 |
Zhil RobienMinister of Education of France since May 2005.
Date of Birth: 10.04.1941
Country:  France |
Content:
- Gilles de Robien: French Statesman and Politician
- Political Ascent
- Ministerial Positions
- Controversies during Student Protests
- Negotiations and Post-Protests
Gilles de Robien: French Statesman and Politician
Early Life and CareerBorn on April 10, 1941, in the Somme department of France, Gilles de Robien completed high school in Versailles in 1965. He began his career as an insurance agent in Amiens, where he was elected mayor in 1989.
Political Ascent
In 1986, Robien entered the French National Assembly, where he served on the Finance Committee and the Investigative Commission on Floods. He joined the executive committee and steering council of the Republican Party of France in 1990 and became a member of the political bureau of the centrist Union for French Democracy (UDF) in 1991. From 1995 to 1997, he led the UDF parliamentary group in the National Assembly. In 1996, Robien authored the "Robien Law," which provided tax breaks for businesses reducing work hours and hiring new employees.
Ministerial Positions
In May 2002, Robien was appointed Minister of Infrastructure, Transport, Housing, Tourism, and the Sea in the government of Jean-Pierre Raffarin. In June 2005, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin appointed him Minister of Education.
Controversies during Student Protests
During student protests in March 2006 against the First Employment Contract discrimination bill, Robien condemned the demonstrators as "scandalmongers" and a "negligible minority." He approved a police raid on the Sorbonne, which resulted in injuries to 13 people. Robien defended the force used, stating that "intervention is perfectly normal when such odious acts take place."
Negotiations and Post-Protests
Despite his initial condemnation, Robien consulted with student and union organizations in March 2006 to initiate negotiations with the government. While there were no significant agreements, Robien remained in his ministerial position.
