Alain Devaquet
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Alain Devaquet | |
---|---|
Minister of Higher Education and Research | |
In office 20 March 1986 – 8 December 1986 | |
President | François Mitterrand |
Prime Minister | Jacques Chirac |
Preceded by | Hubert Curien |
Succeeded by | Jacques Valade |
Mayor of the 11th arrondissement of Paris | |
In office 1983–1995 | |
Succeeded by | Georges Sarre |
Member of the National Assembly for Paris's 7th constituency | |
In office 1988–1997 | |
Preceded by | New constituency |
Succeeded by | Patrick Bloche |
Personal details | |
Born | Raon-l'Étape, France | 4 October 1942
Died | 19 January 2018 Villejuif, France | (aged 75)
Nationality | French |
Political party | RPR |
Alma mater | École normale supérieure de Saint-Cloud |
Alain Devaquet (4 October 1942 – 19 January 2018)[1] was a French politician who was a minister under Jacques Chirac. A university professor before embarking on his political career with the Rally for the Republic, Devaquet was given the role of junior minister for universities. In this role he became the public face of a controversial proposal to reform the higher education system in 1986, the proposals becoming known as the Devaquet Law, despite originating from more senior members of the government.[2] The plan allowed universities to be more selective in the admission of students and to charge fees.[3]
The reaction against the proposals was strong, with mass protests by students and some strikes in support of their opposition.[4] With the mobilisation of students also closely linked to other proposals aimed at tightening immigration laws, things came to a head with the death of Malik Oussekine, a student protester who died in police custody on 6 December 1986 and whose death prompted mass outpouring of anger.[5] The law was withdrawn two days later and Devaquet was forced to resign, although the incident proved a strong blow to the government and enhanced the profile of François Mitterrand due to his opposition.[6]
References[]
- ^ "L'ex-ministre RPR Alain Devaquet est mort" (in French). Libération.
- ^ David S. Bell, Presidential Power in Fifth Republic France, Berg, 2000, p. 181
- ^ Andrew Knapp, Vincent Wright, The Government and Politics of France, Routledge, 2006, p. 324
- ^ John Speller, Bourdieu and Literature, Open Book Publishers, 2011, p. 164
- ^ Anne Sa'adah, Contemporary France: A Democratic Education, Rowman & Littlefield, 2003, p. 219
- ^ Bell, Presidential Power in Fifth Republic France, p. 182
External links[]
- 1942 births
- 2018 deaths
- People from Vosges (department)
- Politicians from Grand Est
- Rally for the Republic politicians
- Government ministers of France
- Deputies of the 6th National Assembly of the French Fifth Republic
- Deputies of the 9th National Assembly of the French Fifth Republic
- Deputies of the 10th National Assembly of the French Fifth Republic
- French academics
- ENS Fontenay-Saint-Cloud-Lyon alumni
- École Polytechnique faculty
- Deaths from cancer in France
- Rally for the Republic politician stubs