Lionel Jospin

Lionel Robert Jospin (French pronunciation: [ljɔnɛl ʁɔbɛʁ ʒɔspɛ̃]; born 12 July 1937) is a French politician who served as Prime Minister of France from 1997 to 2002.

Quick facts: Lionel Jospin, Prime Minister of France, Pres... ▼

Lionel Jospin
Jospin in 2014
Prime Minister of France
In office 2 June 1997 – 6 May 2002
President	Jacques Chirac
Preceded by	Alain Juppé
Succeeded by	Jean-Pierre Raffarin
Member of the Constitutional Council
In office 6 January 2015 – 11 March 2019
Appointed by	Claude Bartolone
President	Jean-Louis Debré Laurent Fabius
Preceded by	Jacques Barrot
Succeeded by	Alain Juppé
First Secretary of the Socialist Party
In office 14 October 1995 – 2 June 1997
Preceded by	Henri Emmanuelli
Succeeded by	François Hollande
In office 24 January 1981 – 14 May 1988
Preceded by	François Mitterrand
Succeeded by	Pierre Mauroy
Minister of National Education
In office 12 May 1988 – 2 April 1992
Prime Minister	Michel Rocard Édith Cresson
Preceded by	René Monory
Succeeded by	Jack Lang
Minister of Youth and Sport
In office 12 May 1988 – 16 May 1991
Prime Minister	Michel Rocard
Preceded by	Alain Calmat
Succeeded by	Frédérique Bredin
Personal details
Born	(1937-07-12) 12 July 1937 (age 86) Meudon, Seine-et-Oise, France
Political party	Socialist Party
Spouse(s)	Élisabeth Dannenmuller (div). Sylviane Agacinski
Children	Eva and Hugo
Alma mater	Sciences Po École nationale d'administration
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Jospin was First Secretary of the Socialist Party from 1995 to 1997 and the party's candidate for President of France in the 1995 and 2002 elections. In 1995, he was narrowly defeated in the second round by Jacques Chirac. In 2002, he was eliminated in the first round after finishing behind both Chirac and far-right candidate Jean-Marie Le Pen, prompting him to announce his retirement from politics. In 2015, he was appointed to the Constitutional Council by National Assembly President Claude Bartolone.