François Charles Armand Fillon
Former prime minister François Fillon pledged deep economic reforms after winning the conservative Les Republicains’ presidential nomination 27 November 2016. The two-round election contest is scheduled for April 23 and May 7, 2017. Fillon resoundingly beat in-party rival Alain Juppé in France’s conservative presidential primary run-off, one week after he shocked the country’s political landscape by topping the first-round poll. He earned 66.5 percent of votes in the second round election, with Juppé trailing far behind with 33.5 percent support.
The first round of the presidential primaries in the Republicans center-right party in France resulted in a victory of former Prime Minister Francois Fillon. Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy came third in the primaries. Taking into account the extremely low popularity of incumbent leader Francois Hollande from the Socialist Party, experts predicted that the center-right candidate is likely to win the French presidential election in 2017.
Fillon, who was France’s prime minister between 2007 and 2012 under Nicolas Sarkozy, was constantly overshadowed by the former president. Fillon also lost a leadership battle for control of Les Républicains (former UMP) party in late 2012.
After he left office, in particular, Fillon underscored the importance of cooperation between the West and Russia. Fillon is a longtime friend of Vladimir Putin, a member of the Valdai Club, and an opponent of Russian sanctions. Fillon and Le Pen's foreign policy approaches are different when it comes to European and Euro-Atlantic solidarity - but they are virtually indistinguishable when it comes to Russia.
French conservatives traditionally maintained excellent relations with Moscow. The reasons behind this were multifaceted, running the gamut from history to current international politics and the joint membership in the UN Security Council. In both nations, particularly in France among conservative circles, there's also a considerable anti-Americanism which provides a strong political bond between both sides.
In November 2016 Fillon called for the creation of an international anti-terrorism coalition, with the participation of Russia. "Russia is the largest country in the world and we are unable to have a dialogue and a strategy with her!" Fillon stressed. In October 2015 Fillon wrote that France must join the efforts of Russia and Iran to defeat the Islamic State and protect French interests in the Middle East. "The Russian intervention is the result of western irresolution, unable to choose a clear strategy against Daesh, because they are mired in their ineffective and counter-productive moral stances."
Alina Polyakova, et al, writing for the Atlantic Council, noted that "... there is a distinct pro-Russian group around the former Prime Minister Francois Fillon, including the former State Secretary Jean de Boishue, Fillon’s adviser and a specialist on Russia, and Igor Mitrofanoff.... The Republicans’ pro-Russian stance is partly based on the party’s deep connections with elements of French big business, which have operations in Russia, mostly in the defense industry (Thales, Dassault, Alstom), the energy sector (Total, Areva, Gaz de France), the food and luxury industry (Danone, Leroy-Merlin, Auchan, Yves Rocher, Bonduelle), the transport industry (Vinci, Renault), and the banking system (Société Générale). Many chief executive officers (CEOs) of these big industrial groups have close connections to the Kremlin’s inner circle and have been acting as intermediaries of Russian interests and worldviews for the Republicans.
"Among the Republicans, pro-Russian positions emerged particularly vividly during the Ukrainian crisis. The first delegation to visit Crimea in the summer of 2015, against the position of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, consisted mainly of Republican MPs, but also included a few Socialist party MPs. Some in the group supported Crimea’s annexation, such as MP Nicolas Dhuicq, close to former Prime Minister Fillon, who stated “We think that the Russian president did what he had to do – protect the people from civil war. If Crimea was not back to Russia, there would be a civil war here with the extremists of the Ukrainian government."
Despite his lack of foreign policy experience, Fillon is considered staunchly pro-Russia and has called Moscow a “crucial partner” for Europe. He also supports the lifting of sanctions against Russia, which were imposed after Russia’s annexation of the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine. If Fillon succeeded in winning Les Républicains' candidacy and made it past the first round of the presidential election, French voters were likely to see a face-off between a pro-Putin Le Pen and a pro-Putin Fillon. With Trump publicly espousing his respect for the Russian leader, foreign policy experts were carefully monitoring potential changes in the West’s position on Russia.
Fillon refused to call for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s ouster, saying by doing so, “the Christians of Syria would have to choose between the suitcase and the coffin”. In keeping with his pro-Moscow position, he sought to bring Russia into the US-led coalition against the Islamic State (IS) group. Fillon also sought closer ties with Assad’s other ally in the pro-Russian alliance: Iran.
Fillon said January 12, 2016 "Three years ago I called Hollande to favor an alliance with Russia in the war against the Islamic State rather than a return to cold war as useless as dangerous. After much procrastination, he undertook a trip to Moscow, but since everything has stalled. The prospect of a large coalition is deadlocked. In 2016, it will force Europe to lift sanctions against Russia because we can not fight all the IE [Islamic State] and sanction the same time. "
Fillon said April 28, 2016 "... to bring down the Islamic state our coalition needs to act with Russia.... France and Europe can not be allied with Russia against the jihadists and sanction the same time. When made war together we avoid weakening each other! It is a question of efficiency. For months, I say that these sanctions are inept and strategically devastating for our farmers. Now, the French Government and its European partners should clarify their relations with Russia. The victory against the Islamic state requires [this]."
Fillon said May 9, 2016 "Since the end of the Cold War, Europe has done nothing to take its destiny in hand. Worse than that, with the Ukrainian crisis, it unnecessarily interfered with Russia. For what? The hardening of the Russian regime and an agricultural crisis which shuld not have happened. Cooperation between Europe and Russia is the key to peace and prosperity on our continent."
Fillon said October 22, 2016 "On behalf of the interests of France, President of the Republic must have frank and solid relations with Russia, whatever the Kremlin leader. De Gaulle was talking and negotiating with Stalin ... When we look at history, it is often by force that religions have adapted to the States and the neutrality of public space ... In France, Islam must be taken to distinguish the temporal from the spiritual. We must impose strict control of the Muslim Faith: control of openings and closures of mosques. Sermons should be delivered in French. Foreign funding should be prohibited.... The border between fundamentalism and fanaticism is narrow."
Fillon had repeatedly called to modernize agreements of the European Union, in a bid to provide deeper economic integration between country members and to strengthen the eurozone. As for domestic policy, Fillon is considered conservative in social terms while liberal-reformist in economy. For example, he called to increase retirement age to 65 years and lift the moratorium on shale gas production. He was also against the legalization of same-sex marriage.
"Europe must be a tool and not a religion. It is for this reason that I am one of the few with Philippe Seguin, having campaigned against the Maastricht Treaty. Today, the project of a federal Europe that I have always fought has expired. We must rebuild a new, more political Europe that will win support of peoples and nations. We must propose a reasonable evolution of the European construction, realistic and effective. I am so for a Europe of nations, a Europe that, in line with that intended by General de Gaulle, is the guarantor of our sovereignty."
Fillon said November 13, 2016 of the elction of Donald Trump, "We must make the election an opportunity to revive the objective of a European defense alliance and strengthen the fight against this intolerable interference [of] Administration and the American justice on European companies. "
Vladimir Putin said November 23, 2016 "As for Mr Fillon, I worked with Francois when he was Prime Minister, and when I was Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, from 2008 to 2012. Yes, we did have many meetings and we forged a good personal relationship. I think that Mr Fillon stands out among politicians today, not just in France but in the world in general... "
Two former French prime ministers, Alain Juppé and François Fillon, clashed 24 November 2016 in a TV debate three days ahead of the country’s conservative presidential primary run-off. Juppé managed to throw some jabs at Fillon over ties with Russia and on the raging civil war in Syria. Juppé feigned alarm that Russian President Vladimir Putin had weighed in on France’s election by backing Fillon, a candidate who favors closer ties between Paris and Moscow.
“We are not going to change our alliances,” Fillon shot back, denying he wanted to upset ties with the United States and other European partners. But he also rejected the idea that Russia was a threat to the West. “The real danger is not Russia, the real danger is economic and it is called Asia,” Fillon said, insisting France and Russia should “sit down around the same table” with the aim of improving bilateral relations. Fillon said that economic sanctions led by France’s Hollande and other EU leaders over Russia’s annexation of Crimea had completely failed, only hurting French farmers who had been affected by retaliatory trade measures.
François Charles Amand Fillon was born 4 March 1954 is a French lawyer and politician who served as Prime Minister of France from 17 May 2007 to 16 May 2012. He was appointed by President Nicolas Sarkozy on 17 May 2007. As a member of the UMP, Fillon became Jean-Pierre Raffarin's Minister of Labor in 2002 and undertook controversial reforms of the 35-hour working week law and of the French retirement system.
Fillon became Minister of National Education in 2004 and proposed the much debated Fillon law on Education. In 2005, he was not included in the new government headed by Dominique de Villepin, but was elected Senator for the Sarthe Département. His role as a political advisor in Nicolas Sarkozy's successful race for President led to his becoming Prime Minister. Fillon resigned upon Sarkozy's defeat to François Hollande in the 2012 presidential elections.
François Fillon was born on March 4, 1954 in Le Mans, Sarthe, Pays-de-la-Loire, France. His father is a civil law notary, while his mother, Anne Fillon, is a celebrated historian of Basque descent. His youngest brother, Dominique, is a talented pianist. He married Pénélope Clarke since June 28, 1980. His wife Pénélope is originally from Wales, and their five children are Marie, Charles, Antoine, Édouard and Arnaud. They live in the 12th-century Château de Beaucé, set in 20 acres (8 ha) of woodland on the banks of the River Sarthe at the famous monastery village of Solesmes, near Sablé-sur-Sarthe about halfway between Le Mans and Angers.
Having lived all his life in the Le Mans area and represented it politically, Fillon is an enthusiastic supporter of the city's famous 24 hour sportscar race, which he has attended nearly every year since he was a small child. Being a member of the organization committee of the 24 Hour sportscar race in Le Mans, he has competed himself in the Le Mans Classic 24 Hours event for historic sportscars.
Fillon became Minister of National Education in 2004 and proposed the much debated Fillon law on Education. As Minister for Education he strongly advocated restriction on the wearing of religious signs in schools and other 'public' places. In 2005, he was not included in the new government headed by Dominique de Villepin, but was elected Senator for the Sarthe Département.
On 17 May 2007 France's new President Nicolas Sarkozy named Francois Fillon as the country's prime minister. As he assumed his new duties, Mr. Fillon pledged to put his country on the road to progress. Fillon had the reputation of a reformer. As France's social affairs minister in 2003, he pushed through a controversial pension reform bill.
On 13 November 2010, Fillon resigned, paving the way for a cabinet reshuffle. On 14 November 2010, French President Nicolas Sarkozy reappointed Fillion as Prime Minister, allowing Fillon to formally name a new cabinet. In February 2011 Prime Minister Francois Fillon appeared to have preempted a new scandal by issuing a statement acknowledging he had accepted free travel and lodging from Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, while on Christmas vacation in Egypt.
In August 2011 France unveiled a package of austerity measures aimed at reducing the budget deficit by about $17 billion in two years. Prime Minister Francois Fillon announced the measures, saying they are dictated by the slower economic growth. The government revised its growth forecast for 2011 to 1.75 percent from 2 percent. Fillon said the European sovereign debt crisis has hurt the French economy. Fillon said the austerity package would allow France to trim its public deficit to 4.5 percent by the end of 2012. The proposals include cutting government spending, closing some tax loopholes and raising taxes for the rich. The government proposes an additional 3-percent levy on annual incomes higher than $720,000.
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy’s conservative government officially resigned 10 May 2012, paving the way for the inauguration of president-elect Francois Hollande next week. Prime Minister Francois Fillon notified Mr. Sarkozy by letter Thursday that he and his ministers were resigning, although the Cabinet will continue to handle daily affairs until Mr. Hollande’s May 15 inauguration.
The center-right presidential primaries initially involved seven candidates, including Nicolas Sarkozy, Francois Fillon, Alain Juppe as well as lawmakers Bruno Le Maire, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, Jean-Frederic Poisson and Jean-Francois Cope. From the very beginning of the 2016 campaign, experts and the majority of polls were in favor of Juppe and Sarkozy. Fillon alongside Le Maire was rated third or fourth. The situation changed after the kick-off of the debates broadcasted by France’s major television channels. Fillon delivered a solid performance during the first and second debates. After the third round, he leap-frogged Juppe and Sarkozy and took the lead with 30 percent of votes.
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