François Léotard

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François Léotard
Léotard in 2011
Minister of Defence
In office
30 March 1993 – 18 May 1995
PresidentFrançois Mitterrand
Prime MinisterÉdouard Balladur
Preceded byPierre Bérégovoy
Succeeded byCharles Millon
Minister of Culture
In office
20 March 1986 – 10 May 1988
PresidentFrançois Mitterrand
Prime MinisterJacques Chirac
Preceded byJack Lang
Succeeded byJack Lang
President of the UDF
In office
1996–1998
Preceded byValéry Giscard d'Estaing
Succeeded byFrançois Bayrou
Mayor of Fréjus
In office
1977–1997
Preceded byLéon Héritier
Succeeded byÉlie Brun
Personal details
Born(1942-03-26)26 March 1942
Cannes, France
Died25 April 2023(2023-04-25) (aged 81)
Fréjus, France
Political partyUDF
RelativesPhilippe Léotard (brother)
Alma materSciences Po, ÉNA

François Gérard Marie Léotard (French pronunciation: [fʁɑ̃swa ʒeʁaʁ maʁi leɔtaʁ]; 26 March 1942 – 25 April 2023) was a French politician. Singer and actor Philippe Léotard was his brother.

A member of the Republican Party, the liberal-conservative component of the Union for French Democracy (UDF), he appeared in the foreground of the political scene in the 1980s. He led a new generation of right-wing politicians, the "renovationmen", who opposed the old right-wing leaders Jacques Chirac and Valéry Giscard d'Estaing.

In 1981, he was selected to be one of the first Young Leaders of the French-American Foundation.[1] His political career started with being elected as the mayor of Fréjus in 1977. He served two terms as the deputy of Var.[2]

As culture minister from 1986 to 1988,[3] he sold the main public TV channel TF1.[4] He returned to the French cabinet as defense minister, from 1993 to 1995.[3][5] Supporting the candidacy of Edouard Balladur in the 1995 presidential election, he was dismissed after Chirac's election. Elected president of the UDF in 1996, he could not prevent the split of this confederation two years later with Alain Madelin's secession. This and the party's poor showing in the 1998 regional elections prompted his resignation. After a mission in Macedonia in 2001 as representative of the European Union,[6] he retired from politics. In 2003, he created together with other prominent European personalities the Medbridge Strategy Center, whose goal is to promote dialogue and mutual understanding between Europe and the Middle East.[7] He later authored several books.

Léotard died in Fréjus on 25 April 2023, at age 81.[8]

Political career[edit]

Governmental functions

Minister of state, minister of defence : 1993–1995.

Minister of Culture and Communication : 1986–1988.

Electoral mandates

National Assembly of France

Member of the National Assembly of France for Var : 1978–1986 (Became minister in 1986) / 1988–1993 (Became minister in 1993) / 1995–2001 (Resignation). Elected in 1978, reelected in 1981, 1986, 1988, 1993, 1995, 1997.

Regional Council

Regional councillor of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur : 1998–2004.

General Council

General councillor of Var : 1979–1988 (Resignation). Reelected in 1985.

Municipal Council

Mayor of Fréjus : 1977–1997 (Resignation). Reelected in 1983, 1989, 1995.

Municipal councillor of Fréjus : 1977–1997 (Resignation). Reelected in 1983, 1989, 1995.

Political functions

President of the UDF : 1996–1998.

President of the Republican Party : 1982–1990 / 1995–1997.

Books[edit]

Léotard wrote also several books including non-fiction and a couple of novels:[9]

  • Ma liberté (My freedom) published by Plon, 1995
  • Pour l'honneur (For honor) published by B. Grasset, 1997
  • La Couleur des femmes (The colour of women) published by Grasset & Fasquelle, 2002[10]
  • À mon frère qui n'est pas mort (For my brother who is not dead) published by Grasset & Fasquelle, 2003[11]
  • La vie mélancolique des méduses(The melancholic life of Jellyfish) published by Grasset & Fasquelle, 2005[12]
  • Ça va mal finir (It's going to end badly) published by Grasset & Fasquelle, 2008[13]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Young Leaders". French-American Foundation. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  2. ^ "François Léotard: au nom du frère". Gala (in French). Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Assemblée nationale website". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  4. ^ "Video on Ina.fr". Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Former general Michel Aoun elected president of Lebanon". The Irish Times. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  6. ^ "Comptes rendus de la commission des affaires étrangères: Mardi 23 octobre 2001 (Séance de 16 heures 15)". assemblee-nationale.fr (in French). Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  7. ^ "Founders". Med Bridge. Archived from the original on 12 March 2005. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  8. ^ Noblecourt, Michel (25 April 2023). "François Léotard, ancien ministre et enfant terrible de la droite, est mort". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  9. ^ "Best Selling Leotard Francois Books". alibris.com. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  10. ^ "La Couleur Des Femmes". goodreads.com. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  11. ^ "A mon frère qui n'est pas mort". goodreads.com. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
  12. ^ Léotard, François (6 April 2005). La vie mélancolique des méduses. Paris: Grasset & Fasquelle. ISBN 9782246666615.
  13. ^ "Ça va mal finir". goodreads.com. Retrieved 9 November 2017.

See also[edit]

Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Defence
1993–1995 		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by President of the Union for French Democracy
1996–1998 		Succeeded by
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