Valerie Pecresse French politician Date of Birth: 14.07.1967 Country: France

1. Early Life and Career
2. Political Career
3. President of Île-de-France
4. Leadership of the Republicans
5. Ideological Positions
6. Personal Life

Early Life and Career

Valérie Pécresse was born in 1967 and raised in Neuilly-sur-Seine, a wealthy suburb of Paris. She graduated from the prestigious École des Hautes Études Commerciales de Paris (HEC Paris) and then the École Nationale d'Administration (ENA), the elite school that trains many of France's top civil servants. Pécresse worked as an auditor at the French State Council until 1998, when she became an advisor to President Jacques Chirac. She is fluent in French, English, Russian, and Japanese.

Political Career

Pécresse entered politics in 2002 when she was elected to the National Assembly as a member of the center-right Union for a Popular Movement (UMP). She held this position for three consecutive terms. In 2004, Pécresse was also elected to the Council of the Île-de-France region.

In 2007, she was appointed Minister of Higher Education and Research in François Fillon's government. Pécresse remained in this role after a government reshuffle in 2010 and, in 2011, she was named Minister of the Budget and Government Spokeswoman. She left the government in 2012.

President of Île-de-France

In 2015, Pécresse led the center-right list in the regional elections in Île-de-France, which includes the city of Paris. She was victorious and became the President of the Île-de-France Regional Council. In this role, Pécresse has overseen the development of transportation, education, and economic policies for the region.

Leadership of the Republicans

In 2021, Pécresse announced her candidacy for the presidential election. She won the Republican primaries and became their candidate for the 2022 election. Her campaign focused on issues such as security, immigration, and the economy. However, she finished fifth in the first round of the election, failing to qualify for the second round.

Ideological Positions

Pécresse is a conservative politician who holds socially and economically liberal views on some issues. She has been criticized by the Left for her opposition to same-sex marriage and her tough stance on immigration. However, she has also criticized the socialist ideas of her youth and believes that freedom of thought is inherent to the Right.

Personal Life

Pécresse is married to Jérôme Pécresse, a businessman and former politician. They have three children.