Dominique Strauss-Kahn

See also: Strauss, Kahn

Dominique Strauss-Kahn (known as DSK ) is a Politician French, born the April 25th 1949 with Neuilly-sur-Seine (Hauts-de-Seine), member of the Socialist party (PS).

It was named for 5 years at the general position of director of the Fonds international currency on September 28th, 2007.

Biography

Its complete identity is Dominique Gaston André Strauss-Kahn.

Formation

After having remained during its childhood with the Morocco which it must leave following the earthquake of Agadir, it studies with HEC and the Institut of political studies of Paris. He is bachelor of law public, doctor of economic scenes and qualified schoolteacher of economic scenes. He becomes professor of economy to the Université of Nancy 2 (1977 - 1980) then to the university of Nanterre (starting from 1981) and to the National school of administration. After a passage as professor with HEC, it with also taught the Microéconomie and the Macroeconomics with Institute of political studies of Paris.

In 1971, it works at the Research center on the saving, where it binds friendship with Denis Kessler (future vice-president of the MEDEF and at the time member of the extreme left). This last becomes its assistant with Nanterre and they write together, in 1982, the saving and the retirement .

Political beginnings

After a short passage to CERES of Jean-Pierre Chevènement in the middle of the the Seventies, it binds its destiny to that of Lionel Jospin. Potential minister in 1981, it chooses to serve the new first secretary of the PS.

He is professor of economy to Nancy II then with Paris X (1978 - 1982), and in the same consulting time of UNO.

In 1982, it enters to the Commissariat in the plan, of which he becomes police chief-assistant and chief of the service financing.

In 1986, it is elected for the first time appointed of Haute-Savoie and re-elected in 1988, but in the Val-d'Oise this time. He then becomes president of the Committee of supply. It is at that time that it meets Paul Hermelin (future principal private secretary to Industry in 1991). He is national secretary of the PS, in charge with the studies and the program (1986 - 1988), then of the economy and finances (1988 - 1989) and professor of economy to Paris X-Nanterre (1986 - 1991). In 1991, François Mitterrand names it deputy Ministre with Industry and the Foreign trade in the government of Edith Cresson. It preserves this station in the government of Pierre Bérégovoy, until the legislative elections of 1993, then becomes lawyer at the Court.

In 1993, Michel Rocard decides to start again the “group of the experts of the PS”, created by Claude Allègre, and the presidency entrusts some to him. This same year, it creates cabinet DSK Consultants to exert the business lawyer trade. Always in 1993, it is beaten with the legislative elections in the district of Sarcelles and Garges-les-Gonesse by Pierre Lellouche (51,21% against 48,78%)

In 1994, Raymond Levy, then chairman of Renault, creates the “Circle of Industry”, a circle specialized in the defense of French industry in Brussels, where he côtoie in particular Vincent Bolloré and Louis Schweitzer, and of which he becomes the vice-president. This activity of lobbyist attracts to him criticisms of the Gauche antilibérale.

Elected official mayor of Sarcelles in June 1995, it marries Anne Sinclair, then journalist with TF1 and presenting the Sunday political emission Seven out of Seven . It gives up its weekly magazine when Dominique Strauss-Kahn is named Minister for the Economy and Finances, following the victory of the left to the legislative elections of 1997. It yields its mandate of mayor to François Pupponi.

Jospin government

1997-1999: Minister for the Economy and Finances

In 1997, Lionel Jospin, new Prime Minister, names it Ministre for the Economy, Finances and of Industry and Dominique Strauss-Kahn becomes a showpiece of the government. The good performances of the French economy, the return of the growth (strong in France at the end of the 20th century) and lowers it unemployment (with approximately 300000 job creations in the commercial sector, the year 1998 was the best for employment since 1969), make that Dominique Strauss-Kahn becomes a heavy truck of the government and socialist party.

This central position within the government is worth to him to be the leader of the Socialists to the regional elections of 1998 in Ile-de-France, that the left gains. However, during the countryside, affirming not to want to exchange its ministerial mandate against the regional executive, it is Jean-Paul Huchon which is proposed and which becomes president of the district council. He preserves his mandate only time to find his seat of deputy after his resignation of the government the November 2nd 1999 following a controversy on possible remunerations of kindness by the MNEF of 1994 to 1996.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn succeeds in imposing a fall of VAT on renovation works in the building, brought back to 5.5%, in order to start again the activity of the sector; the favorable economic situation in Europe allows a rectification partial of the budget accounts (deficit beyond 3% pennies the government Alain Juppe) and makes it possible France to join the Euro area. He is opposed nevertheless to his colleague minister Martine Aubry on the method of installation of the 35 hours and operates massive privatizations, in particular that of France Telecom, whereas the program of Lionel Jospin excluded the latter expressly.

He repeals the law Thomas on the pension funds and sets up the Conseil of orientation of the retirements (HORN), but does not launch true reform project for the period of strong growth of 1998 to 2000.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn tries to organize her influence within her party, but if it succeeds in federating jospiniens and rocardiens within a political current called Socialisme and democracy, it pains, initially, to transform the attraction which it exerts in effective and structured militant network, preferring the abstract networks to him.

1999: resignation of the Jospin government

Blamed in the media for legal affairs related to the exercise of the occupation of lawyer (Business of the MNEF and Business Elf), it chooses to resign of its ministerial position in November 1999 to be able to defend themselves and not to attack the Jospin government. Christian Sautter replaces it in its functions.

The whole of the businesses in which Dominique Strauss-Kahn was blamed are concluded in its connection with withdrawals of case in November 2001. It is represented a few months later and is largely re-elected in its district of the Val-d'Oise at the time of an partial legislative election.

2002-2007: in the socialist opposition

Whereas Jacques Chirac gains the presidential election and that the UMP has one majority with the National Assembly, Dominique Strauss-Kahn is re-elected appointed the June 16th 2002, for the legislature (2002 - 2007), in the 8th district of the Val-d'Oise. But it chooses not to take share with the new direction of the PS to the congress of 2003. He is national secretary of the PS (2002-2003), member of the national office of the PS (2003-2005); national secretary of the PS, charged with the elected officials (November 2005 - June 2007).

In the end of the year 2004, it reinstates the direction of the Socialist party while being charged, with Martine Aubry and Jack Lang, of the socialist project for 2007.

In parallel, it Co-founds On the left the club of reflection in Europe with Michel Rocard and whose Marisol Touraine is the president today.

It also chairs with Jean-Christophe Cambadélis the current Socialisme and democracy in the Socialist party.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn animates one of the first Blog S of national politician; it on the matter makes figure of reference (and one the most visited of) in the political world, with that of Alain Juppe.

In May 2005, it leaves a DVD in favor of “yes” to the draft treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe. Dominique Strauss-Kahn invests himself in a constant way to impose “yes left”. At the conclusion of a particularly animated campaign, “not” carries it in France with more than 54%.

Primary educations with the presidential election of 2007

In 2006, the socialist party organizes primary elections to choose a candidate with the French presidential election of 2007. Dominique Strauss-Kahn presents himself against Laurent Fabius and Ségolène Royal. It represents the social democrat sensitivity. It counts, among its close relations in policy, on the support of a team gathering Pierre Moscovici, Jean-Christophe Cambadélis, Michel Destot, Catherine Trautmann, Alain Richard, Claude Evin, Jean-Paul Huchon, etc It also profits from the support of Michel Rocard and Robert Badinter. It is also supported by Socialisme and democracy young people, the branch “youth” of its current also present but minority (15 to 20%) within the Movement of the young Socialists (MJS); the presence of these young Socialists at its sides was beneficial to him, since in the departments where they are present, the score of DSK was almost always higher than the national average. The November 16th 2006, it finishes second of the vote of the militants, with 20,83% of the voices, against 60,60% for Ségolène Royal.

After the presidential election of 2007

As of the published results, Dominique Strauss-Kahn calls with a restoration of the PS, towards a social democrat way, with the image of the turning taken per many European socialist parties.

To the legislative elections of 2007, it gives its mandate of deputy concerned, in particular vis-a-vis Jean-Michel Cadiot (UDF-Modem) and Sylvie Noachovitch (UMP) in the eighth district of the Valley of Oise (Arnouville-lès-Gonesse, Bonneuil-in-France, Garges-lès-Gonesse, Sarcelles (North-eastern Canton), Villiers-the-Beautiful). In 2001 and 2002, the former minister PS had been put there in ballot by Sophie Jacquest, who presented herself under the label UDF and had obtained a score of 45% with the second turn.

It arrived second at the 1st turn of the legislative election of 2007, preceded of 90 votes by Sylvie Noachovitch (UMP), but is elected with the second turn with 55,5% of the voices, thus obtaining its best score in this district.

With leaving legislative June 2007, certain surveys place in credible competitor vis-a-vis Ségolène Royal for the head of the Socialist party, whose congress is envisaged in 2008.

Since 2007: Funds international currency

Proposed by Jean-Claude Juncker and Nicolas Sarkozy, Dominique Strauss-Kahn is during the summer 2007, the candidate of the France then of the European Union, to aspire to the head office of the Fonds international currency. This European support causes the renouncement of Marek Belka, supported candidate by the Poland.

After a world tour of the principal capitals, the United States, China and an important majority of the countries of Africa gives him their support, while Russia tries to counter this candidature by proposing Josef Tošovský, former Czech Prime Minister, at this station. In the same way, the emergent countries, through a declaration of the G24, require so that the tacit rule of the nomination of one European to the head of the IMF be re-examined and the Financial Times sharply denounces in its leading article of August 28th, 2007 a tradition which does not take place any more to be.

In France, the candidature of Dominique Strauss-Kahn is also analyzed from the point of view of the strategy of political expansion of president Nicolas Sarkozy, and the question of its future about the national political scene was put.

September 28th, 2007, Dominique Strauss-Kahn is named with the head of the worldwide organization. It takes its functions on November 1st, 2007. Meanwhile he resigned of his station of deputy of the Val-d'Oise, on October 19th, 2007.

Doctrines

Economic and social doctrines

For Dominique Strauss-Kahn, universalization is not a curse. It is a chance. Only, it is necessary to give oneself the means of remaining at the head innovation creativity, to make it possible to guarantee to all the French a high standard of living.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn thus estimates that it is necessary of refonder a new “compromise social”. For that, the Socialisme must “change software”, i.e. to return to a research of social justice and human dignity. This revival of socialism passes by the recourse to a method of the radical reformism, which can borrow three axes:

  • redistribution of richnesses;
  • regulation of the economy;
  • the fight against the inequalities of birth.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn assumes the fact that the installation of such actions supposes a level of taxation raised, as well as an economy in growth. For him, the State must thus follow a policy of short-term revival, and the investment in the long-term high added value.

To explain the current difficulties of the French economy, it stresses that it is not a question only of one crisis of request, but also of a specialization of the French economy on sectors less and less protected from the competition of the developing countries. The remedy thus passes in particular by an massive investment in new technologies and education.

DSK does not make a public property certain companies a principle. Having privatized many companies at the time of its passage to the Jospin government, it considered in the Flame and ash (2002) the opening of capital of EDF to allow industrial partnerships. He since was opposed to the privatization of EDF and GDF by estimating that they did not form part of industrial diagrams, but considers that in the state of public finances, the renationalization of EDF should not constitute a priority of a future Socialist government.

To fight against poverty in the world, he preaches the limitation of the liberalization and the influence of OMC, the opening of the the IMF and the the World Bank to the poor countries but also the support of the democracy and the increase in the international assistance.

Europe

With the image of her thought on universalization, Dominique Strauss-Kahn sees in Europe a chance, and not a handicap. It must make it possible to defend Europeans and thus the French. He decided in favor of “yes” with the treaty establishing a constitution for the EU. However, it took account of the choice of the French and intends to propose new solutions to them.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn estimates that the stability pact must be reformed in order to limit the contracyclic budget policies. The mandate of the European Central bank must be widened for better taking into account the employment and growth targets. It is a question of setting up a mixture of policies ( Policy mix ) budgetary and more effective monetarist. It wishes the increase in the European budget, to lead a European industrial true policy and to finance the innovation. the community rules as regards competition should be reconsidered.

He in addition thinks that Europe must go until including the whole of the Mediterranean basin, in particular the Maghreb. It is by facilitating the development of the Mediterranean basin that it will be in particular possible to bring solutions to the problems involved in immigration.

Education

He positioned in favor of a major recasting of the university system. This one must be accompanied by a very significant increase in the means devoted to higher education. Noting that the percentage of an age group graduate of the superior is of 30% in France compared with 80% in South Korea or Sweden and of 50% with the the United States, Dominique Strauss-Kahn insists with force on the extent of the changes to undertake.

Thus, the September 17th 2006, it declares: “The French universities are plunging in the international prize lists. It is necessary to create a competition between the establishments and to put an end to the hypocrisy of the single diploma. What does not prevent from keeping the system in the public and to preserve a levelling vision. ” He adds: “For me, there would be no scandal so that the pulpit of nuclear physics of Paris-VI is financed by EDF, if EDF finds that they is good for its image. But it is not in manners. ”

The Middle East

At the time of the israélo-Lebanese Conflit of 2006, DSK made the analysis that if Israel were actually attacked starting from the Lebanon, the particular role of the Hezbollah within the Lebanese company and its interest to maintain the tension international were not to be neglected, either that its control by the Iran and the Syria. He thus recommended the introduction of a cease-fire, on the basis for Lebanon of the release of the hostages held by Hezbollah and the disarmament of the militia and for Israel of a reserve as for his military acts. He estimated that this message was to be transmitted to the “various recipients”, thus aiming the States supporting Hezbollah.

He however refused to separate this analysis from that of the israélo-Palestinian Conflit, which relates to the occupation of the territory of a not yet sovereign State. Within this framework, it enjoignait in Israel to cease its military action within the Gaza Strip and with the Hamas to take again the political process of recognition of Israel and peaceful negotiation.

In the long term, DSK estimates that the establishment of a lasting Paix with the the Middle East must undoubtedly be under consideration from the point of view of its inclusion within Europe, political process able to bring political stability and economic development necessary to this area.

Works

  • Inflation and division of the surpluses; the case of the households , Editions Cujas, 1975. (with the coll of Andre Babeau, and Andre Masson).

  • Economy of the family and patrimonial accumulation , Editions Cujas, 1977.
  • the Richness of the French Saves, Plus-value/Héritage . (with the coll of Andre Babeau). Paris: PUF, 1977. Collection “the economist” directed by Pierre Tabatoni. Inquire into the fortune of the French.
  • Pierre Bérégovoy: a will of reform to the service of the economy 1984 - 1993. Chief, 2000. (with the coll of Christian Sautter)
  • the flame and ash , Grasset, 2002:
  • Yes, open letter with the children of Europe . Grasset and Fasquelle, 2004.
  • For the real equality. Elements for a radical reformism , Note of the Foundation Jean-Jaurès, 2004
  • DVD for Yes with the constitution , 2005
  • 365 days, newspaper against the renouncement , Grasset 2006

Mandates

National mandates

Regional mandates

Mandates in progress since 2007

  • managing director of the the IMF
Political office
  • He is national secretary of the PS, in charge with the studies and the program 1986 - 1988, then of the economy and finances 1988 - 1989
  • national secretary of the PS 2002 - 2003, member of the national office of the PS 2003 - 2005; national secretary of the PS, charged with the elected officials November 2005 - June 2007.

See too

Related articles

External bonds

  • Blog of Dominique Strauss-Kahn

  • Socialism and Démocratie
  • Site of countryside for the presidential election of 2007
  • Site of countryside for legislative the
  • Blog of Dominique Strauss-Kahn for the candidature for the Head office of the IMF

Sources

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