Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
Republic
of France/République Française
(Female suffrage 1944)
See
also France Heads and France Parliament
1936
Undersecretary of State for Industrial Research Prof. dr. Irene Joliot-Curie
Daughter of Prof. dr. Marie Sklodowska-Currie and dr. Pierre Curie who got the
Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 and Marie got the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in
1911. Irene and her husband, Frédéric Joliot got the Nobel Prize in Physics in
1935. She lived (1897-1956)
1936
Undersecretary of State for Health Suzanne Lacore
She lived (1877-1975)
1936
Undersecretary of State for Education Cecilie Brunshvig
She was President of the Union for Female Sufrage and lived (1875-1946)
1946-47
Undersecretary of State for Youth and Sports Andrée Viénot
She lived (1901-76)
1947-48 Minister of Public Health
and Population Germaine Poinso-Chapuis
Member of the Constituant Assembly 1945 and of the National Assembly until 1955,
Municipal Councillor in Marseilles, and lived (1901-81)
1957
Undersecretary of State of Reconstruction and Housing Jacqueline Thomé-Patenôtre
General Councillor of Dourdan et de Saint-Léger-en-Yvelines 1946-79,
Mayor of Rambouillet, 1947-83, Senator 1948-58, MP 1958-78 ad
Vice-President of the Assemblée Nationale 1960-68,
MEP 1984-89.
1958-62
Secretary of State by the Prime Minsiter, charged with Social Affairs in Algeria
and the Evolution of the Personal Status of the Rights of Muslims Nafissa Sid-Cara
Professor and MP for Algeria 1958-62, Inspector General for Social Affairs
1975-79. She lived
(1910-2002).
1968
Secretary of State for Education Marie-Madeleine Dienesch
1968-69 Secretary of State for Social Affairs
1969-74
Secretary of State of
Social Action and Readaptation
Secretary of
l’Assemblée
constituante 1945, MP
1945-81, Ambassador to Luxembourg de 1975-78, General Counccillor of the Canton
de Plouguenast dans les Côtes-du-Nord 1976-1982. Also member of the Regional
Council of Bretagne of the European Parliament.
She lived (1914-98)
1973-74 Secretary of State of Public Education Suzanne Ploux
Mayor of Pont-de-Buis 1945-1974, Councillor General of the Canton du Faou
1955-70, MP 1962-73. She lived (1908-92).
1974-76 Secretary of State for Justice Dr.
Hélène Dorlhac de Borne
1988-91 Secretary of State for Family and Seniors
Senior Member of the Council of State 1984-88.
(b. 1935-)
1974-79
Minister of Public Health and Social Affairs Simone Veil
1993-95 First Minister of State (Deputy Premier) and Minister of Housing, Social
Affairs, Public Health, and Development of Cities
In 1979-84 President and 1985-89 Vice-President of the European Parliament,
1984-89 President of the Liberal Group of the European Parliament. From 1998
member of the Constitutional Court. (b. 1927-)
1974-76
Secretary of State for Women Françoise Giroud
1976-77 Minister of Culture
Vice-President of Parti Radicale 1975-76, Vice-President of UDF 1978-79 She
died after falling in a theatre hitting her head. Born as Lea France Gourdji by
Turkish parents in Switzerland, and lived (1916-2003)
1974-76
Secretary of State of Public Education Annie Lesur
Medical doctor.
(b. 1926-)
1976-78
Secretary of State of Trade for Consumers' protection Christiane Scrivener
1989-95 European Communities-Commissioner for Taxes, Revenue Harmonization and
Consumer Policies
(b. 1925- )
1976-78
Secretary of State of Universities Alice Saunier-Seïté
1978-81 Minister of Universities
1981 Minister of Families and the Condition of Women
An academic, Municipal Councillor of Paris from 1983, and lived
(1925-2003)
1977-78
Secretary of State for Social Affairs and Public Health Hélène Missoffe
Vice-President of Conceil Regional d’Ile-de-France 1981-86. Mother of
Françoise de Panafieu, who was
Minister of Tourism from 1995. (b. 1927-)
1977-78
Secretary of State by the Prime Minister for the Condition of Working Women
Nicole Pasquier
1979-80 Secretary of State for Environment
1980-81 Secretary of State for Labour
(b. 1930-)
1978
Secretary of State for Justice Monique Pelletier
1978-81 Minister-Delegate for Family and Women's Affairs
Advocate, Member of the Constitutional Court 2000-04.
(b. 1926-)
1981
Minister of State (Deputy Premier) and Minister of Social Affairs Nicole Questiaux
1981-83 Minister of Social Affairs
First female lawyer admitted to the Council of State (Supreme
Court) in 1963,
Since 1988 President of the Section for Civil Service and from 1995 Vice-President
of the Council d’Etat. (b. 1930-)
1981-83
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Édith Cresson
1983-86 Minister of External Trade
1984-86 Minister of Industry
1988-90 Minister of European Affairs
1991-92 Premier Ministre (15.5.91-4.4.92)
1995-99 Commissioner of the European Union for Science, Research, Education and
Youth
In march 1999 she was one of the contributing factors in the downfall of the
EU-Commission as she refused the step down after a rapport had demonstrated that
she was responsible of nepotism and mismanagement. (b. 1934-)
1981-85
Minister-Delegate by the Premier Minister for Women's Rights Yvette Roudy
1985-86 Minister of Women's Rights
MP from 1986.
Vice-President of L’Assemblée Nationale 1997-98 and Secretary
1998-2002.
(b. 1929-)
1981-85 Minister-Delegate of Youth and Sport in the Ministry of Leisure,
Sport and Youth Edwige Avice
1984-86 Secretary of State for Defence
1988-91 Minister-Delegate for Foreign Affairs
1991-92 Minister for Co-operation and Development
Socialist MP 1978-93.
(b. 1945-)
1981
Secretary of State by the Premier Minister for Civil Service and Administrative
Reform Catherine Lalumière
1981-83 Minister of Consumer Affairs
1983-84 Secretary of State of Finance for Consumer Affairs
1984-86 Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs for European Affairs
Secretary General of European the Council 1989-94, Vice-Chairperson
1995-97
and 1997-99 Chairperson of the European Radical Alliance Group of the European
Parliament and Vice-President of the Parliament 2001-04. (b. 1934-)
1983-86 Minister of National Solidarity and Social Affairs
Georgina Dufoix
1984-86 Spokesperson of the Government
Socialist MP 1986-88, President of French Red Cross 1988-92. (b. 1943-)
1983-84
Secretary of State for Environment and Quality of Life
Huguette Bouchardeau
1984-86 Minister of Environment
Secretary General of Parti Socialiste Unifié 1979-81, Presidential
Candidate 1981 and MP 1983-93, Candidate for the Post of President of the
National Assembly in 1992. (b. 1935-)
1986-88 Minister of Public Health and Family Dr. Michèle Barzach
Deputy Mayor of the 15th
arrondissement of Paris and
Regional Councillor of Ile de France 1986-88,
Socialist MP 1988-90, Member of the European Parliament in 1989, Deputy Mayor of
Paris 1989-95. Grew up in Morocco,
(b. 1943-)
1986-88 Minister-Delegate for the Condition of Women Hélène Gisserot
Lawyer, Procurator General.
(b. 1936-)
1986-88
Secretary of State by the Premier for the Francophonie Lucette Michaux-Chevry
1993-95 Minister-Delegate of Foreign Affairs for Humanitarian Actions and Human
Rights
1995- Councillor of the President of the Republic
President of the Counceil General 1982-85 and President of the Counceil Regional Guadeloupe
1992-2004, Mayor of Gourbeyre
1987-95, both Senator and Mayor of Basse-Terre from 1995. (b. 1929-)
1986-88 Secretary of State for Public Education Michèle Alliot-Marie
1993-95 Minister of Youth and Sports
2002-07 Minister of Defence (2005-)
2002-05 Minister of Veteran Affairs
2007- Minister of Interior,
Overseas' Affairs and Territorial Collectivities
Since 1994 1. Vice-President of the General Council of the Department of
Pyrénées-Atlantique, 1999-2002 President of RPR, Rally for the Republic – the conservative
Party of President Chirac.
In
2005 she was mentioned as a possible contender for the post of Prime Minister.
From October 2006 she was a candidate in the internal UMP-party primaries to
elect a Presidential Candidate against Minister of Interior Nicolas Sarkosy de
Nagy-Bocsa, before she withdrew in December.
(b. 1946-)
1986-88
Secretary of State for Public Education Nicole Catala
Deputy Mayor of Paris 1989-95, Vice-President of the Assemblée
Nationale
1993-97
and 1999-2002
and in
1997 she was the Gaullist candidate for the
post of Assembly President. (b. 1936-)
1988-91
Secretary of State of Finance for Consumer’s Affairs Véronique Neiertz
1991-92 Secretary of State of Women’s Affairs by the Minister of Labour
1992-93 Secretary of State of Finance for Consumer’s Affairs and Women’s
Affairs
Socialist MP 1981-2002, Secretary of the Foreign Affairs' Committee 1981-86, Spokesperson
1983-86 and Vice-President of the Parliamentary Group of Parti Socialiste
1986-88. (b.
1942-)
1988-92
Secretary of State for Women's Rights and Equal Rights Between Men and Women Michèle André
Senator from 2001, Senate Vice-President from 2004. Also
Regional Councillor of Auvergne, Vice-Président
of the General Council of Puy-de-Dôme and Deputy Mayor of Clermont-Ferrand
(b. 1947-)
1988
Secretary of State for Seniors and Handicapped Catherine Trautmann
1997-2000 Minister of Culture and Communication
1997-98 Government Spokesperson
Socialist MP and MEP, Mayor of Strassbourg 1989-97 . (b. 1951-)
1988-91 Minister-Delegate for Communication in the Ministry of Culture and
Communication Catherine Tasca
1991-92 Minister-Delegate of Foreign Affairs for the Francophonie
1992-93 Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs for the Francophonie and External
Cultural Relations
2000-02 Minister of Culture and Communication
Socialist MP 1997-2004 and Senator from 2004.
(b. 1941-)
1991-93
Minister-Delegate of Foreign Affairs for European Affairs Élisabeth Guigou
1997-2000 Keeper of the Seals and Minister of Justice (Third in the Cabinet
until the beginning of 2000)
2000-02 Minister of Employment and Solidarity (Again third in Cabinet)
In 1995-97 Vice-President of the Socialist Group of the European Parliament. Later Spokesperson of the Socialist Party. (b.
1946- )
1991-93
Minister of Labour Martine Aubry
1997-2000 Minister of Employment and Solidarity (Second in Cabinet until 2000
when she became third)
She was designated to become Premier Minister if the Socialists had won the 1995
Presidential elections,
1. Deputy Mayor of Lille 1995-2001
and Vice-President of the Urban Community of Lille since 1995. During her second tenure
as Minister she was in charge of Health,
Social Affairs, Employment, Labour and Professional Training, Cities, Family and
Children and Economic Solidarity and was assisted by several Delegate-Ministers
and Secretaries of State. Since 2001 Mayor of Lille and Councillor of State (at
disposition) since 2006. Daughter of the Jacque
Delors, President of the European Communities-Commission 1985-93 and former
minister. Mother of one child. (b. 1950-)
1992-93
Minister of Environment Ségolène Royal
1997-2000 Minister-Delegate of National Education, Technology & Science
2000-02 Minister-Delegate of Family and Childhood
President of National Council of the Socialist Party 1994-95, President of the Regional Council of
Poitou-Charentes from 2004
and Presidential Candidate in 2007, where she finished second in the second round. (b. 1953-)
1992-93
Minister-Delegate for Housing Marie-Noëlle Lienemann
2001-02 Secretary of State of Housing
in the Ministry of Equipment, Transport and Housing
Vice-President of the European Parliament 1999-2001. (b. 1951-)
1992-93
Minister of Youth and Sports Frédérique Bredin
(b. 1956-)
1993-95
There were no Secretaries of State
1995-97
Minister of Environment Dr. Corinne Lepage-Jessua
Leader of Cap 21, right wing environmentalist group from 2001. Presidential
Candidate in 2002 and 2007. (b. 1951-)
1995
Minister of Public Health and Medical Insurance Élisabeth Hubert
1995-2007 Councillor of the President
Former Deputy Secretary General of the Gaullists, RPR. (b. 1956-)
1995
Minister of Solidarity between the Generations, Family and Women’s Affairs
Colette Codaccioni
She is mother of 9 children. (b. 1942-)
1995
Minister of Tourism Françoise de Panafieu
Deputy Mayor Paris 1980-2001, MP since 1986, 1996-97 Ambassador to UNESCO,
Mayor of the 17e arrondissement
since 2001 and Vice-Président of the Parliamentary Group of UMP from 2002.
daughter of former
Secretary of State Hélène Misoffe, and former Minister of Finance François
Misoffe. (b. 1948-)
1995
Secretary of State by the Premier Minister for Employment
1995-97 Minister-Delegate for Employment Anne Marie Couderc
Deputy Mayor of Paris for Properties and Environment 1989-95. (b. 1950-)
1995-97
Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs for the Francophonie Margie Sudre-Demaiche
President of the Regional Council of Réunion 1993-98.(Born in Viet Nam in
1943-)
1995
Secretary of State of National Education for Research Elisabeth Dufourcq
(b. 1940-)
1995
Secretary of State of National Education for Schools Prof. Françoise Hostalier
(b. 1953- )
1995
Secretary of State for Transport Anne-Marie Idrac
1995-97 Secretary of State of Public Works, Transport and Tourism
2008- Secretary of State for Foreign Trade,
attached to the Minister for the Economy, Industry and Employment
Later CEO of the French Railways, SNCF.
(b. 1951-)
1995
Secretary of State for Difficult Neighborhoods by the Minister of Integration
Françoise de Veyrinas
Deputy Mayor of Toulouse charged with Social Affairs 1993-95. (b. 1943-)
1995
Secretary of State for Decentralization Nicole Ameline
2002 Secretary of State of Seas by the Minister of Supply, Transport, Housing,
Tourism and Seas
2002-04 Minister-Delegate of Parity and Professional Equality in the Ministry of
Social Affairs, Labour and Solidarity
2004-07
Minister
of Parity and Professional Equality
Since 1998 Vice-President of the Regional Council of
Basse-Normandie (b.
1952-)
1995
Secretary of State of Industry and Commerce for External Trade Christie Chauvet
(b. 1949-)
1997-2001
Minister of Environment and Physical Planning Domenique Voyonet
Since 1995 Leader of Les Verts, the Green Party, 1995 and 2007 Presidential Candidate.
From 2001 National Secretary. (b. 1958- )
1997-2001
Minister of Youth and Sports Marie-George Buffet
Secretary General and Leader of Parti Communiste since 2001 after many years as a
leading member. Presidential Candidate in 2007. (b. 1949-)
1997-2000
Secretary of State of Finance, Economy and Industry for Small Bussiness,
Commerce and Artisans
2000-02 Keeper of the Seals and Minister of Justice Marylise Labranchu
Secretary of the National Assembly from 2007.
(b. 1947-)
1997-2001
Secretary of State of Tourism in
The Ministry of Equipment, Sport and Tourism Michelle Demessine
Leading member of Parti Communiste.
1997-2001
Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Anne Gazeau-Secrét
Until 2006 Ambassador to the Netherlands and from 2006 to Denmark. (b. 1947-)
1998-2002
Secretary of State of Women’s Rights and Professional Education Nicole Pery
In 1981-97 Member of the European Parliament and 1984-97 its Vice-President, 1997-98 Charged with the Mission by the Premier Minister for
Languages and Regional Cultures.
1999-2001
Secretary of State for Public Health and Handicapped Dominique Gillot
Former member of a regional council and a leading member of the Green Party. In
2001 she resigned from the government to become mayor of Eragny-sur-Oise.(b.
1949-)
2000-02
Secretary of State of Budget in the Ministry of Education, Finance, and Industry
Florence Parly
She had a number of administrative posts before becoming Councillor of the
Premier Minister for Budgetary Affairs in 1997. (b. 1963-)
2001-02
Secretary of State for Health and Handicapped
Paulette Guinchard-Kunstler
Vice-President of L’Assamblée Nationale
from 2002.
2002-04
Minister of Ecology and Durable Development Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin
2007- Minister of Health, Youth and Sport
2008- Minister of Associations
Vice-President of the Regional Council of the Pays de Loire since 1986 and
Adjoint Secretary General of RPR since 2001 and Spokesperson of the Reelection
Campaign of President Chirac in 2002. (b. 1946-)
Secrétaire générale adjointe de l’UMP, depuis 2006
2002-05 Minister of Overseas' Affairs Brigitte Girardin
2005-07
Minister-Delegate Cooperation, Development and the Francophonie
in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
She was Administrator-Superieur
of the French Southern and
Antarctic Lands 1998-2000 and Technical Advisor of
the President of France in Charge of Arctic Affairs 2002-2002. (b.
1953-)
2002-04
Minister-Delegate of European Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Noëlle Lenoir
Member of the Constitutional Council since 1992. (b. 1948-)
2002-04
Minister-Delegate of Industry in the Ministry of Economy, Finance
and Industry Nicole Fontaine
Vice-President 1984-99 and President of the European Parliament 1999-2002.
2002-04
Minister-Delegate of Research and New Technologies in the Ministry of Youth,
National Education and Research
2004-05
Minister-Delegate of European Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Claudine Haigneré
Space Scientist and the first woman to have been twice in the orbit in 1996 and
2001 under the name of
C. André-Deshays. (b. 1957-).
2002-05 Secretary of State of Durable Development
in the Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development Tokia
Saïfi
Member of the European Parliament since 1999.
Of Algerian origin. (b. 1959-)
2002-05 Secretary of State for the Fight against Prejustice and Exclusion at the Ministry of Social Affairs, Labour and
Solidarity Dominique Versini
From 1998 regional councillor of
Île-de-France and candidate for the presicency. Of
Moroccan origin. (b. 1954-).
2002-05 Secretary of State of Handicapped Persons
in the Ministry of Public Health, Family and Handicapped Persons Marie-Thérèse
Bousseau
She has been 1. Vice-President of the Counseil Régional of Bretagne since 1998.
(b. 1941-).
2004 Minister of Family and
Children Marie-José Roig
2004-05 Minister-Delegate of Interior, Internal Security and Local Liberties
Deputy Mayor of Avignon 1983-89 and Mayor since 2001.
(b. 1938-).
2004-05 Minister-Delegate for the Fight
Against Exclution in the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Protection
2005-07
Minister of Environment and
Sustainable
Development Nelly Olin
Former
Vice-Président du conseil général du Val-d'Oise
and 2001-04
Secretary of the Senate.
(b. 1941-).
2004-05 Secretary of State for Handicapped Persons in the Ministry of
Public Health and Social
Protection Marie-Anne Monchamp
2004-05 Secretary of State for Integration and Equal Chances in
the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Protection Catherine
Vautrin
MP from 2002. (b. 1960-).
2004
Secretary of State for Immobility Programmes by the Ministry of Justice
Nicole Guedj
2004-05 Secretary of State for the Rights of Victims by the Ministry of Justice
She is of Algierian origin. (b. 1955).
2005-07 Minister-Delegate for Cohersion and Parity in the Ministry of Employment, Social Cohersion and Housing Catherine Vautrain
2005-07 Minister-Delegate
of European Affairs in the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna
She is former Spokesperson of Jacque Chirac and of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs.
2005-07 Minister-Delegate
of External Commerce
in the
Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry
Christine Lagarde
2007 Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries
2007-08 Minister of Finance
2007- Minister of Economy and Employment
2008- Minister of Industry
Lawyer in France and USA.
(b. 1955-).
No Secretaries of State 2005-07
2007- Keeper of the Seals and Minister of Justice Rachida Dati
Worked in the Ministry of Interior from 2002 and was Spokesperon of the election campaign of Sarkozy. Of Moroccan origin. (b. 1965-).
2007- Minister of Culture and Communication, Government Spokesperson Christine Albanel
Former Presidential Advisor, Councillor of State from 2000. (b. 1955-).
2007 Minister of Social Cohesion Christine Boutin
2007- Minister of Housing and the Cities
Vice-President of the Conseil Général of Yvelines since 2001, Independent Presidential Candidate in 2007. (b. 1944-).
2007- Minister of Research and Higher Education Valerie Pecresse
The new cabinet has 7 female and 9 male members. MP from 2002. (b. 1967-).
2007- Secretary of State of Labour, Social Relations and Solidarity, Charged with Solidarity Valérie Letard
Senator from 2001, Vice-President of UDF from 2006 and former Vice-President of the Centrist-UDF Union in the Senate. (b. 1962-).
2007- Secretary of State of Environment, Sustainable Planning and Development, charged with Ecology Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet
MP from 2002. (b. 1973-).
2007- Secretary of State of Housing and the Cities, charged with Urban Affairs Fadela Amara
Municipal Councillor from 2001. (b. 1964-).
2007- Secretary of State of Foreign and European Affairs, charged with Foreign Affairs and Human Rights Rama Yade
UMP Secretary for the Francophonie from 2006. (b. 1976 in Senegal)
2008- Secretary of State for the Family, attached to the
Minister of Labour, Labour Relations, the Family and Solidarity Nadine
Morano
Last update 11.04.08