France: Lionel Jospin has died. “The man behind the 35-hour week” was 88

Brussels – Lionel Jospin has died at the age of 88, a leading figure in French and European politics. A multiple-term member of the French National Assembly and secretary of the Socialist Party from 1981 to 1988 and again from 1995 to 1997, Jospin served as Prime Minister for five years, from 3 June 1997 to 6 May 2002. He was the head of government when the EU signed the Treaty of Nice, which reduced the number of European Commissioners per Member State to one and paved the way for enhanced cooperation. Of particular significance were the labour reforms introduced by his government at the national level, starting with the one that reduced the working week to 35 hours. Also noteworthy is the policy aimed at integrating young people into the labour market, with a focus on permanent contracts. 

During his long political career, Jospin also served as a Member of the European Parliament from 24 July 1984 to

12 May 1988, sitting on the now-defunct Committee on Political Affairs. He stood as the Socialist candidate in the 1995 and 2002 presidential elections, losing on both occasions. The 2002 election proved decisive, as he was defeated in the first round by the far-right candidate and leader of the Front National (now RN), Jean-Marie Le Pen. In the wake of the election result, Jospin announced his retirement from political life. “Through his rigour, his courage and his ideal of progress, he embodied a noble vision of the Republic,” said French President Emmanuel Macron.