François Fillon facts for kids
François Charles Armand Fillon (born 4 March 1954) is a French politician who used to be the Prime Minister of France from 2007 to 2012. He served under President Nicolas Sarkozy. Fillon was also a candidate for president in 2017, representing a major center-right political party called The Republicans.
Fillon became a government minister in 2002, working on social affairs and labor. He made some changes to France's working week and retirement system. Later, as Minister of National Education, he suggested new laws about education. In 2005, he became a senator. His work as an advisor helped Nicolas Sarkozy win the presidency in 2007, which led to Fillon becoming Prime Minister. He left this role in 2012 after Sarkozy lost the presidential election.
In 2016, Fillon won his party's primary election to become their candidate for the 2017 presidential election. At first, polls showed he was very popular. However, questions about his family's work and finances came up, which affected his campaign. In the end, he finished third in the first round of voting and did not make it to the final round.
Quick facts for kids
François Fillon
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Fillon in 2010
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| Prime Minister of France | |
| In office 17 May 2007 – 15 May 2012 |
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| President | Nicolas Sarkozy |
| Preceded by | Dominique de Villepin |
| Succeeded by | Jean-Marc Ayrault |
| Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transport and Housing | |
| In office 23 February 2012 – 16 May 2012 |
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| Prime Minister | Himself |
| Preceded by | Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet |
| Succeeded by | Nicole Bricq (Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy) |
| Minister of National Education, Higher Education and Research | |
| In office 31 March 2004 – 31 May 2005 |
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| Prime Minister | Jean-Pierre Raffarin |
| Preceded by | Luc Ferry (National Education and Research) François Loos (Higher Education) |
| Succeeded by | Gilles de Robien |
| Minister of Social Affairs, Labour and Solidarity | |
| In office 7 May 2002 – 30 March 2004 |
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| Prime Minister | Jean-Pierre Raffarin |
| Preceded by | Élisabeth Guigou |
| Succeeded by | Jean-Louis Borloo |
| President of the Regional Council of Pays de la Loire | |
| In office 20 March 1998 – 16 May 2002 |
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| Preceded by | Olivier Guichard |
| Succeeded by | Jean-Luc Harousseau |
| Minister delegate for Posts, Telecommunications and Space | |
| In office 7 November 1995 – 2 June 1997 |
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| Prime Minister | Alain Juppé |
| Preceded by | Himself (Information Technologies and Posts) |
| Succeeded by | Christian Pierret |
| Minister of Information Technologies and Posts | |
| In office 18 May 1995 – 7 November 1995 |
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| Prime Minister | Alain Juppé |
| Preceded by | José Rossi (Industry, Posts and Telecommunications and External Trade) |
| Succeeded by | Franck Borotra (Industry, Posts and Telecommunications) Himself (Information Technologies and Posts) |
| Minister of Higher Education and Research | |
| In office 30 March 1993 – 11 May 1995 |
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| Prime Minister | Édouard Balladur |
| Preceded by | Hubert Curien (Research) |
| Succeeded by | François Bayrou |
| President of the General Council of Sarthe | |
| In office 20 April 1992 – 20 March 1998 |
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| Preceded by | Michel d'Aillières |
| Succeeded by | Roland du Luart |
| Personal details | |
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François Charles Armand Fillon
4 March 1954 Le Mans, France |
| Political party | The Republicans (since 2015) |
| Other political affiliations |
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| Spouse |
Penelope Clarke
(m. 1980) |
| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater |
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| Signature |  |
Early Life
François Fillon was born on 4 March 1954 in Le Mans, France. His father, Michel, was a notary, which is a type of lawyer. His mother, Anne, was a history teacher. Fillon also has a younger brother, Dominique, who is a jazz musician.
Fillon finished high school in 1972. He then studied law at the University of Maine in Le Mans, earning a master's degree in public law in 1976. He continued his studies at Paris Descartes University.
Political Journey
François Fillon has held many important roles in French politics over the years.
Early Roles
Fillon started his political career by serving in the National Assembly, which is like a parliament. He represented the Sarthe area for many years, starting in 1981.
He also held local positions, like being the mayor of Sablé-sur-Sarthe from 1983 to 2001. He was also the head of the General Council of Sarthe from 1992 to 1998.
Becoming a Minister
Fillon became a government minister for the first time in 1993, as Minister of Higher Education and Research. He later served as Minister of Information Technologies and Posts.
From 2002 to 2004, he was the Minister of Social Affairs, Labour and Solidarity. In this role, he worked on changes to France's 35-hour workweek and the retirement system. Then, from 2004 to 2005, he was the Minister of National Education, Higher Education and Research.
Prime Minister of France
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In 2007, after Nicolas Sarkozy became president, he chose Fillon to be the Prime Minister of France. This is a very important job, like being the head of the government. Fillon formed a new team of ministers.
He served as Prime Minister until 2012. When Nicolas Sarkozy lost the presidential election to François Hollande, Fillon resigned. Jean-Marc Ayrault then took over as Prime Minister.
Presidential Campaign
In 2016, Fillon decided to run for president. He won the primary election for his party, The Republicans, and became their official candidate for the 2017 presidential election.
At first, many people thought he would win. However, during his campaign, some questions were raised about the money paid to his wife and children for their work. This caused a lot of discussion and affected his popularity. In the first round of the election, Fillon came in third place, which meant he could not go on to the final round.
His Ideas and Policies
Fillon is known for his conservative views, especially on economic matters.
Economy and Budget
Fillon believes in a strong economy with less government spending. He once said that France's government was in financial trouble because it had been spending more money than it earned for many years. He wanted to balance the government's budget.
He suggested reducing the number of government jobs and making changes to the state healthcare program. He also supported increasing the retirement age to 65.
French Society
Fillon holds traditional views on social issues. He has voted against some laws that would change family structures. However, he stated that he would not change existing laws regarding same-sex marriage if he became president. He is against adoption by same-sex couples.
Foreign Policy
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In terms of foreign policy, Fillon has spoken about the importance of fighting against certain extremist groups. He has also suggested having talks with countries like Syria and Russia. He has been described as having a friendly relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, though Fillon himself doesn't use that description.
Personal Life
François Fillon lives with his wife, Penelope, and their five children in a historic house called Manoir de Beaucé. It's located in the countryside near Sablé-sur-Sarthe.
Penelope Fillon was born in Wales, a country in the United Kingdom. She met François when she was teaching English in France. They got married in June 1980. Fillon is sometimes seen as having an interest in British culture.
Fillon's younger brother, Pierre, is an eye doctor and is currently the president of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest, an organization linked to car racing. Pierre is also married to Penelope Fillon's younger sister, Jane.
Le Mans Race
Fillon has lived in the Le Mans area for most of his life and has represented it politically. He is a big fan of the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans sportscar race, which takes place near his home. He has attended the race almost every year since he was a child.
He is a member of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest, which organizes the race, and is part of the race's planning committee. He has even participated in some historic car races on the famous Le Mans circuit.
Awards and Honours
France:
- Commander of the Order of Academic Palms (2004)
- Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit (2007)
- Grand Officer of the Order of Legion of Honour (2012)
Japan:
- Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers
- Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun (2013)
Images for kids
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François Fillon's signature
In Spanish: François Fillon para niños
