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Home | Office Holder | Dominique de Villepin
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A career diplomat, Villepin rose through the ranks of the French right as one of Jacques Chirac's protégés. He came into the international spotlight as Foreign Minister with his opposition to the 2003 invasion of Iraq which culminated with a speech to the UN (French address on Iraq at the UN Security Council). Villepin was indicted in connection with the Clearstream affair, but was subsequently cleared of charges of complicity in allowing false accusations to proceed against presidential rival Nicolas Sarkozy regarding bribes paid on a sale of warships to Taiwan. Villepin has enjoyed a modest return to public favour for his public critique of President Sarkozy's style of "imperial rule." His lyrical texts and passion for France won him awards in 2001 for his book about the last 100 days of Napoleon Bonaparte's rule, entitled Les Cent-jours, ou L'esprit de sacrifice. He has written poetry, a book about poetry, and several historical and political essays, along with a study of Napoleon Bonaparte. Villepin is an Honorary Member of the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation. One of the most vocal right-wing opponents of President Nicolas Sarkozy, on 8 September, he announced his candidature for President of France in 2012, On 25 March 2010, he announced that he would form a new center-right political movement in order to offer an alternative to Sarkozy in the 2012 election. The new party, named République solidaire, was formally launched on 18 June 2010 on the 70th anniversary of General de Gaulle's "Appeal of 18 June" in 1940. |