of one who chooses his destiny."Bérégovoy's ministry, 2 April 1992 – 29 March 1993
- Pierre Bérégovoy – Prime Minister
- Roland DumasRoland DumasRoland Dumas is a lawyer and French Socialist politician who served notably as Foreign Minister under President François Mitterrand from 1984 to 1986 and from 1988 to 1993...
– Minister of Foreign Affairs - Pierre JoxePierre JoxePierre Joxe is a former French Socialist politician and has been a member of the Constitutional Council of France since 2001....
– Minister of Defense - Paul QuilèsPaul QuilèsPaul Quilès is a French Socialist politician.-Biography:He was born in Sig, Algeria.Deputy of Tarn département, close to Laurent Fabius, he was Defense Minister from 1985 to 1986, after the Rainbow Warrior scandal...
– Minister of the Interior and Public Security - Michel SapinMichel SapinMichel Sapin is a member of the National Assembly of France. He represents the Indre department, and is a member of the Socialiste, radical, citoyen et divers gauche.-Biography:...
– Minister of Economy, Finance, and Privatization - Michel CharasseMichel CharasseMichel Charasse is a member of the Senate of France. He represents the Puy-de-Dôme department, and is a member of the European Democratic and Social Rally....
– Minister of Budget - Dominique Strauss-KahnDominique Strauss-KahnDominique Gaston André Strauss-Kahn , often referred to in the media, and by himself, as DSK, is a French economist, lawyer, politician, and member of the French Socialist Party...
– Minister of Industry and External Commerce - Martine AubryMartine AubryMartine Aubry is a French politician. She has been the First Secretary of the French Socialist Party since November 2008 and Mayor of Lille since March 2001...
– Minister of Labour, Employment, and Vocational Training - Michel VauzelleMichel VauzelleMichel Vauzelle is the president of the regional council of Provence-Alpes-Cote-d'Azur since 1998. He is a member of the Socialist Party and was Minister of Justice in the Pierre Bérégovoy government in 1992–1993....
– Minister of Justice - Jack LangJack Lang (French politician)Jack Mathieu Émile Lang is a French politician. A member of the Socialist Party, he served as France's Minister of Culture from 1981 to 1986 and 1988 to 1992, and as Minister of Education from 1992 to 1993 and 2000 to 2002. He was also the Mayor of Blois from 1989 to 2000...
– Minister of National Education and Culture - Louis MermazLouis MermazLouis Mermaz is a French politician. He became an ally of François Mitterrand in the late 1950s and in 1971 became a member of Mitterrand's staff in the French Socialist Party. From 1981 to 1986, he was president of the French National Assembly. He served as Minister of Agriculture from 1990 to...
– Minister of Agriculture and Forests - Ségolène RoyalSégolène RoyalMarie-Ségolène Royal , known as Ségolène Royal, is a French politician. She is the president of the Poitou-Charentes Regional Council, a former member of the National Assembly, a former government minister, and a prominent member of the French Socialist Party...
– Minister of Environment - Frédérique Bredin – Minister of Youth and Sports
- Louis Le PensecLouis Le PensecLouis Le Pensec is a French politician. He is a member of the Socialist Party. Between 1973 and 1997, he was a member of the Parliament.Since 27 September 1998, he is a Senator of Finistère....
– Minister of Overseas Departments and Territories - Jean-Louis BiancoJean-Louis BiancoJean-Louis Bianco is a member of the National Assembly of France. He represents the first constituency of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department, and is a member of the Socialist Party, which sits with the Socialiste, radical, citoyen et divers gauche group in the Assembly.-External links:...
– Minister of Transport, Housing, and Equipment - Louis Mermaz – Minister of Relations with Parliament
- Bernard KouchnerBernard KouchnerBernard Kouchner is a French politician, diplomat, and doctor. He is co-founder of Médecins Sans Frontières and Médecins du Monde...
– Minister of Health and Humanitarian Action - Émile ZuccarelliÉmile ZuccarelliÉmile Zuccarelli is a French politician from Corsica. He serves as honorary President of the Radical Party of the Left and mayor of Bastia. Until his defeat in the French legislative election, 2007, he was deputy for Haute-Corse.In the French regional elections, 2004, he led a PRG list in Corse,...
– Minister of Posts and Telecommunications - Michel DelebarreMichel DelebarreMichel Delebarre is a member of the National Assembly of France. He represents the Nord department, and is a member of the Socialiste, radical, citoyen et divers gauche. He is also mayor of Dunkirk ....
– Minister of Civil Service and Administrative Reform - Bernard TapieBernard TapieBernard Tapie is a French businessman, politician and occasional actor, singer, and TV host. He was Ministre de la Ville in the government of Pierre Bérégovoy, a businessman specializing in recovery for bankrupted companies, among which Adidas is the most famous ; and owner of sports teams...
– Minister of City - Hubert CurienHubert CurienHubert Curien was a French physicist and a key figure in European science politics, as the President of CERN , the first chairman of the European Space Agency , and second President of the Academia Europæa and a President of Fondation de France.-Biography:Born in Cornimont, Vosges in Lorraine,...
– Minister of Research and Space - René TeuladeRené TeuladeRené Teulade is a member of the Senate of France, representing the Corrèze department. He is a member of the Socialist Party.-References:*...
– Minister of Social Affairs and Integration
Changes
- 23 May 1992 – Bernard Tapie leaves the ministry and the office of Minister of City is abolished
- 2 October 1992 – Martin MalvyMartin MalvyMartin Malvy is a French politician. He is a member of the Socialist Party.In 1992, he was the spokesmen of the French government. Between 1992 and 1993, he was Minister of Budget. He is president of the Région Midi-Pyrénées since 1998.-External links:...
succeeds Charasse as Minister of Budget. Jean-Pierre SoissonJean-Pierre SoissonJean-Pierre Soisson is a French politician of the Union for a Popular Movement who is a deputy in the National Assembly of France for the first district of Yonne....
succeeds Mermaz as Minister of Agriculture, becoming also Minister of Rural Development - 26 December 1992 – The office of Minister of City is re-established, with Bernard Tapie again as Minister
- 9 March 1993 – Pierre Joxe leaves the ministry of Defence and was succeeded by Pierre Bérégovoy (who remains also Prime minister)
External links
- Association Pierre Bérégovoy, in French only