Pierre Eugène Bérégovoy (; 23 December 1925 – 1 May 1993) was a French politician who served as Prime Minister of France under President François Mitterrand from 2 April 1992 to 29 March 1993. He was a member of the

Socialist Party Socialist Party is the name of many different political parties around the world. All of these parties claim to uphold some form of socialism, though they may have very different interpretations of what "socialism" means. Statistically, most of t ...

and

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...

for Nièvre's 1st constituency.

Early career

Pierre Bérégovoy was born in Déville-lès-Rouen to a French mother and a Ukrainian father (original family name ''Береговий'' in Ukrainian or ''Береговой'' in Russian) who had left the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...

after the

Russian Civil War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Russian Civil War , partof = the Russian Revolution and the aftermath of World War I , image = , caption = Clockwise from top left: {{flatlist, *Soldiers ...

. He started his professional life at the age of 16 as a qualified metal worker. He got involved in politics following his activities in the

French Resistance The French Resistance (french: La Résistance) was a collection of organisations that fought the German occupation of France during World War II, Nazi occupation of France and the Collaborationism, collaborationist Vichy France, Vichy régim ...

– while working at SNCF during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. A member of the

SFIO The French Section of the Workers' International (french: Section française de l'Internationale ouvrière, SFIO) was a list of political parties in France, political party in France that was founded in 1905 and succeeded in 1969 by the modern-da ...

Socialist Party and of the trade unions confederation Workers Force, he joined the staff of the Minister of Public Works and Transport,

Christian Pineau Christian Pineau (; 14 October 1904, in Chaumont-en-Bassigny, Haute-Marne, France – 5 April 1995, in Paris) was a noted French Resistance fighter, who later served an important term as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1956 through 1958. Life ...

, as adviser for relations with the trade unions in 1949. One year later, he became technical agent in ''

Gaz de France Gaz de France (GDF) was a French company which produced, transported and sold natural gas around the world, especially in France, its main market. The company was also particularly active in Belgium, the United Kingdom, Germany, and other Europea ...

''. In 1959, he left the

and participated in the foundation of the dissident Unified Socialist Party (PSU). He became an adviser of

Pierre Mendès-France Pierre is a masculine given name. It is a French form of the name Peter. Pierre originally meant "rock" or "stone" in French (derived from the Greek word πέτρος (''petros'') meaning "stone, rock", via Latin "petra"). It is a translation ...

. In 1967, with

Alain Savary Alain Savary (25 April 191817 February 1988) was a French Socialist politician, deputy to the National Assembly of France during the Fourth and Fifth Republic, chairman of the Socialist Party (PS) and a government minister in the 1950s and ...

, he created the pro-Mendès-France Union of clubs for the renewal of the left. This group joined the renewed

(PS) in 1969. He joined the executive group of the party behind François Mitterrand, and participated notably in the negotiations of the '' Common Program'' of the Union of the Left. In 1981, following Mitterrand's election as

President of France The president of France, officially the president of the French Republic (french: Président de la République française), is the executive head of state of France, and the commander-in-chief of the French Armed Forces. As the presidency i ...

, he was chosen as Secretary General of the Presidency. One year later, he joined the cabinet as Minister of Social affairs. He was among the Socialist politicians who advised President Mitterrand to leave the

European Monetary System The European Monetary System (EMS) was a multilateral adjustable exchange rate agreement in which most of the nations of the European Economic Community (EEC) linked their currencies to prevent large fluctuations in relative value. It was initiate ...

in order to continue Socialist economic policy. But in March 1983, Mitterrand listened to his Prime Minister

Pierre Mauroy Pierre Mauroy (; 5 July 1928 – 7 June 2013) was a French Socialist politician who was Prime Minister of France from 1981 to 1984 under President François Mitterrand. Mauroy also served as Mayor of Lille from 1973 to 2001. At the time of his de ...

and ratified the change of economic policy. Bérégovoy became Minister of the Economy and Finance, from 1984 to the 1986 Socialist electoral defeat. Elected mayor of

Nevers Nevers ( , ; la, Noviodunum, later ''Nevirnum'' and ''Nebirnum'') is the prefecture of the Nièvre department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in central France. It was the principal city of the former province of Nivernais. It is sou ...

in 1983, and deputy of

Nièvre Nièvre () is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, central-east France. Named after the river Nièvre, it had a population of 204,452 in 2019.1988 presidential campaign. After his re-election, at the time of each cabinet reshuffle, his name was mentioned as a possible Prime Minister. In the end, he returned to the Ministry of the Economy and Finance. In this function, he symbolized the adaptation of French socialism to the market economy and struck up hearty relations with employer representatives. After the 1992 regional elections, which were a disaster for the PS, he was finally appointed

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

. He promised to fight unemployment, economic decline and corruption. During his inaugural speech in the French National Assembly, he claimed he knew the names of politicians from the right-wing opposition implicated in corruption scandals, causing a great hue and cry. Bérégovoy forced Bernard Tapie, his Minister of Urban Affairs, to resign in May 1992 after his indictment by the French justice. He thus created the misnamed " Balladur jurisprudence".La mise en examen de M. Santini n'a pas empêché sa nomination au gouvernement
, ''

Le Monde ''Le Monde'' (; ) is a French daily afternoon newspaper. It is the main publication of Le Monde Group and reported an average circulation of 323,039 copies per issue in 2009, about 40,000 of which were sold abroad. It has had its own website si ...

'', 22 June 2007 In social policy, a number of reforms were carried out. In November 1992 a law was passed that inserted a (arguably narrow) definition of sexual harassment into the labour code and empowered the labour inspectorate and workplace committees to enforce it. In May 1992, increased aid was provided to farmers, mainly comprising reductions in the agricultural land tax and increased grants for young farmers. In June 1992, the French parliament passed a bill which required mayors to encourage social mixing in public housing. A law of 12 July 1992 was aimed at enhancing both the status of child-minders and "the quality of day care for children in a family environment," and a law of 29 July 1992 improved entitlement to medical assistance. The Sapin law of January 1993 sought to prevent corruption and encourage transparency "in economic activities and public procedures," and a law of January 1993 established "the principle of joint parental authority in the legitimate family, even if a divorce occurs." In addition, the coverage of housing benefits was extended in 1993. He resigned after the Socialist electoral collapse of the March 1993 legislative election.

Political career

Secretary General of the Presidency of the Republic: 1981–1982. Governmental functions Prime Minister: 1992–1993. Minister of Economy and Finances: 1984–1986 / 1988–1992. Minister of Social Affairs: 1982–1984. Electoral mandates ''National Assembly of France'' Member of the National Assembly of France for

Nièvre Nièvre () is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, central-east France. Named after the river Nièvre, it had a population of 204,452 in 2019.Nièvre Nièvre () is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, central-east France. Named after the river Nièvre, it had a population of 204,452 in 2019.Nevers Nevers ( , ; la, Noviodunum, later ''Nevirnum'' and ''Nebirnum'') is the prefecture of the Nièvre department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in central France. It was the principal city of the former province of Nivernais. It is sou ...

: 1983–1993 (Died in May 1993). Reelected in 1989. Municipal councillor of

: 1983–1993 (Died in May 1993). Reelected in 1989.

Death

Pierre Bérégovoy committed suicide by shooting himself on 1 May 1993. Friends of Bérégovoy claimed that he had been depressed ever since he lost the March legislative elections in which his Socialist Party won only 67 out of 577 parliamentary seats. Bérégovoy was also being investigated concerning a one-million-franc interest-free loan he received from businessman and close friend, Roger-Patrice Pelat. Pelat had died of a heart attack on 7 March 1989, shortly after being found guilty in the Péchiney-Triangle affair. At Bérégovoy's funeral, held at Nevers in an atmosphere of tension and shock, François Mitterrand stated that media pressure in connection with the Pelat scandal was responsible for Bérégovoy's suicide. Targeting the press, he said Bérégovoy's "honour was thrown to the dogs", crediting him with "the grandeur of someone who chooses his destiny."

Bérégovoy's ministry, 2 April 1992 – 29 March 1993

* Pierre Bérégovoy – Prime Minister *

Roland Dumas Roland Dumas (; born 23 August 1922) is a French lawyer and Socialist politician who served as Foreign Minister under President François Mitterrand from 1984 to 1986 and from 1988 to 1993. He was also President of the Constitutional Counci ...

– Minister of Foreign Affairs * Pierre Joxe – Minister of Defense *

Paul Quilès Paul Quilès (, 27 January 1942 – 24 September 2021) was a French Socialist politician. Biography Quilès was born in Sig, Algeria on 27 January 1942. Quilès was a member of the National Assembly for Paris and later Tarn ''département'' ...

– Minister of the Interior and Public Security *

Michel Sapin Michel Sapin (; born 9 April 1952 is a French politician who served as Minister of Finance from 1992 to 1993 and again from 2014 to 2017. He is a member of the Socialist Party. He was Minister of the Civil Service from 2000 to 2002 and Minis ...

– Minister of Economy, Finance, and Privatization * Michel Charasse – Minister of Budget *

Dominique Strauss-Kahn Dominique Gaston André Strauss-Kahn (; born 25 April 1949), also known as DSK, is a French economist and politician who served as the tenth managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and was a member of the French Socialist P ...

– Minister of Industry and External Commerce *

Martine Aubry Martine Louise Marie Aubry (; née Delors; born 8 August 1950) is a French politician. She was the First Secretary of the French Socialist Party (''Parti Socialiste'', or PS) from November 2008 to April 2012, and has been the Mayor (France), Mayo ...

– Minister of Labour, Employment, and Vocational Training * Michel Vauzelle – Minister of Justice * Jack Lang – Minister of National Education and Culture *

Louis Mermaz Louis Mermaz (born 20 August 1931 in Paris) is a French politician. Early life He became an ally of François Mitterrand in the late 1950s and in 1971 became a member of Mitterrand's staff in the French Socialist Party. In 1967, he was ele ...

– Minister of Agriculture and Forests *

Ségolène Royal Marie-Ségolène Royal (; born 22 September 1953) is a French politician who was the Socialist Party candidate for the Presidency of France in the 2007 election. Royal was president of the Poitou-Charentes Regional Council from 2004 to 201 ...

– Minister of Environment *

Frédérique Bredin Frédérique Bredin (born 2 November 1956) is a French politician who used to serve as president of the National Center of Cinematography and the moving image (CNC). Born in Paris, Bredin graduated from the Paris Institute of Political Studies, ...

– Minister of Youth and Sports * Louis Le Pensec – Minister of Overseas Departments and Territories *

Jean-Louis Bianco Jean-Louis Bianco (born 12 January 1943) is a French politician and civil servant who served as Minister of Social Affairs and Integration from 1991 to 1992 and Minister of Equipment, Transport and Housing from 1992 to 1993 under President Fra ...

– Minister of Transport, Housing, and Equipment * Louis Mermaz – Minister of Relations with Parliament * Bernard Kouchner – Minister of Health and Humanitarian Action * Émile Zuccarelli – Minister of Posts and Telecommunications * Michel Delebarre – Minister of Civil Service and Administrative Reform * François Loncle – Minister of City, Minister of Planning * Bernard Tapie – Minister of City *

Hubert Curien Hubert Curien (30 October 1924 – 6 February 2005) was a French physicist and a key figure in European science politics, as the President of CERN Council (1994–1996), the first chairman of the European Space Agency (ESA) (1981–1984), and s ...

– Minister of Research and Space * René Teulade – Minister of Social Affairs and Integration Changes * 23 May 1992 – Bernard Tapie leaves the ministry and the office of Minister of City is abolished * 2 October 1992 – Martin Malvy succeeds Charasse as Minister of Budget. Jean-Pierre Soisson succeeds Mermaz as Minister of Agriculture, becoming also Minister of Rural Development * 26 December 1992 – The office of Minister of City is re-established, with Bernard Tapie again as Minister * 9 March 1993 – Pierre Joxe leaves the ministry of Defence and was succeeded by Pierre Bérégovoy (who remains also Prime minister)

References

External links

Association Pierre Bérégovoy
in French only {{DEFAULTSORT:Beregovoy, Pierre 1925 births 1993 deaths People from Déville-lès-Rouen French people of Ukrainian descent Politicians from Normandy French Section of the Workers' International politicians Unified Socialist Party (France) politicians Socialist Party (France) politicians Prime Ministers of France French Ministers of Budget French Ministers of Finance Deputies of the 8th National Assembly of the French Fifth Republic Deputies of the 9th National Assembly of the French Fifth Republic Deputies of the 10th National Assembly of the French Fifth Republic French Resistance members Grand Cross of the Ordre national du Mérite 1993 suicides French politicians who committed suicide Politicians who committed suicide Suicides by firearm in France