Francois Leotard Politician Country: France

Biography of François Léotard

François Léotard, a French politician, began his ascent to higher levels of power when he was elected Mayor of Fréjus. In 1986, when Jacques Chirac became Prime Minister, Léotard was appointed Minister of Culture and Communication.

In his position as the former Minister of Defense of France, François Léotard (60) will have to address the challenging issues related to the escalating situation in Macedonia, where government forces are engaged in battles with Albanian rebels. He has been appointed as the permanent representative of the European Union in this Balkan country. According to Léotard, political negotiations in Macedonia have not made any progress. Macedonian authorities are divided and not inclined to engage in talks, while Albanian separatists are focused on a military solution to the problem. Léotard sees his main task as compelling the opposing sides to finally sit down at the negotiating table. The mission led by Léotard will report to Javier Solana, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

François Léotard is a member of the Republican Party. He was elected Mayor of Fréjus, which marked the beginning of his rise to higher levels of power. In 1986, when Jacques Chirac became Prime Minister, Léotard was appointed Minister of Culture and Communication. During the government of Édouard Balladur (1993-1995), he served as the Minister of Defense. Currently, he is a member of the National Assembly of France.