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Michèle Alliot-Marie
Michèle Alliot-Marie, French Minister of Foreign and European Affairs (5277700729) (cropped).jpg
Member of the European Parliament
In office
1 July 2014 – 1 July 2019
In office
1 July 1989 – 22 May 1992
Constituency East France
Minister of Foreign and European Affairs
In office
14 November 2010 – 27 February 2011
Prime Minister François Fillon
Preceded by Bernard Kouchner
Succeeded by Alain Juppé
Minister of Justice
In office
23 June 2009 – 13 November 2010
Prime Minister François Fillon
Preceded by Rachida Dati
Succeeded by Michel Mercier
Minister of the Interior
In office
18 May 2007 – 23 June 2009
Prime Minister François Fillon
Preceded by François Baroin
Succeeded by Brice Hortefeux
Minister of Defence
In office
7 May 2002 – 18 May 2007
Prime Minister
Preceded by Alain Richard
Succeeded by Hervé Morin
Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports
In office
29 March 1993 – 18 May 1995
Prime Minister Édouard Balladur
Preceded by Frédérique Bredin
Succeeded by Guy Drut
Member of the National Assembly
for Pyrénées-Atlantiques's 6th constituency
In office
16 March 1986 – 1 May 1993
Succeeded by Daniel Poulou
In office
17 September 1995 – 18 June 2002
Preceded by Daniel Poulou
Succeeded by Daniel Poulou
Personal details
Born
Michèle Jeanne Honorine Marie

(1946-09-10) 10 September 1946 (age 78)
Villeneuve-le-Roi, France
Political party European People's Party (1989-1992, 2014-present)
The Republicans (2015–present)
Other political
affiliations
Rally for the Republic (before 2002)
Union for a Popular Movement (2002–2015)
Spouse
Michel Alliot
(m. 1971; div. 1984)
Domestic partner Patrick Ollier
Children 3
Education
  • Panthéon-Assas University
  • Pantheon-Sorbonne University

Michèle Alliot-Marie (born 10 September 1946) is a French politician. In France, she is often called MAM. She is a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for France.

Michèle Alliot-Marie is a member of The Republicans party. This party is part of the European People's Party. She has been part of many right-wing governments in France.

She was the first woman in France to hold several important government jobs. These include Minister of Defense (2002–2007), Minister of the Interior (2007–2009), and Minister of Foreign Affairs (2010–2011). She also served as Minister of Youth and Sports (1993–1995) and Minister of Justice (2009–2010).

She resigned from the government in 2011. This was because of her actions during the Tunisian Revolution. In 2012, she lost her seat as a Deputy (MP) in the French Parliament. She became a member of the European Parliament in 2014. She is also the Deputy Mayor of Saint-Jean-de-Luz.

Alliot-Marie was the last President of the Rally for the Republic party (1999–2002). This party was a version of the Gaullist party. She was the first woman to lead a major French political party.

Early Life and Education

Michèle Marie was born on 10 September 1946. Her birthplace was Villeneuve-le-Roi, France. Her father, Bernard Marie, was a famous international rugby referee. He was also a French politician. Her mother, Renée Leyko, has Polish family roots.

She studied at the University of Paris. She earned a Doctor of Law degree in 1973. Her thesis was about "Employee Shareholders." She also earned a Doctorate in political science in 1982. Her thesis was about "Political Decisions and Administrative Structures."

She also has a certificate to practice law. She holds a master's degree in ethnology. Before becoming a politician, she was a senior lecturer at Paris-I University. She also worked as a lawyer.

Beginning Her Political Journey

Michèle Marie started her relationship with her law professor, Michel Alliot. He was also an advisor to the Minister of Education. They married in 1971, and she took the name Michèle Alliot-Marie. This marriage gave her more access to academic and business circles.

She worked as an assistant professor at universities from 1970 to 1984. She became an associate professor in public law in 1984. She left this job when she was elected to the French National Assembly in 1986.

She also worked as an advisor for several government ministers. These roles helped her gain experience in public service. From 1979 to 1985, she worked in the private sector. She was an administrator and CEO for a company called Uta-Indemnité. During this time, she also practiced law.

Political Career

Local Government Roles

Alliot-Marie began her career in local politics in 1983. She became a Municipal Councillor in Ciboure, a village in the French Basque Country. She served there until 1988. In 1989, she was elected to the council in Biarritz, where her father had also served.

She became Mayor of Saint-Jean-de-Luz in 1995. She held this position until 2002. Since then, she has served as the First Deputy Mayor of Saint-Jean-de-Luz. She was also a member and Vice President of the General Council of Pyrénées-Atlantiques from 1994 to 2001.

National Government Roles

Alliot-Marie was elected to the National Assembly in 1986. She represented Pyrénées-Atlantiques as a member of the Gaullist Rally for the Republic (RPR) party. She served in the Assembly whenever she was not a government minister. French law prevents ministers from also serving as deputies at the same time.

She served as a junior minister for Schools from 1986 to 1988. From 1993 to 1995, she was the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports.

From 1989 to 1993, she was a Member of the European Parliament. She was part of the European Democratic Alliance political group.

Leading a Major Party

In 1999, Michèle Alliot-Marie ran for the presidency of the RPR party. She won by a large margin, surprising many. She became the first woman to lead a major French political party. She remained President until 2002. The RPR then merged with the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) party.

Minister of Defense

Michèle Alliot-Marie
French Minister of Defense Michèle Alliot-Marie meets with US Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld in The Pentagon on 17 October 2002. They discussed defense issues.

Alliot-Marie became Minister of Defense in 2002. She was the first woman in France to hold this important job. She also oversaw Veterans' Affairs for a short time. Forbes magazine listed her as one of the most powerful women in the world in 2006 and 2007.

She continued to be a strong supporter of Gaullism. She created her own group within the UMP party called Le Chêne (The Oak). She considered running for president in 2007 but decided not to. Instead, she supported Nicolas Sarkozy.

Minister of Interior and Justice

After Nicolas Sarkozy became president, Alliot-Marie was appointed Minister of the Interior. This made her the first woman to hold this position.

Two years later, in 2009, she became Minister of Justice. She was also given the title of Minister of State. This meant she had one of the highest ranks in the government, after the Prime Minister. She also became a Vice President of the UMP party.

Minister of Foreign Affairs

In November 2010, Alliot-Marie was appointed Minister of Foreign and European Affairs. She was again the first woman to hold this office.

In early 2011, there were protests in Tunisia. Alliot-Marie faced criticism for being on vacation there during this time. She also caused controversy by suggesting France could help restore order. She resigned as Foreign Minister on 27 February 2011. Alain Juppé took over her role.

In the 2012 French elections, she lost her seat as a Deputy in the National Assembly. She was defeated by the Socialist Party candidate, Sylviane Alaux.

Summary of Political Roles

Ministerial Offices

  • Secretary of State for Education: 1986–1988.
  • Minister of Youth and Sports: 1993–1995.
  • Minister of Defense: 2002–2007.
  • Minister of the Interior, Overseas Territories and Territorial Communities: 2007–2009.
  • Minister of Justice and Freedoms: 2009–2010.
  • Minister of Foreign and European Affairs: 2010–2011.

European Parliament

National Assembly

Local Council Roles

  • Vice President of the General Council of Pyrénées-Atlantiques: 1994–2001.
  • Mayor of Saint-Jean-de-Luz: 1995-2002.
  • Deputy Mayor of Saint-Jean-de-Luz: Since 2002.
  • Municipal Councillor of Saint-Jean-de-Luz: Since 1995.
  • Municipal Councillor of Biarritz: 1989–1991.
  • Municipal Councillor of Ciboure: 1983–1988.

Party Leadership

Personal Life

Michèle Marie married anthropologist Michel Alliot in 1971. She then became known as Michèle Alliot-Marie. They divorced in 1984.

In the French media, she is often called "MAM."

Since 1988, her partner has been Patrick Ollier. He also served as a minister in the French government. For a few months in 2010–2011, they were both ministers at the same time. This was the first time a couple had served together in a French government.

Awards and Honors

Decorations

  • Ordre de l'Etoile d'Anjouan Commandeur ribbon Commander of the Order of the Star of Anjouan (Comoros)
  • Cote d'Ivoire Ordre du merite ivoirien Commandeur ribbon.svg Commander of the Order of Ivory Merit (Côte d'Ivoire)
  • EGY Order of the Republic - Officer BAR Officer of the Order of the Republic (Egypt)
  • GAB Order of the Equatorial Star - Commander BAR Commander of the Order of the Equatorial Star (Gabon)

Distinctions

  • Award for Political Revelation of the Year (1999) - for being elected President of the Rally for the Republic party.
  • Minister of the Year (2005).

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Michèle Alliot-Marie para niños

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