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Dominique de Villepin
Dominique de Villepin
167th Prime Minister of France
18th Prime Minister of Fifth Republic
In office
31 May 2005 – 17 May 2007
PresidentJacques Chirac
Preceded byJean-Pierre Raffarin
Succeeded byFrançois Fillon
In office
31 March 2004 – 31 May 2005
Prime MinisterJean-Pierre Raffarin
Preceded byNicolas Sarkozy
Succeeded byNicolas Sarkozy
In office
07 May 2002 – 31 March 2004
Preceded byHubert Védrine
Succeeded byMichel Barnier
BornNovember 14, 1953 (1953-11-14) (age 54)
Rabat, Morocco
Political partyUMP
OccupationDiplomat
Civil Servant
ReligionRoman Catholic
France

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Dominique de Villepin (born Dominique Marie François René Galouzeau de Villepin (IPA: [dɔminik də vilpɛ̃] — listen (help·info)) on 14 November 1953 in Rabat, Morocco) served as the Prime Minister of France from May 31, 2005 to May 17, 2007. The Prime Minister of France ( Premier ministre français) in Fifth Republic is the functional Head of the government and Council of Ministers See also Government of France The Fifth Republic is the fifth and current republican constitution of France, which was introduced on Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1521 - Edward Stafford 3rd Duke of Buckingham, is executed for Treason. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Jean-Pierre Raffarin (born 3 August 1948 is a French conservative Politician and senator for Vienne. François Fillon (fʁɑ̃swa fijɔ̃ born 4 March 1954 in Le Mans, Sarthe) is the current Prime Minister of France, having been appointed to that The Minister of the Interior (full title Ministre de l’Intérieur et de l’Aménagement du Territoire) in France is one of the most important governmental Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Jean-Pierre Raffarin (born 3 August 1948 is a French conservative Politician and senator for Vienne. Nicolas Sarkozy (pronounced, Nicolas Sarkozy (pronounced, The Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Government of France, is the cabinet minister responsible for the Foreign relations of France. Events 558 - In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Hubert Védrine (born July 31, 1947) is a French Socialist politician Michel Barnier (born 9 January 1951) is a conservative French politician Events 1533 - Conquistadors from Spain under the leadership of Francisco Pizarro arrive in Cajamarca, Inca Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Rabat ( Arabic الرباط, transliterated ar-Rabāṭ or ar-Ribāṭ) population 2 million ( 2007 estimate) is the Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting Negotiations between representatives of groups or states See also Bureaucrat The term civil service has two distinct meanings Branch of governmental service in which individuals are hired on the basis This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Politics of France take place in a framework of a semi-presidential representative democratic Republic, whereby the President of France The current Constitution of France was adopted on October 4, 1958. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen (Déclaration des droits de l'Homme et du citoyen is a fundamental document of the French Revolution, defining The preamble of the Constitution of the French Fifth Republic, founded in 1958 recalls the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. See also Government of France The Fifth Republic is the fifth and current republican constitution of France, which was introduced on The government of France is a Semi-presidential system determined by the French Constitution of the fifth Republic, in which the nation declares The President of the French Republic (Président de la République française colloquially referred to in English as the President of France, is France 's elected Nicolas Sarkozy (pronounced, Second French Republic (1848-1852 President of the Provisional Government of the Republic Jacques Charles Dupont de l'Eure (24 February 1848 The Prime Minister of France ( Premier ministre français) in Fifth Republic is the functional Head of the government and Council of Ministers François Fillon (fʁɑ̃swa fijɔ̃ born 4 March 1954 in Le Mans, Sarthe) is the current Prime Minister of France, having been appointed to that Early Modern France Chief Ministers of the French Kings Armand Jean du Plessis Cardinal Richelieu 1624-1642 Jules Cardinal The Constitutional Council ( Conseil Constitutionnel) was established by the Constitution of the Fifth Republic on 4 October 1958 This article is for the post-Revolutionary and present-day institution The French National Assembly. The other is the Senate ( “Sénat”) The Senate (Sénat is the Upper house of the Parliament of France, presided over by a president. The French Congress (Congrès du Parlement français - Congress of the French Parliament is the name given to the body created when both houses of the present-day French This article is about the present-day French institution For institutions with the same name during the Ancien Régime in France see Conseil du Roi. The Court of Cassation ( Cour de cassation in French) is the main Court of last resort in France. Political parties in France lists political parties in France. Gaullism (Gaullisme is a French political ideology based on the thought and action of Charles de Gaulle. The Left in France at the beginning of the 20th century was represented by two main Political parties, the Republican Radical and Radical-Socialist Party France is a Representative democracy. Public officials in the legislative and executive branches are either elected by the citizens (directly or indirectly or appointed by elected The French presidential election of 1958 the first of the French Fifth Republic, took place on December 21, 1958. The 1965 French presidential election was the first presidential election by direct universal suffrage of the French Fifth Republic. The 1969 French presidential election took place on 1 June and 15 June 1969 French legislative elections took place on March 4 and 11 1973 to elect the 5th National Assembly of the Fifth Republic. Presidential elections were held in France in 1974 following the death of President Georges Pompidou. The French legislative elections took place on March 12 and March 19, 1978 to elect the 6th National Assembly of the Fifth Republic The French presidential election of 1981 was won by François Mitterrand, the first Socialist President of the Fifth Republic. French legislative elections took place on June 14 and 21 1981 to elect the 7th National Assembly of the Fifth Republic. The French legislative elections took place on March 16 1986 to elect the 8th National Assembly of the Fifth Republic. Presidential elections were held in France on 24 April and 8 May 1988 French legislative elections took place on June 5 and 12 1988 to elect the 9th National Assembly of the Fifth Republic, one month after the re-election of François French legislative elections took place on March 21 and 28 1993 to elect the 10th National Assembly of the Fifth Republic. Presidential elections took place in France on 23 April and 7 May 1995 to elect the fifth president of the Fifth Republic. French legislative election took place in May 25 and June 1 1997 to elect the 11th National Assembly of the Fifth Republic. The 2002 French presidential election consisted of a first round election on 21 April 2002 and a runoff election between the top two candidates ( Jacques Chirac and The French legislative elections took place on June 9 and June 16, 2002 to elect the 12th National Assembly of the Fifth Republic, The 2007 French presidential election, the ninth of the Fifth French Republic was held to elect the successor to Jacques Chirac as president of France The French legislative elections took place on 10 June and 17 June 2007 to elect the 13th National Assembly of the Fifth Republic, |||} Metropolitan France As of January 1, 2008, Metropolitan France is divided into 22 regions (including Corsica, although France is divided into 26 regions or régions (in French of which 21 are in continental Metropolitan France, one is the island of Corsica, In the context of the political and geographic organization of France and many of its former colonies a department (département depaʁtǝmɑ̃ is an Administrative division The European Union is a unique entity possessing elements of Intergovernmentalism, Supranationalism and a Multi-party Parliamentary democracy A charter member of the United Nations, France holds one of the permanent seats in the Security Council and is a member of most of its specialized and related agencies The Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Government of France, is the cabinet minister responsible for the Foreign relations of France. This is a list of major Political scandals in France: Until 1958 1816 - Shipwreck of and search for French Frigate Information on politics by country is available for every Country, including both De jure and De facto independent Events 1533 - Conquistadors from Spain under the leadership of Francisco Pizarro arrive in Cajamarca, Inca Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Rabat ( Arabic الرباط, transliterated ar-Rabāṭ or ar-Ribāṭ) population 2 million ( 2007 estimate) is the Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa The Prime Minister of France ( Premier ministre français) in Fifth Republic is the functional Head of the government and Council of Ministers Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1521 - Edward Stafford 3rd Duke of Buckingham, is executed for Treason. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.

A career diplomat, Villepin rose through the ranks of the French right as one of Jacques Chirac's protégés. He came into the international spotlight as Foreign Minister with his opposition to the 2003 invasion of Iraq which culminated with a speech to the United Nations (French address on Iraq at the UN Security Council). The Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Government of France, is the cabinet minister responsible for the Foreign relations of France. The 2003 invasion of Iraq, from March 20 to May 1 2003 was spearheaded by the United States, backed by British forces and smaller contingents from Australia The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security

A French judicial process has been commenced against Villepin in connection with the Clearstream Affair. Clearstream Banking SA (CB is the clearing division based in Luxembourg, of Deutsche Börse. Magistrates are investigating whether he was complicit in allowing false accusations to proceed against presidential rival Nicolas Sarkozy regarding bribes paid on a sale of warships to Taiwan. Nicolas Sarkozy (pronounced, Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. [1][2] Recently, however, Villepin has enjoyed a modest return to public favour for his public critique of President Sarkozy's style of imperial rule. [3]

He has three children: Marie (b. Marie de Villepin (born 1986) is a French Socialite, model, and actress and the daughter of former Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin 1986), Arthur, and Victoire (b. 1989). He has written poetry, a book about poetry, and several historical and political essays, along with a study of Napoleon.

Dominique de Villepin is an Honorary Member of The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation

Contents

Life

Villepin was born in Morocco and raised in Latin America – in Venezuela, among other places there. His lyrical texts and passion for France won him awards in 2001 for his book about the last 100 days of Napoleon's rule, entitled "Les Cent-jours, ou L'esprit de sacrifice. "

Origins

Villepin's great-grandfather was a colonel in the French army, his grandfather was a board member for several companies, and his father Xavier de Villepin, now retired, was a diplomat and a member of the French Senate. Colonel ( RP ˈkɜnəl GA ˈkɜrnəl is a Military rank of a Commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every country Xavier Galouzeau de Villepin (born March 14, 1926 in Brussels, Belgium) simply known as Xavier de Villepin The Senate (Sénat is the Upper house of the Parliament of France, presided over by a president. The untimely death of his brother gravely affected him. Villepin speaks French, English and Spanish.

Career

Diplomat

Villepin studied at the Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences-Po) and went on to the École nationale d'administration, France's highly selective post-graduate school which trains its top civil servants. The École Nationale d'Administration ( ÉNA) one of the most prestigious French schools ( Grandes écoles) was created in 1945 by Charles de Gaulle Villepin also holds degrees in Civil law and French literature from the universities of Paris II Panthéon-Assas and Paris X Nanterre. The Paris X University Nanterre is a French university in the Academy of Versailles. At the end of his studies, Villepin entered a career in diplomacy. His assignments were:

Villepin was also heavily involved in developing the French foreign policy leading up to the Rwandan genocide. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D New Delhi (नई दिल्ली ਨਵੀਂ ਦਿੱਲੀ نئی دلی is the Capital city of India. The Rwandan Genocide was the 1994 mass killing of hundreds of thousands of Rwanda 's minority Tutsis and the moderates of its Hutu majority Among his questionable decisions are the import of weapons in spite of an arms import embargo, as well as the close links to Hutu officials responsible for the genocide. The

Politician

Villepin was introduced to Jacques Chirac in the early 1980s and became one of his advisers on foreign policy. In 1993 he became chief of staff (directeur de cabinet) of Alain Juppé, the Foreign Minister in Édouard Balladur's cabinet, and Chirac's political heir apparent. Alain Marie Juppé (born 15 August 1945 is a French right-wing politician who served as Prime Minister of France from 1995 to 1997 under President Jacques Chirac The Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Government of France, is the cabinet minister responsible for the Foreign relations of France. Édouard Balladur (born 2 May 1929 is a French right-wing Politician. An heir apparent is an Heir who (short of a fundamental change in the situation cannot be displaced from inheriting the term is used in contrast to Heir presumptive

Villepin then became director of Chirac's successful 1995 presidential campaign and was rewarded with the key job of Secretary-General of the Élysée Palace during his first term as President of the Republic (1995 - 2002). The President of the French Republic (Président de la République française colloquially referred to in English as the President of France, is France 's elected He advised the president to hold an early general election in 1997, while the French National Assembly was overwhelmingly dominated by the president's party. The French National Assembly. The other is the Senate ( “Sénat”) This was a risky gamble, and Chirac's party went on to lose the elections. Villepin offered Chirac his resignation afterwards, but was turned down. This increased the perception among many politicians on the right that Villepin was aloof and had no experience or understanding of grassroots politics, and owed his enviable position only to being Chirac's protégé.

Villepin has an uneasy relationship with the members of his own political side. He has in the past made a number of demeaning remarks on members of parliament from his own party. In addition, his mutual distaste for Nicolas Sarkozy, head of the UMP (Union for a Popular Movement) majority party, is well-known

Foreign Minister

He was appointed Foreign Minister by Chirac in the cabinet of Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin at the beginning of his second term in 2002. Nicolas Sarkozy (pronounced, The Prime Minister of France ( Premier ministre français) in Fifth Republic is the functional Head of the government and Council of Ministers Jean-Pierre Raffarin (born 3 August 1948 is a French conservative Politician and senator for Vienne. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar.

During the crisis in Haiti, Villepin once again showed himself to be a resolute decision-maker, obtaining the backing of the United States Secretary of State, Colin Powell, in his bid to solve the crisis by ousting Jean-Bertrand Aristide from power. Haiti ( English: ˈheɪ·tiː or haɪ·ˈjiː·tiː French Haïti a·i·ti Haitian Creole: The United States Secretary of State (commonly abbreviated as SecState) is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with Foreign affairs Colin Luther Powell, KCB (Honorary MSC, (born April 5, 1937) is a retired General in the United States Army. Jean-Bertrand Aristide (born July 15 1953 is a former Roman Catholic Priest who was President of Haiti in 1991 again from 1994 to 1996 and then

Villepin's most famous assignment as Chirac's Foreign Minister was opposing the U. S. plan to invade Iraq, making France look like the leader in a coalition of countries such as Germany, Belgium, Russia and China that opposed the invasion. The 2003 invasion of Iraq, from March 20 to May 1 2003 was spearheaded by the United States, backed by British forces and smaller contingents from Australia For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The speech[4] he gave to the United Nations to block a second resolution allowing the use of force against Saddam Hussein's regime received loud applause. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti ( Arabic: ar صدام حسين عبد المجيد التكريتي --> April 28 1937 &ndash December 30

During the summer of 2003 Villepin organized Opération 14 juillet to rescue his former student, Ingrid Betancourt, who was being held by FARC rebels in Colombia. L'Opération 14 juillet ( English: Operation July 14 was a failed French operation to rescue Ingrid Betancourt from the Revolutionary Armed Forces Ingrid Betancourt Pulecio (born December 25 1961) is a Colombian French politician former senator and anti- corruption The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia – Ejército del Pueblo also known by the Acronym of The operation failed, and because he had neither informed Colombia, Brazil, nor President Chirac of the mission, it resulted in a political scandal.

Interior Minister

During the cabinet reshuffle that made Nicolas Sarkozy Finance Minister, Villepin was appointed to replace him as Interior Minister on 31 March 2004. Nicolas Sarkozy (pronounced, The Minister for the Economy Industry and Employment ( ministre de l'Économie de l'Industrie et de l'Emploi) or Minister of Finance for short is one of the This page is a list of French interior ministers. Ministers of the Interior 1790-present See also List of Prime Ministers Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again "

His actions against radical Islam included mandatory courses for Muslim clerics, notably in the French language (a third of them do not speak it), in moderate Muslim theology and in French secularism: laïcité, Republican principles and the law. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Liberté égalité fraternité, French for " Liberty, equality, fraternity ( Brotherhood)" is the motto While Sarkozy created the French Council of the Muslim Faith, an official body which is now dominated by radicals, Villepin would have preferred a "Muslim foundation," in which mosque-based representatives would be balanced by secular and moderate Muslims. The French Council of the Muslim Faith ( French: Conseil Français du Culte Musulman, usually abbreviated to CFCM) is a non-profit group created on May

He also cracked down on radical Muslim clerics, causing an uproar when he tried to expel Abdelkader Bouziane, an imam who taught that adulterous women could be whipped or stoned. An imam (إمام plural ائمة A'immah, امام is an Islamic leader often the leader of a Mosque and/or community Stoning, or lapidation, refers to a form of Capital punishment whereby an organized group throws stones at the convicted individual until the person dies When the decision to expel him was overturned by the courts, Villepin pushed a change of the law through Parliament, and Bouziane was sent home.

Prime Minister

President Chirac was at one point thought to have turned his eye on Villepin as a possible successor, assuming that he himself would not enter the 2007 presidential contest. However, Nicolas Sarkozy was chosen to represent the centre-right UMP party. Nicolas Sarkozy (pronounced,

On 29 May 2005, French voters in the referendum on the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe turned down the proposed document by a wide margin. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The French referendum on the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe was held on 29 May 2005 to decide whether France should ratify the proposed Constitution The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (TCE commonly referred to as the European Constitution, was an unimplemented international Treaty intended Two days later, Raffarin resigned and Chirac appointed Villepin as Prime Minister of France. The Prime Minister of France ( Premier ministre français) in Fifth Republic is the functional Head of the government and Council of Ministers

Contrat Première Embauche (CPE), or First Employment Contract

Main article: First Employment Contract

On Thursday, March 16, 2006 tens of thousands of French university and school students marched to demand the government scrap a contentious youth jobs clause, known as CPE. The contrat première embauche ( CPE) translated first employment contract, was a new form of employment contract pushed in spring 2006 in France Events 597 BC - Babylonians capture Jerusalem, replace Jehoiachin with Zedekiah as king Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The contrat première embauche ( CPE) translated first employment contract, was a new form of employment contract pushed in spring 2006 in France The law, intended as a response to the 2005 riots, was intended to stimulate job growth and arrest the 23% youth unemployment rate by allowing employers to fire employees aged under 26 within the first two years of their employment for any or no reason. The 2005 civil unrest in France of October and November was a series of Riots and violent clashes involving mainly the burning Supporters of the law argued that such probationary arrangements are not unusual in Western countries and that the current system in France discourages employers from hiring people whom they may be unable to fire if they prove unsuitable for the job. Critics argue that it discriminates unnecessarily against the young and decreases job security. The union movement issued an ultimatum to Villepin to scrap the law by March 20 or face a general strike. Events 1600 - The Linköping Bloodbath takes place on Maundy Thursday in Linköping, Sweden. This ultimatum expired without concession. A general strike was called for March 28.

General strike, demonstrations, and the fall of Villepin

On March 28 between one and three million people demonstrated across France. Events 37 - Roman Emperor Caligula accepts the titles of the Principate, entitled to him by the Senate. The protests were accompanied by some violence and 800 people were arrested, 500 of them in Paris. Prime Minister Villepin refused to withdraw the CPE but called for negotiations on adapting it. The demonstrators for the most part called for the complete withdrawal of the CPE.

More unrest for Villepin

On June 20, 2006 during the questions to government in the National Assembly, Dominique de Villepin accused head of the Socialist Party François Hollande of cowardice. Events 451 - Battle of Chalons: Flavius Aetius ' defeats Attila the Hun. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The French National Assembly. The other is the Senate ( “Sénat”) François Hollande (born August 12, 1954) is a French Politician. Coward redirects here For other meanings including as a surname see Coward (disambiguation. [5] Hollande had questioned the Prime Minister about the recent "insider trading" scandal involving the aerospace company EADS and executive Noël Forgeard. Insider trading is the trading of a Corporation 's Stock or other securities (e The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV ( EADS) is a large European aerospace corporation formed by the merger on July 10, Noël Forgeard (born December 8, 1946) is a French Industrialist, and was joint CEO of EADS. This triggered an incident in the Assembly, with Socialist deputies converging on the government benches and were stopped by the Assembly ushers. Hollande demanded apologies and the resignation of the Prime Minister [6]; the next day, Dominique de Villepin apologized. This event resulted in criticism even from Villepin's own UMP party, with UMP parliamentarians including Assembly vice-president Yves Bur suggesting that president Chirac should appoint another Prime Minister. [7]

Clearstream affair

In 2004, French judges were given a list by an anonymous source containing the names of politicians and others who, it was alleged, had deposited kickbacks from a 1991 arms sale to Taiwan into secret accounts at Clearstream, a private bank in Luxembourg. The most prominent name on the list was that of Nicholas Sarkozy, Villepin’s rival for power in the UMP. The list was later shown to be fraudulent, a discovery Villepin kept from the public for 15 months at a time when the two men were vying for party supremacy. [8] Meanwhile, the source of the list was later revealed to be a longtime associate of Villepin’s, one Jean-Louis Gergorin, an executive at EADS. Critics claimed that Villepin, perhaps with the support of then-president Jacques Chirac, had tried to defame his rival. Sarkozy, in turn, filed a suit against whomever was behind the creation of the Clearstream list. An investigation continues. [9]

Presidential bid

There was speculation that Villepin might be a candidate in the 2007 Presidential election; however, interior minister Nicolas Sarkozy was selected unopposed as the UMP's presidential candidate on January 14 2007. The 2007 French presidential election, the ninth of the Fifth French Republic was held to elect the successor to Jacques Chirac as president of France Nicolas Sarkozy (pronounced, [10] On March 12, 2007 Villepin formally endorsed Sarkozy for President. [11]

Villepin's first cabinet

In an address to the nation, Chirac had declared that the new cabinet's top priority would be to curb unemployment, which was consistently hovering above 10%, calling for a "national mobilization" to that effect. Unemployment occurs when a person is available to work and currently seeking work but the person is without work.

Villepin's cabinet was marked by its small membership (for France), and its hierarchical unity: all members had the rank of Minister, and there were no Secretaries of State, the lowest cabinet member rank. The aim of this decision was for the cabinet to form a close-knit and more efficient team to combat unemployment.

The French economy was growing sluggishly and a significant drop in unemployment was yet to be seen. Villepin's aim was therefore to restore the French people's trust in their government, an achievement for which he publicly set himself a deadline of a hundred days from the appointment of cabinet.

Another issue was the European Constitution which appears condemned after its rejection by France and the Netherlands in referenda, and the shelving of the planned referendum in the United Kingdom, Poland and other countries. The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (TCE commonly referred to as the European Constitution, was an unimplemented international Treaty intended The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland

Some had speculated that Villepin, with his diplomatic experience and the prestige associated with the job of Prime Minister, would negotiate a new treaty with the European Union, while Sarkozy would run the country at home. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in However, Villepin obtained favorable reviews from the press and temporarily increased popularity in polls. In particular, he was increasingly cited as a possible presidential candidate for 2007, although Nicolas Sarkozy had publicly stated that he himself was giving considerable attention to that election. The 2007 French presidential election, the ninth of the Fifth French Republic was held to elect the successor to Jacques Chirac as president of France Villepin and Sarkozy initially avoided any open division.

Villepin declared that lowering unemployment was the number one objective of his government (which, was also the case of other prime ministers before him, to no avail). He, as well as the UMP party, believed that France's workforce rules were too rigid and discouraged employment, and that some liberalizing reforms were necessary in order to "correct" the French social model.

On August 2, 2005 he issued ordinances establishing a new kind of work contract (called CNE) for small enterprises, with fewer guarantees than ordinary contracts. Events 338 BC - A Macedonian army led by Philip II defeated the combined forces of Athens and Thebes in the Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. While Villepin's measures would surely have been approved by his wide UMP majority in Parliament. Villepin said the government needed to act fast, especially when Parliament was going on its summer recess.

On 16 January 2006 he announced a similar kind of work contract (called Contrat première embauche, or CPE) for young people (under 26). Events 27 BC - The title Augustus is bestowed upon Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian by the Roman Senate. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The contrat première embauche ( CPE) translated first employment contract, was a new form of employment contract pushed in spring 2006 in France The parliament approved on 8 February. Events 421 - Constantius III becomes co- Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Subsequently students started to protest. The 2006 youth protests in France occurred throughout France during February, March, and April 2006 as a result of opposition to a measure This wave of protest eventually forced the government to give in. Although the law on the CPE is formally still valid, the government promised to hinder its application and initiated a new legal initiative which will abolish the key points of the CPE. During the protests, Villepin was widely perceived as stubborn and arrogant. As a consequence, his popularity rates went down rapidly and he was no longer regarded as a serious contender for the 2007 presidential election.

Another major issue in Villepin's government was the state of the national budget. France runs high deficits, which run afoul of the rules set in the EU Maastricht Treaty. The Maastricht Treaty (formally the Treaty on European Union, TEU) was signed on 7 February 1992 in Maastricht, the Netherlands after final Villepin's margin of maneuver in that respect was extremely slim.

Cabinet membership

Ministers

Delegate ministers

Shuffles

26 March 2007[12]

5 April 2007[13]

Resignation

On May 15, 2007, on the last full day of President Jacques Chirac´s term Villepin tendered his resignation from the office of Prime Minister and it was accepted by the President. Events 1252 - Pope Innocent IV issues the Papal bull Ad exstirpanda, which authorizes but also limits the [14]. He was replaced two days later by François Fillon. François Fillon (fʁɑ̃swa fijɔ̃ born 4 March 1954 in Le Mans, Sarthe) is the current Prime Minister of France, having been appointed to that

Post Prime Ministerial career

Context of Villepin's political career

Villepin has never held elected office; the French Constitution allows the president to appoint unelected ministers. The current Constitution of France was adopted on October 4, 1958. This is a political liability for him, because he is periodically accused of being out of touch with the realities of ordinary citizens. He is also reported to despise elected officials, calling members of Parliament connards (an insult)[15]. Villepin is not the first "unelected" prime minister, even in the relatively short history of the Fifth Republic: notable predecessors include Georges Pompidou, who was a banker before being called to office, and Raymond Barre, who had a previous career as a professor and appointed official, and started an elected career only after being Prime minister. See also Government of France The Fifth Republic is the fifth and current republican constitution of France, which was introduced on Georges Jean Raymond Pompidou (5 July 1911 2 April 1974 was President of the French Republic from 1969 until his death in 1974 Raymond Octave Joseph Barre (12 April 1924 25 August 2007 was a French Centre-right Politician and Economist. The meaning of the word professor ( Latin: professor, person who professes to be an expert in some art or science teacher of highest rank) varies

Bibliography: works written by Villepin himself

Bibliography: general

Quotes

See also

References

  1. ^ Villepin faces charges in smear campaign in France International Herald Tribune. The Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Government of France, is the cabinet minister responsible for the Foreign relations of France. This page is a list of French interior ministers. Ministers of the Interior 1790-present See also List of Prime Ministers Early Modern France Chief Ministers of the French Kings Armand Jean du Plessis Cardinal Richelieu 1624-1642 Jules Cardinal The Politics of France take place in a framework of a semi-presidential representative democratic Republic, whereby the President of France
  2. ^ "De Villepin likely to face conspiracy charges", Times online, July 6, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-07-06. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1044 - The Battle of Ménfő takes place 1189 - Richard the Lionheart is crowned King of England  
  3. ^ "Top politicians warn of 'Sarkozy the monarch'", The Independent, February 18, 2008. The Independent is a British compact Newspaper published by Tony O'Reilly 's Independent News & Media. Retrieved on 2008-02-18. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 3102 BC - Epoch (origin of the Kali Yuga. 1229 - The Sixth Crusade: Frederick II Holy  
  4. ^ Embassy of France in the US - Situation in Iraq/Persian Gulf
  5. ^ [1]
  6. ^ http://www.liberation.fr/page.php?Article=391985
  7. ^ Assemblée : Villepin présente ses excuses à Hollande - France - LCI
  8. ^ De Villepin could face charges over smear plot against Sarkozy | World news | The Guardian
  9. ^ http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/05/22/world/main1640276.shtml
  10. ^ BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Sarkozy nod for presidential run
  11. ^ French Premier Throws Support for Presidency to Political Rival - New York Times
  12. ^ Remaniement ministériel: communiqué de la Présidence de la République. - Présidence de la République
  13. ^ Remaniement ministériel: communiqué de la Présidence de la République. - Présidence de la République
  14. ^ Démission du gouvernement: communiqué. - Présidence de la République
  15. ^ http://www.liberation.fr/page.php?Article=369569
  16. ^ "The French Vision of European Identity"
  17. ^ [2])
  18. ^ In Sainte-Maxime, 10.04.2003

External links

Preceded by
Hubert Védrine		Secretary-General of the Presidency of the French Republic
1995-2002		Succeeded by
Philippe Bas
Preceded by
Hubert Védrine		Minister of Foreign Affairs
2002-2004		Succeeded by
Michel Barnier
Preceded by
Nicolas Sarkozy		Minister of the Interior
2004-2005		Succeeded by
Nicolas Sarkozy
Preceded by
Jean-Pierre Raffarin		Prime Minister of France
2005-2007		Succeeded by
François Fillon
Hubert Védrine (born July 31, 1947) is a French Socialist politician Hubert Védrine (born July 31, 1947) is a French Socialist politician The Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Government of France, is the cabinet minister responsible for the Foreign relations of France. Michel Barnier (born 9 January 1951) is a conservative French politician Nicolas Sarkozy (pronounced, The Minister of the Interior (full title Ministre de l’Intérieur et de l’Aménagement du Territoire) in France is one of the most important governmental Nicolas Sarkozy (pronounced, Jean-Pierre Raffarin (born 3 August 1948 is a French conservative Politician and senator for Vienne. The Prime Minister of France ( Premier ministre français) in Fifth Republic is the functional Head of the government and Council of Ministers François Fillon (fʁɑ̃swa fijɔ̃ born 4 March 1954 in Le Mans, Sarthe) is the current Prime Minister of France, having been appointed to that
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