FRENCH DEMOCRACY AND SECULARISM

The French and Italian Department, the European Forum, the France-Stanford Center, and the History Department present a lecture by Former French Minister Lionel Stoléru FRENCH DEMOCRACY AND SECULARISM.

Born in 1937, Lionel Stoléru graduated second in his class from the École Polytechnique and then continued his education at Stanford University where, under the tutelage of Nobel Laureate K. Arrow, he earned a Ph.D. in Economics. Then professor of Economics at the Ecole Polytechnique, Stoléru went to work in 1969 in the cabinet of Giscard d'Estaing, who was Minister of Finance at the time, and he then served as an economic adviser to Giscard d'Estaing, who became President in 1974. From 1976 to 1991, he held positions in Chirac's and Barre's administrations as Secrétaire d'Etat au Travail. After his election to Parliament in 1988, he was asked by Prime Minister Rocard to join the new administration and draft a minimum wage law. In 1989, Stoléru worked with the countries of Eastern Europe in the transition to a market economy. During the 1990's, he held senior positions in the governments of Romania and Ukraine.