François Fillon
Early Life and Education
François Charles Armand Fillon was born on March 4, 1954, in Le Mans, Sarthe, France. He is the son of Michel Fillon, a notary, and his wife, Anne Soulet, a historian. François Fillon spent his early years in the small town of Cérans-Foulletourte, where his parents owned a country house.
Fillon received his secondary education at the Collège Notre-Dame in Le Mans. He then went on to study law at the University of Maine in Le Mans, where he graduated with a degree in public law in 1976. He later pursued further studies at the Sciences Po, where he specialized in public law and political science.
Political Career
Fillon began his political career in 1976 as a parliamentary assistant to his political mentor, Joel Le Theule, a Gaullist Member of Parliament. After Le Theule's death in 1980, Fillon was elected to his vacant seat in the French National Assembly, representing the Sarthe department. He was just 27 years old, making him the youngest member of the Assembly.
In 1993, Fillon was appointed as Minister of Higher Education and Research in the government of Prime Minister Edouard Balladur. During his tenure, he implemented several reforms to modernize the French university system.
In 2002, Fillon served as the Minister of Social Affairs, Labor, and Solidarity in the government of Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin. He was responsible for steering the controversial pension reform through parliament, which extended the working age and reformed the pension system.
In 2007, Fillon was appointed as Prime Minister by President Nicolas Sarkozy. During his tenure, he implemented several economic reforms, including labor market liberalization and pension reforms. He served as Prime Minister until 2012, making him the second-longest serving Prime Minister in French history.
Presidential Campaign
In 2016, Fillon announced his candidacy for the presidency of the French Republic. He won the Republican party's primary, defeating Alain Juppé and Nicolas Sarkozy. His campaign focused on economic reform, promising to reduce public spending, abolish the wealth tax, and reform the labor market.
However, Fillon's campaign was marred by a scandal known as "Penelopegate", named after his wife, Penelope Fillon. He was accused of paying his wife and children for parliamentary jobs they did not do. Despite the scandal, Fillon refused to withdraw from the race. He finished third in the first round of the election, behind Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen.
Personal Life
François Fillon is married to Penelope Kathryn Fillon, a Welsh native. They have five children together. Fillon is known for his love of car racing and has participated in the historic Le Mans 24 Hours race. He is also an avid mountaineer and a fan of the French rugby team.