François Léotard

Biography

His/her father was the mayor of Fréjus of 1959 with 1971 and the François young person was high in the worship of Charles Maurras . He is graduate ENA (promotion François Rabelais (1973)).

Secretary of chancellery at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs (1968-1971); civil administrator in charge of the problems of town planning and environment near the prefect of Paris (1973-1975); affected with the cabinet of the prefect of the Dordogne (1975-1976); affected with the cabinet of the Minister of Interior Department (1976-1977).

Policy

François Léotard was Député of the Var and Maire of Fréjus during nearly twenty years, twice Ministre, president of the Republican party, then of the UDF, station which it succeeds, in 1996, with Valery Giscard d'Estaing, former president of the Republic. He distributes the stations between his rivals, Alain Madelin and Francois Bayrou, which becomes President of the Republican party (PR) and the Center of the social democrats (CDS), components of the UDF, which they rename liberal Démocratie and democratic Force.

In 1978, it is elected appointed of Frejus, its city.

In 1982, it is made elect general secretary of new the Republican party against Charles Million, then assumes the chairmanship of it. Very quickly he becomes an appreciated speaker of the media and the chain TF1, the better sacring “ opposing year ” . Many political commentators then admire the control of which one needs proof, at the time of its interventions, but also its “frankness” its “speech true” and its “charisma”. Its east coast with highest in the opinion polls.

In 1984, for the European elections, it is against a joint list RPR-UDF, preached by Jacques Chirac and Simone Veil, because according to him “ is to render a great service to Jean-Marie Le Pen ”. Some, give him a stature of “ statesman ” and it is then presented like possible a présidentiable.

In 1986, it negotiates in secrecy and directly with Jacques Chirac, for an important ministry in the event of victory in the first government of cohabitation. Had a presentiment of to be appointed Minister for the Defense, posts which falls finally to André Giraud. Whereas his/her political friends advise to him to take the ministry for the Equipment, he inherits finally the ministry for the Culture and the Communication, and will have as delegated minister in charge for the Culture and the Communication, Philippe de Villiers, until 1987, then André Santini, until 1988.

Nombre of its allies of the “ Bande in Léo ” follows it in this government: Alain Madelin with Industry, Gerard Longuet at the Post office, Jacques Douffiagues with Transport and Claude Malhuret with the human rights. However, the surveys show that the public opinion starts to be wary of this hussard in a hurry than faithful and this cohabitation is lived by Valery Giscard d'Estaing like a second “ treason ”.
Moreover, it does not have a personal policy as a Minister for the Culture and continues in fact the work of Jack Lang , without really having qualities of Communication of this last, more especially as it is not very present at its ministry, being defended while declaring: “ I am not a man of files ”.
Its rupture with Jacques Chirac is consumed at the time of the student's demonstrations of the winter 1986, when after the death of Malik Oussekine, Alain Madelin declares: “ the reform of the universities is not worth the death of a man ”. The elected officials RPR badly live what they regard as a “ stab in the back ” more especially as on June 1st in a maintenance with the newspaper the Point , it denounces the “ monks soldiers of the RPR ” which “ has a taste of the capacity without division ” and which it is “ excluded ” that it supports Jacques Chirac with the next presidential election. At the time of the following Council of Ministers, Chirac the nap to choose “ between the performance of its ministerial duties and a militant role in the political movement to which it belongs ”, it with what it answers on June 6th “ I am Minister for the government, I remain to it ”. A few months later the president François Mitterrand ensures it that it has “ qualities for go far ” whereas it says later that it had been very disappointed by his service during the emission the Hour of truth.

At the time of the presidential election of 1988, it gives its support for the candidature of Raymond Barre, the candidate of the UDF, but with such a reserve and such conditions that he appears, with the eyes of his political family, like the person in charge of the against-performance of old the Prime Minister , and refuse to leave him the presidency of UDF. Of this fact it multiplies the political attacks against the centrist Pierre Méhaignerie and its friends: “ the centrists entered a logic which good fleure IVe République. I am well afraid which they fell into the trap tended by François Mitterrand ”.

Beginning 1989, it is tempted to join the Groupe of renovating the, is carried out by Francois Bayrou, Bernard Bosson and Michel Noir in their project to draw up a European list “ renovating ” with an aim of renewing the political community on the right and “ to bury politically ” Chirac and Giscard d'Estaing. Following a meeting with Giscard d'Estaing, on April 6th, it joined in third position, the list of union RPR-UDF which the former president of the Republic assembles. At once elected, appointed European, on list UDF-RPR directed by Valery Giscard d'Estaing and arrived at the head, it tries a bringing together with the centrists whom it had brocardés during weeks: “ Between the old Christian democratic tradition and the liberal tradition that I represent, convergences are likely to save to us the future expiries ”. This new reversal of government scheme is incomprehensible for his/her own friends and this third treason generates the anger of Giscard d'Estaing.

on September 25th, 1989, the UDF deputies, by 45 votes against 41, prefers Charles Million to him, like chair parliamentary group UDF the National Assembly. This elimination is due to accumulated vindication that Valery Giscard d'Estaing maintains in her opposition, more especially as he had not appreciated the ousting of Michel d' Ornano at the station of person in charge of the nominations within the Republican party. About fifteen giscardiens, whose Michel d' Ornano, Hervé de Charrette, Alain Lamassoure, Jean Proriol, gives to the second round their voice with Charles Million, appointed Ain and chair district council the Rhone-Alps.

In 1993, it is named minister of state, Minister for Defense in the government of Edouard Balladur. In 1995, it supports the candidature of Edouard Balladur, the Prime Minister, with the presidential election, eliminated as of the first turn, arriving only third with 18,5% of the voices.

In 1996, he becomes president of UDF.

In 1998, following the regional elections, it firmly condemns the presidents of area of his party, indicated with the voices of the elected officials National front, whom it excludes. Alain Madelin, in a more ambiguous posture, is opposed to these sanctions, and decides the scission, liberal Démocratie becoming an autonomous party. François Léotard resigns then of his position of president of the UDF, which Francois Bayrou reaches, and decides to remain in UDF: he creates PRIL then.

He was unfortunate candidate with the regional elections in Provence-Alp-Coast of Azure, where he aspired to the succession of Jean-Claude Gaudin, to the presidency of the Area. He was chief candidate in the VAr, vis-a-vis Jean-Marie Le Pen, president of the National front and deputy European, chief candidate in the Alpes-Maritimes, and against Michel Vauzelle, Socialist, old Minister of Justice, mayor of Arles, chief candidate in the Rhone delta, which is elected president, with a relative majority.

Following the business of the Secret funding of the Republican party, it gave up any political commitment (resignation of the National Assembly on December 26th, 2001) after being named General inspector of finances to the external turn for a few months (from December 21st, 2001 to September 1st, 2003) before being officially reprocessed.

Ministerial functions

Minister for the Culture and Transport of the Government Jacques Chirac (2) (March 1986 - May 1988)
Minister of state, Minister for the Defense of the Government Edouard Balladur (March 29th, 1993 - May 18th, 1995)

Mandate of Deputy

Deputy UDF of the Var of 1978 has 2001:

Mandate of the 4/3/1978 (general elections) at the 5/22/1981 (fine of legislature)
Mandate of the 7/2/1981 (general elections) at the 4/1/1986 (fine of legislature)
Mandate of the 6/13/1988 (general elections) at the 7/2/1992 (resignation)
Mandate of the 4/2/1993 (general elections) at the 5/1/1993 (nomination like member of the government)
Mandate of the 9/7/1995 (by-election, replacement of an outgoing deputy: Mr. Jean-Marie Bertrand) at the 4/21/1997 (fine of legislature)
Mandate of the 6/1/1997 (general elections) at the 12/26/2001 (resignation)

Local mandates

Mayor of Frejus (83) of March 13rd 1977 at August 8th 1997
1979 - 1988 General adviser of Frejus
1998 - 2004 Regional adviser of the area PACA

Political office

general secretary 1982, then president of the Republican party 1982 - 1990;
president of the Republican party 1995 - 1997;
president of the UDF 1996 - 1998
member of the council of the presidency of the News Union for the French democracy (until in 2002;
honorary president of the Republican party

Current function

Since June 2006, it chairs Association for the Radiation of the Château of Vincennes (ARCV).

Its personality and its ideas

He acknowledged to have voted for François Mitterrand in 1974 and judges “ the terribly stupid French middle-class ”, but its political rhetoric is clearly anti-Socialist, and he is a reader of Charles Péguy and Ernest Renan.

It is persuaded that “ all the throbbing difficulties which arise in France will as well as possible find solution only at the European level (but thinks that) , Europe does not interest the voters, in the worst case she frightens them. ”

Quotations

“the chance - I say the chance well - failure is registered in the political life. That belonged to the democracy. Psychologically, I always prepared there. ” quotation of its book To words discovered .

“It is necessary to put a term at this whole of advantages which surround and protect the politician to return the democracy more transparent, more respected by the young people. Because their contempt comes mainly from this accumulation of exemptions, if they are not privileges, that the political community agreed. ”. Le Monde , February 20th 1996.

Works

With my brother who did not die
the color of the women
I hate you all with softness
With words discovered (1987)
immortal Paroles
the life melancholic person of the jellyfishes
silence

On the Léotard family:

Brigitte Léotard, Small memory of a clan , Albin Michel, 1996

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