Lionel Jospin Prime Minister of France Date of Birth: 12.07.1937 Country: France

Biography of Lionel Jospin

Lionel Jospin was born on July 12, 1937 in Ménilmontant, near Paris. He attended the State School of Administration in 1961, but deferred his studies for two years to complete his military service. After completing the course, Jospin worked in the economic department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and from 1970 onwards, he taught economics at the University Institute of Technology in Paris.

Jospin joined the Socialist Party in 1971 and caught the attention of François Mitterrand. In 1977, he was elected to the National Assembly for the Paris district. After Mitterrand was elected president, Jospin was appointed as the party's first secretary. Following Mitterrand's re-election in 1988, Jospin became the Minister of Education.

In 1993, after the catastrophic elections for the Socialists, Jospin announced his departure from politics. He aspired to a post in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs but was rejected by the then-Minister, Alain Juppé. However, in 1995, Jospin was announced as the Socialist candidate for the presidency, but lost to Jacques Chirac.

Two years later, Jospin managed to form a coalition of Socialists, Communists, and Greens, which emerged victorious in the 1997 elections, defeating the coalition led by Chirac and Juppé. Jospin took office as the Prime Minister, replacing Juppé.