Bernard Cazeneuve facts for kids
Bernard Guy Georges Cazeneuve (born 2 June 1963) is a French politician and lawyer. He served as the Prime Minister of France from December 2016 to May 2017. Before becoming Prime Minister, he held several important roles in the French government, including Minister of the Interior.
Cazeneuve was also a member of the National Assembly, representing parts of the Manche region. For most of his career, he was a member of the Socialist Party. However, he left the party in 2022 due to disagreements over its alliances with other political groups.
He also served as the Mayor of Cherbourg-Octeville from 2001 to 2012.
Quick facts for kids
Bernard Cazeneuve
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Cazeneuve in 2018
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| Prime Minister of France | |
| In office 6 December 2016 – 15 May 2017 |
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| President | François Hollande |
| Preceded by | Manuel Valls |
| Succeeded by | Édouard Philippe |
| Minister of the Interior | |
| In office 2 April 2014 – 6 December 2016 |
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| Prime Minister | Manuel Valls |
| Preceded by | Manuel Valls |
| Succeeded by | Bruno Le Roux |
| Minister Delegate for the Budget | |
| In office 19 March 2013 – 2 April 2014 |
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| Prime Minister | Jean-Marc Ayrault |
| Preceded by | Jérôme Cahuzac |
| Succeeded by | Christian Eckert |
| Minister Delegate for European Affairs | |
| In office 16 May 2012 – 19 March 2013 |
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| Prime Minister | Jean-Marc Ayrault |
| Preceded by | Jean Leonetti |
| Succeeded by | Thierry Repentin |
| Member of the National Assembly | |
| In office 16 June 2017 – 20 June 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Geneviève Gosselin-Fleury |
| Succeeded by | Sonia Krimi |
| Constituency | Manche's 4th constituency |
| In office 20 June 2012 – 21 July 2012 |
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| Preceded by | Claude Gatignol |
| Succeeded by | Geneviève Gosselin-Fleury |
| Constituency | Manche's 4th constituency |
| In office 20 June 2007 – 16 June 2012 |
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| Preceded by | Jean Lemière |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Constituency | Manche's 5th constituency |
| In office 12 June 1997 – 18 June 2002 |
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| Preceded by | Yves Bonnet |
| Succeeded by | Jean Lemière |
| Constituency | Manche's 5th constituency |
| Mayor of Cherbourg-Octeville | |
| In office 19 March 2001 – 23 June 2012 |
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| Preceded by | Jean-Pierre Godefroy |
| Succeeded by | Jean-Michel Houllegate |
| Mayor of Octeville | |
| In office 25 June 1995 – 14 March 2000 |
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| Preceded by | André Poirier |
| Succeeded by | Jean-Pierre Godefroy (Mayor of Cherbourg-Octeville) |
| Departmental Councillor of Manche | |
| In office 27 March 1994 – 28 January 1998 |
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| President | Pierre Aguiton |
| Constituency | Canton of Cherbourg-Octeville-Sud-Ouest |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Bernard Guy Georges Cazeneuve
2 June 1963 Senlis, France |
| Political party | La Convention (2023–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
MRG (1985–1987) PS (1987–2022) |
| Spouses |
Véronique Beau
(m. 1995; div. 2012)
(m. 2015; died 2024) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Institut d'études politiques de Bordeaux |
| Occupation | Jurist • Lawyer • Politician |
| Signature |  |
Contents
Early Life and Education
Bernard Cazeneuve was born on 2 June 1963 in Senlis, France. His father was involved in the Socialist Party. This gave Bernard a chance to meet important political figures like François Mitterrand when he was young.
He studied at the Institut d'études politiques de Bordeaux. During his studies, he led a youth movement for the Radical Party of the Left in the Gironde area. After finishing his studies, he joined the Socialist Party.
Cazeneuve started his career as a legal adviser. Later, he worked in government offices, helping various secretaries of state with their work.
Starting a Political Career
Bernard Cazeneuve became more active in politics in 1994. He moved to Octeville to help unite the local Socialist Party. That same year, he was elected as a General Councillor for the Manche department. He held this position until 1998.
He was then elected mayor of Octeville and served from 1995 to 2000.
Member of the National Assembly
In 1997, Cazeneuve was elected to the National Assembly. He represented the 5th constituency of Manche. He campaigned for a "Greater Cherbourg," which would combine several towns. This led to the joining of Cherbourg and Octeville into one larger town.
He was re-elected to the National Assembly in 2007 for the same constituency. He won against his opponent from the UMP party. After this victory, he stepped down from his role on the Regional Council of Lower Normandy.
As mayor of Cherbourg-Octeville, he focused on promoting the city's connection to the sea. He organized a nautical festival with international sailing competitions. He also worked on improving parts of the city, bringing in new shops and cultural projects.
While in the National Assembly, he worked on a parliamentary inquiry into a bus bombing that affected many people from his region. He also wrote a book about the case.
Before the 2012 presidential election, Cazeneuve became a spokesperson for candidate François Hollande. He spoke about topics like industry and nuclear power.
Mayor of Cherbourg-Octeville
In 2001, Cazeneuve was elected to lead the new combined town of Cherbourg-Octeville. However, he lost his seat in the National Assembly in the 2002 elections.
He also worked as a judge and a lawyer during this time. In 2004, he joined the Socialist Party's list for the regional elections. He represented the Manche department in the Regional Council of Lower Normandy. After the Socialist Party won, Cazeneuve became the first Vice-President of the Regional Council.
Working for President François Hollande
Minister for European Affairs
On 16 May 2012, Bernard Cazeneuve was appointed Minister Delegate for European Affairs. He worked under Laurent Fabius in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In the 2012 legislative elections, he was re-elected to the National Assembly. However, he had to resign from his seat to take on his new role as minister. He also resigned as mayor of Cherbourg-Octeville.
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Minister for the Budget
On 19 March 2013, Cazeneuve became Minister Delegate for the Budget. His main task was to reduce the government's spending. He worked to save money from the national budget for 2014.
Minister of the Interior
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On 2 April 2014, Cazeneuve was named Minister of the Interior. This is a very important role, responsible for national security and law enforcement. In January 2015, he led the government's response to terror attacks in Paris.
He also worked on new laws to fight terrorism. He suggested that search engines should remove certain websites without needing a judge's approval. In July 2015, he proposed changes to laws about foreigners' rights in France.
After the Paris attacks in November 2015, Cazeneuve spoke for France. He said that cooperation between European countries was very important to fight terrorism. He pushed for stronger checks on all European Union citizens entering or leaving the free-travel area known as Schengen.
Prime Minister of France
In December 2016, Manuel Valls resigned as Prime Minister to focus on his campaign for the presidential election. President Hollande then appointed Bernard Cazeneuve to replace him. This was a challenging time because it meant a change in leadership for the Interior Ministry when France was on high alert for terrorism.
Cazeneuve officially resigned on 10 May 2017, after the new president was elected. His time as Prime Minister was the shortest in the history of France's Fifth Republic, lasting just over five months. Édouard Philippe took over as Prime Minister.
Later Career
After leaving his role as Prime Minister, Cazeneuve returned to working as a lawyer. In 2022, he left the Socialist Party. He disagreed with the party's decision to form an alliance with another left-wing group, feeling their ideas were too different.
In September 2022, he wrote a statement calling for a new kind of left-wing politics in France. Many current and former Socialist Party members signed it. In early 2023, he announced a new political movement called "La Convention." This group aims to promote social-democratic and humanist values.
In November 2023, he participated in a march in Paris against antisemitism, responding to a rise in anti-Jewish acts in France.
In 2024, during a political crisis in France, Cazeneuve was considered a possible candidate for Prime Minister again. However, another politician, Michel Barnier, was eventually chosen for the role.
Personal Life
Bernard Cazeneuve was married to Véronique Beau, and they had two children. They remarried in 2015 after an earlier divorce. Véronique was an editor for a publisher of young adult fiction. She passed away in June 2024.
Images for kids
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Bernard Cazeneuve's signature
See also
In Spanish: Bernard Cazeneuve para niños
