Word: fabius
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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Mitterrand's own Socialist Party did not conceal its consternation over Jaruzelski's visit. After the President departed for the Caribbean island of Martinique, Premier Laurent Fabius caused an outcry by publicly taking issue with the President over Jaruzelski's visit, admitting that he was "personally troubled" by it. Mitterrand reportedly was irritated by his subordinate's remarks, but after a transatlantic conversation, the President rejected Fabius' offer to resign. Jaruzelski, for his part, termed his 80-minute tete- a-tete with Mitterrand "useful and sincere...
...turned from big-spending policies to belt-tightening austerity. Although it champions self-determination in Third World nations, the government has moved cautiously in meeting the demands of separatists in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia. Last year Mitterrand replaced Premier Pierre Mauroy, a populist, with Laurent Fabius, a technocrat who avidly supports the President's pragmatic approach. That was too much for the Communists, and they pulled out of a long-standing alliance between the two parties. These policy switches disillusioned many committed Socialists but failed to win many conservative converts...
...member was killed. For weeks the government denied any involvement in the bombing of the ship, which had been docked in the harbor of Auckland, New Zealand, before it was to lead a protest against French nuclear testing on Mururoa Atoll. Under persistent pressure from the French press, Premier Fabius was eventually forced to admit that French intelligence agents had indeed been ordered to blow up the ship. The scandal tarred the government with suspicions of a cover-up and forced the resig- nation of Defense Minister Charles Hernu...
...Widely admired for his wit and personal charm, he is one of the country's most popular politicians, regularly topping the opinion polls with about a 55% approval rating on general leadership ability. Not only is he far in front of Mitterrand's 38%, but he also leads Premier Fabius, 39, and former Premier Raymond Barre, 61, the most popular conservative opposition figure, both of whom draw some 50%. Rocard, whose standing among the Socialist rank and file had never equaled his public ratings, has emerged in recent months as an influential force within the party. Rocard, concedes one Mitterrandiste...
After Premier Fabius bid the Soviet couple adieu that afternoon, a weary high French official delivered his assessment of Gorbachev's marathon effort. "I can tell you, he made good use of his public forum," the official said. "He knows what he wants. He is firm, but he is not without flexibility and subtlety." So far as his major objectives in Paris were concerned, however, the Soviet leader's charm and subtlety yielded little in the way of substantive results...