Nicole Fontaine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nicole Fontaine
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Official portrait, 2002
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| President of the European Parliament | |
| In office 20 July 1999 – 14 January 2002 |
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| Preceded by | José María Gil-Robles |
| Succeeded by | Pat Cox |
| Minister of Industry | |
| In office 17 June 2002 – 30 March 2004 |
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| Prime Minister | Jean-Pierre Raffarin |
| Preceded by | Christian Pierret |
| Succeeded by | Patrick Devedjian |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Nicole Garnier
16 January 1942 Grainville-Ymauville, Occupied France |
| Died | 17 May 2018 (aged 76) Neuilly-sur-Seine, France |
| Political party | UMP; EPP |
| Spouse | Jean-René Fontaine |
| Alma mater | Sciences Po |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Nicole Fontaine (born January 16, 1942 – died May 17, 2018) was an important French politician. She was a member of the European Parliament for many years. This is like being a representative for France in the European Union.
Fontaine also served as the President of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2002. This role is similar to being the speaker of a parliament. Later, she became a government minister in France, in charge of industry.
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Early Life and Education
Nicole Fontaine was born in 1942 in Normandy, a region in France. Her father was a doctor, and her grandparents were teachers. She was very good at her studies.
At just 20 years old, she earned a law degree in 1962. She then got a special diploma from Sciences Po in 1964. In 1969, she completed her doctorate in public law.
Fontaine became a lawyer. Her special area was the relationship between the government and private schools. Her work on this topic became a very important reference for others.
Political Career and European Parliament Role
Before joining politics, Nicole Fontaine worked for the Catholic Education Secretariat. She helped manage the relationship between private schools and the government in France. She was a legal advisor and later a chief representative.
She helped create new laws that balanced how the government worked with private schools. This was a very important job for over two decades.
Fontaine also served on national councils related to education and the economy. She wrote reports on important topics like publishing.
Becoming a Member of the European Parliament (1984–2002)
Nicole Fontaine became a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) in 1984. This was after a big event in Paris that supported private education. As an MEP, she worked on making Europe a better place for its citizens.
She focused on projects for young people and making it easier for people to work in different European countries. This included making sure that diplomas from one country were recognized in others.
Fontaine was a member of several important committees in the European Parliament. These included committees for legal affairs, culture, education, and women's rights.
In 1989, she was re-elected and became a Vice-President of the European Parliament. This meant she was part of the Parliament's leadership team. She also helped connect the European Parliament with national parliaments.
Working on European Laws and Treaties
From 1994, Fontaine was a permanent member of the Conciliation Committee. This committee helps solve disagreements between the European Council of Ministers and the European Parliament when making laws. She was the only French permanent member.
She also led the European Parliament's group that worked with national parliaments. This group helps different parliaments cooperate.
To help people understand the European Parliament, Fontaine wrote a book in 1994. It was called "MEPs: Who are they? What do they do?"
She was re-elected for a third time in 1994. She became the First Vice-President of the European Parliament. In this role, she helped lead the Conciliation Committee.
Fontaine also wrote guides about European aid programs and the Amsterdam Treaty. These books helped explain complex European topics to the public.
Leading the European Parliament
In June 1999, Nicole Fontaine was re-elected to the European Parliament. On July 20, 1999, she was elected President of the European Parliament. She served in this important role from 1999 to 2002.
The Economist magazine described her as someone who sought agreement and built connections. She was known for finding compromises and working well with different political groups.
Serving in the French Government (2002–2004)
After her time as President of the European Parliament, Nicole Fontaine returned to France. She served as France's Minister of Industry from 2002 to 2004. She worked in the government of President Jacques Chirac.
Return to the European Parliament (2004–2009)
Fontaine returned to the European Parliament for her final term from 2004 to 2009. During this time, she worked on committees for industry, research, energy, and women's rights. She also helped with relations between the Parliament and Afghanistan.
Political Views
In 2007, Nicole Fontaine worked to make French the main legal language of the European Union. However, this effort was not successful.
Recognition and Honors
President Emmanuel Macron praised Nicole Fontaine after her death. He said she fought for the European project for 35 years of her life.
She received several important honors for her work:
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See also
In Spanish: Nicole Fontaine para niños
