Editing Jean-Pierre Raffarin (section)

==Political career==

In the 1980s, he started a career in local politics in [[Poitou-Charentes]] region. With the support of [[René Monory]], the local political leader, he took the chair of the regional council in 1988.
Seven years later, he was elected senator of [[Vienne (department)|Vienne]] ''département''.

'''Governmental functions'''

*Prime Minister : 2002–2005.
*Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises, Commerce and Craft : 1995–1997.

'''Electoral mandates'''

'''''European Parliament'''''

*Member of [[European Parliament]] : 1989–1995 (Became minister in 1995). Reelected in 1994.

'''''Senate of France'''''

*Senator of [[Vienne (department)|Vienne]] : Elected in 1995, but he stays minister / 1997–2002 (became prime pinister in 2002) / Re-elected in 2004, but he stays prime Minister / Since 2005. Elected in 1995, re-elected in 1997, 2004, 2005, 2008.

'''''Regional Council'''''

*President of the Regional Council of [[Poitou-Charentes]] : 1988–2002 (Resignation). Re-elected in 1992, 1998.
*Vice-President of the Regional Council of [[Poitou-Charentes]] : 2002–2004.
*Regional councillor of [[Poitou-Charentes]] : 1986–2004. Reelected in 1992, 1998.

'''''Municipal Council'''''

*Deputy-mayor of [[Chasseneuil-du-Poitou]] : 1995–2001.
*Municipal councillor of [[Chasseneuil-du-Poitou]] : 1995–2001.
*Municipal councillor of [[Poitiers]] : 1977–1995. Re-elected in 1983, 1989.

'''Political functions'''
*Vice-President of the [[Union for a Popular Movement]] : Since 2007.

===In Government===
During the [[1995 French presidential election|1995 presidential campaign]], while most UDF politicians supported [[Édouard Balladur]], he chose the winning candidacy of [[Jacques Chirac]]. In return, he was nominated Minister of Small and Medium-sized Companies, Commerce and Craft Industry in [[Alain Juppé]]'s cabinet (1995–1997).

At the same time, the pro-Chirac UDF members founded the [[Popular Party for French Democracy]]. Then, he returned in the Republican Party, became [[Liberal Democracy (France)|Liberal Democracy]] (DL) in 1997. He was vice-president of DL until 2002.

===Prime minister===
[[File:Flickr - europeanpeoplesparty - EPP Summit 4 December 2003 Paris (5).jpg|thumb|Prime Minister Raffarin and [[Mikuláš Dzurinda]] in Paris, December 2003]]
[[File:Flickr - europeanpeoplesparty - EPP Summit Meise 16-17 June 2004 (9).jpg|thumb|Raffarin with Italian prime minister [[Silvio Berlusconi]], June 2004]]
During the [[2002 French presidential election|2002 presidential campaign]], he advocated the union of the right behind the incumbent President Chirac. After his re-election, Chirac wished to give a sign of political renewal. Furthermore, elected in a special second round by a majority of left-wing voters, he searched for a moderate to lead the cabinet and the [[2002 French legislative election|June 2002 legislative campaign]]. Raffarin participated in the formation of the [[Union for a Popular Movement]] (UMP). He criticized the [[Iraq War|American-led intervention in Iraq.]]<ref>{{cite web |title=French PM:Iraq crisis not a game |url=http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/02/07/sprj.irq.france/index.html |website=www.cnn.com |access-date=February 7, 2003}}</ref>

His political policies combined [[authority]] and moderate economical liberalism – that is, the support of [[laissez-faire]] economic policies. In 2003 he launched reforms of the public retirement scheme and of [[decentralisation]], which led to many strikes. During the summer of 2003 the country experienced an unusual [[European Heat Wave of 2003|heat wave]] which caused the death of nearly 15,000 people. The perceived late reaction of the government was blamed on his administration. In 2004 he began a reform of the French state-run health-care system.

Raffarin's governments were known for their internal quarrels with various ministers taking opposite positions in public. The alleged lack of authority of the Prime Minister was mocked by the media.

On 28 March 2004 the ruling [[Union for a Popular Movement|UMP]] party suffered an important defeat during the [[2004 French regional elections|regional elections]], with all but one ''[[List of regions in France|région]]'' out of 22 of mainland France going to the opposition ([[French Socialist Party|PS]], [[French Communist Party|PCF]], [[Europe Écologie–The Greens|Les Verts]]). This was generally interpreted, including by Raffarin himself in his post-election speech, as "a sign of distrust against the government from the electorate". On 30 March 2004 Jean-Pierre Raffarin tendered the resignation of his government to president Jacques Chirac, who immediately re-appointed him prime minister, with the delegation to form a new government. This major cabinet reshuffle removed some of its most controversial ministers like [[Luc Ferry]] (education) or [[Jean-François Mattei]] (health).

===Resignation===
Raffarin's resignation was accepted by President Chirac on 30 May 2005, after the "no" victory at the [[European Constitution]] referendum, and he was replaced as prime minister by [[Dominique de Villepin]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4595423.stm |title=De Villepin appointed French PM  |date=31 May 2005 |publisher=BBC News   |access-date=8 November 2010 }}</ref>

On 18 September 2005, he was elected Senator in the Vienne ''département''. Speculation were that he could eventually try to become [[List of Presidents of the French Senate|President of the Senate]] or President of the [[Union for a Popular Movement]] if Nicolas Sarkozy won the [[2007 French presidential election|2007 presidential election]]. He became one of the Vice presidents of the UMP in 2007. In September 2008, he sought the Senate UMP fraction's investiture to become President of the Senate, but was defeated by [[Gérard Larcher]].

Raffarin is Grand Officer of the [[Legion of Honour]] and Grand Cross of [[Ordre national du Mérite (France)|National Order of Merit]].

===International policies===
During a state visit to China on 21 April 2005 he avoided opposing the new [[Anti-Secession Law of the People's Republic of China|"anti-secession" law on Taiwan]], stating that "The anti-secession law is completely compatible with the position of France" and "The position of France has always been to 'one China' and we will remain attached to this position". On the embargo on weapons, he stated that "France continues to ask for a lifting of the embargo, and does not see what could lead the European Council to change position on that question".<ref>[http://sg.news.yahoo.com/050423/1/3s3pn.html]{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref> [http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=9677&t=1&c=1] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060220042133/http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=9677&t=1&c=1 |date=20 February 2006 }}</ref> By convention, foreign affairs are one of the President's—and not the Prime Minister's—sole responsibilities.