Lionel Jospin

Lionel Robert Jospin (born July 12, 1937 in Meudon, a suburb of Paris) is a French statesman who served as Prime Minister of France from 1997-2002.

Studies and early political career

Lionel Jospin was born in a Protestant family. He studied at Sciences Po and the École nationale d'administration.

Related Topics:
Protestant - Sciences Po - École nationale d'administration

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He joined the French Socialist Party in 1971, and became the leader of the party when François Mitterrand was elected President of France in 1981. He served as Minister of Education between 1988 and 1992.

Related Topics:
1971 - François Mitterrand - 1981 - 1988 - 1992

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As a member of the National Assembly, Jospin served first as a representative of Paris (1978-86), and then of Haute-Garonne (1986-88). Jospin lost his seat in the National Assembly in the Socialists' landslide defeat in the legislative elections of 1993.

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In 1995, Jospin was selected to be the Socialist candidate for President. Following the Socialists' landslide defeat in the parliamentary elections two years earlier, Jospin was considered to have little chance of victory. But he did surprisingly well, losing only very narrowly to Jacques Chirac in the final runnoff election. Despite defeat, his performance was seen to mark a revival of the Socialists as a strong force in French politics.

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Two years later, Chirac decided to call an early election for the National Assembly, hoping for a personal endorsement. But the move backfired as the Socialists regained a parliamentary majority and Jospin became Prime Minister.

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