Pierre Mauroy

Pierre Mauroy (French pronunciation: ​[pjɛʁ moʁwa]; 5 July 1928 – 7 June 2013) was a French Socialistpolitician who was Prime Minister of France from 1981 to 1984 under President François Mitterrand. Mauroy also served as Mayor of Lille from 1973 to 2001. Mauroy is currently emeritus mayor of Lille.

Biography

Mauroy was born in Cartignies. A teacher, he led the Socialist Young Movement and the Technique Teaching Union in the 1950s. He became a leading figure in the Socialist federation of Nord département, which was among the third biggest of the French Section of the Workers' International (SFIO) party and climbed quickly in the party. In 1966, he became the second most powerful person of the party behind the secretary general, Guy Mollet. Nevertheless, when Mollet resigned as leader in 1969, Alain Savary was chosen to succeed him.

After the electoral disasters of 1968 and 1969, he was persuaded of the necessity to renew the party. In 1971, during the Epinay Congress, he supported François Mitterrand's advent and became the second most powerful person in the Socialist Party (PS). Two years later, he was elected as a deputy and Mayor of Lille.

Increasingly, Mauroy criticized the ejection of former SFIO members from the important functions in aid of Mitterrand's friends. In this, he formed an alliance with Michel Rocard, the main opponent of Mitterrand, during the 1979 Metz Congress. However, Mitterrand chose him as spokesperson during the 1981 presidential campaign; after Mitterrand's election, he appointed Mauroy as Prime Minister.

Mauroy's government was a radical reforming one, implementing a wide range of social reforms including the reduction of the legal workweek from 40 to 39 hours, the lowering of the retirement age to sixty, and a rise in social welfare benefits. Entitlement to paid holidays was also extended from four to five weeks. During the Mauroy government’s first year in office, minimum pensions were increased by 38%, rent allowances by 50%, family allowances by 25% (50% for households with two children), and the minimum wage by 25%.

During the 1981-82 period, state industrial investment was substantially increased, 17 billion francs in ”soft loan” credit was provided to private industry, 7 billion francs was set aside to help school leavers, 54,000 new civil service jobs were created, and a major housebuilding drive was launched. Efforts were made to shift the burden of direct taxes away from lower- income groups, while increases in the minimum wage gave the low paid a real increase in their living standards of about 15% in 1981–82. Unemployment benefits were also increased, together with the duration of time in which one could receive them. In addition, the maximum allowable workweek was reduced from 50 to 48 hours.

Upon taking office, the Mauroy Government embarked upon an ambitious redistributive programme. The minimum wage went up in real terms by 11% between May 1981 and September 1982, while the minimum old age pension was increased by 30%. 800,000 elderly people were exempted from paying T.V. licenses, while 1.5 million were also exempted from local taxes. Between May 1981 and January 1983, family benefits were significantly increased, with the purchasing power of the 2,700,000 families with two children raised by 40%. These policies significantly improved the living standards of the less well off in French society, with poverty reduced during Mauroy’s term in office.Family allowances were increased by 81% for families with two children and by 49% for families with three children, while old-age pensions were raised by 300 francs a month for a single person and 3,700 francs for a couple.

Altogether, the purchasing power of social transfers went up by 45% in 1981 and by 7.6% in 1982. Health care coverage was also extended, with health insurance benefits made more widely available to part-time employees and the unemployed. Efforts were also made to promote voluntary retirement at sixty, with a pension ranging upwards from 80% of the SMIC to 50% of a middle-management salary. In 1982, two measures were introduced that extended eligibility for early retirement for workers aged 55 to 59: the contrats de preretraites progressives and the contrats de solidarite-demission. These programmes were aimed at stimulating consumption and aggregate demand by providing firms with incentives to hire younger workers as replacements for early retirees. A year later, “solidarity contracts” were introduced which provided early retirement for older workers aged 55 or above on the condition that firms replace recipients with younger workers. Elderly people benefited greatly from the social and economic measures undertaken by the Mauroy Government, with the real income of pensioners rising by a quarter.

The harsh immigration statutes of the Giscard Government were reversed, while an immigration law was passed (1981) to limit the grounds for expelling foreigners to facilitate family reunions and amnesty 130,000 illegal immigrants. A 1982 law introduced new rights for helper spouses, while the anti-discriminatory Professional Equality Law (1983), which defined equality between men and women "in sweeping terms," required all businesses to furnish statistics on the situation of women in the workplace.

This legislation marked a new departure in anti-discriminatory efforts and, reinforced by a series of measures taken by the Rocard government in 1989, brought an end to wage differentials hidden by different job descriptions. Decentralising laws were also passed which transferred responsibilities for urban planning to municipalities and economic planning to the regions. In addition, various measures were introduced to improve socio-economic conditions in low-income neighbourhoods. In 1982-83, the National Commission for the Social Development of Neighborhoods was founded, together with its Développement Sociale des Quartiers (DSQ) programme. Projects were launched in 148 neighbourhoods to tackle a wide range of problems at the local level (such as those related to justice, housing, public order, local economic development, and education), using an integrated approach involving local partnerships and resident participation. 

In addition, a collaborative ‘interministerial’ approach to employment and the social rehabilitation of ‘at risk’ youth was adopted, and in 1983 the Banlieue 89 project was instigated for social and educational measures on estates in the educational priority areas. As a result of these policies, urban grants (as a proportion of local authority revenues) significantly increased during the first three years of the Mitterrand presidency, especially in municipalities controlled by the Left.

For public sector workers, a law was passed in 1982 to prevent gender segregation in recruitment and to ensure that the situation was monitored carefully. Working hours were reduced from 40 to 35 for those in continuous process work, while youth training programmes were expanded. In 1983, a small retraining programme was introduced for the long-term unemployed. In 1981, Educational Priority Zones were set up to provide additional resources to schools in depressed areas and to combat academic failure, and boosted State funding for education in over 7,000 schools in disadvantaged neighbourhoods.The 1982 budget increased spending on education by 17%, while the 1983 budget provided tenure for 14,399 “auxiliariat,” teachers were only employed on a casual basis.

The Auroux laws (1982) increased the rights of trade unions and employees in the workplace, covering collective bargaining, representation, information, health and safety, and unfair dismissal. Mandatory collective bargaining at the firm level of industry was introduced, while the laws also strengthened the rules on health and safety in the workplace, bestowing more rights upon the Comites d’hygiene et securite (though not the right to stop production in case of extreme danger), while also granting working-class representatives release time, training for involvement in the comite d’entreprise and other representative bodies in the firm, recourse to expert consultants. Unions acquired rights to organise, to hold meetings in firms, and to call in outside speakers to address the workers.

Worker representation on the comite d’rentreprise was increased and the comite was provided with additional powers, such as the right to obtain confidential economic information from the firm to use in advising it on policy. In spite of these positive changes, however, the comite d'entreprise remained a consultative body with little influence on economic policy, while only large firms were required to provide their comite d’enterprises with economic information. This meant that almost two-thirds of the workers were excluded from exercising this oversight function.

A government decree of March 1982 sought to provide greater employment security for the increasing number of workers on part-time and fixed-term contracts by restricting the circumstances in which employers could use such labour (this was largely to ensure that permanent employees were not displaced by cheaper and more easily dismissed part-time workers). The law set out to ensure that such workers receive the same benefits as full-time workers and trade unions were given statutory rights to institute legal proceedings against employers or temporary work agencies if the provisions of the new law were evaded. That same year, the government passed legislation to ensure the full, legal eligibility of women for all civil service posts and an active policy was adopted to encourage them to come forward for promotion. In 1981, legislation was passed which permitted the establishment of local private radio stations. In March 1982, a “Special Statute” was granted to Corsica, which set the territory apart legally from other regions and provided it with additional state subsidies and greater autonomy over cultural, social, economic, and educational policies.

Various measures were also introduced to improve conditions for migrants. A new drive began in 1981 to encourage local authorities to establish programmes including literacy programmes, housing schemes, and the setting up of young people’s and women’s groups, and in 1983 France ratified the Council of Europe’s Convention on the Legal Status of Migrant Workers. An Act of January 1984 asserted a right for all parents to benefit from a parental leave of absence for childrearing, providing that they have one year’s seniority. This legislation also allowed parents (under the same conditions) to request part-time work and to shift freely between part-time work and parental leave. In 1982, the law governing the age of consent for homosexual activity was reduced from 18 to 15 years to match the age of consent for heterosexual activity.

Various measures were also undertaken to encourage research. Higher spending was allocated to research, while the directors of the various research councils were changed and a series of regional colloquia set up, which culminated in a national “assises” of researchers, where some 3,000 met in Paris to establish guidelines for future research policy. A law was passed that allowed researchers in universities and agencies to sign contracts with industry. CESTA, an agency for evaluating new fields of science and technology, was established, while more money was allocate to ANVAR, the national agency for promoting the application of basic research.

A law on worker’s democracy in public-sector companies was passed in July 1983 which sought to recreate a spirit of tripartism in a sector of the economy where existing statutory rights had failed to provide anything more than a consultative role for representatives. Previously, workers had the right to be represented on the boards of public sector companies with 50 or more staff and were entitled to at least 2 board seats, but under the new legislation, public sector companies (previously nationalized companies plus those companies that were nationalized in 1982 in which the state was the majority shareholder) would be obliged to have tripartite administrative or supervisory boards to which employee representatives would be elected by the workforce.

 A law on vocational training in February 1984 established employment contracts for six months for further training on the job while taking courses. These included the contrats de qualification, the contrats d’adaptation, ranging from 6 to 24 months, and a 3 to 6 month programme known as the stages d’initiation a la vie professionnelle, which was designed to familiarise young people with factory and firm.

The Deferre Law reduced the powers of the prefect, set up elected regional councils, and increased the powers of local government. The security court was abolished, and measures were introduced to control police harassment. Legal aid was extended, legislation was introduced which effectively combated discrimination against homosexuals, and the traditional powers of the juge d’instruction in the preparation of criminal cases was reduced. The Quillot Law of 1982 provided renters with additional rights in housing matters, while an audiovisual law passed that same year brought an end to the state monopoly of audiovisual broadcasting and established a High Authority to guarantee the independence of public television channels. Laws were passed in 1982 to reform higher education to make the academy more responsive to the needs of the state. 

High security wings in prisons were abolished, while social security reform increased workers’ representation on the bodies that oversaw the management of the social security schemes. In order to make the elite political academy (the ENA) accessible to a wider section of the population, a special entry pathway was established for those who had held trade union or political office. A new health care policy was implemented, which included the abolition of private beds in hospitals, reform of medical training, modernisation of facilities, and the election of the heads of medical services by the entire staff, rather than just by doctors, as had previously been the case.

The Mauroy Government did much to promote arts, culture, and education, as characterised by a tripling in real terms in state aid to the arts, a quadrupling of spending on public libraries, which led to the number of library loans growing by a third, and the removal of obstacles to cheaper book-retailing. Aid was provided to provincial art museums and local archives for working-class affairs established, while funding to provincial libraries was significantly increased, with the national library budget going up from 163 million to 677 million francs. As a result of this additional library expenditure, 17 departments which had previously lacked a “bibliotheque centrale de pret in 1981 had acquired one by 1986. In addition, as a result of the Mauroy Government's library programme, 10 million more people obtained access to major lending library resources. As Paris’ share of the cultural budget fell from 60% to 45% between 1981 and 1985, the provinces acquired new theatres, artistic centres, music halls, ballet companies, and popular culture facilities. During its first year in office, the Mauroy government increased spending on culture from 0.45% of the national budget to 0.75%, a figure which rose to 0.84% in 1984.

The incomes of the poorest sections of society were increased exponentially as a result of social security reforms and a 25% increase in the minimum wage. Allowances for the handicapped were also increased, while the right to deduct the cost of child care for all children under the age of three was introduced (a right later extended to include all children under the age of five in some cases). Unemployed workers ineligible for jobless benefits were given back the right to claim sickness insurance that they had lost in 1979 while the reimbursal of the costs of dental fees, hearing aids, and glasses was improved. An 80-franc-per-month charge that had been imposed on certain long-term illnesses w as abrogated, and certain individuals who had retired before 1973 had the base upon which their pensions were calculated adjusted upward. Between 1981 and 1983, the minimum vieillesse (the basic pension benefit for the elderly poor) was raised by 62% between 1981 and 1983.

To assist young farmers, the role of the SAFER (Societe d'Amenagemcnt Foncier et d'Etablissement Rural) was extended in 1982 to give preferential aid to this group to enlarge their holdings. In 1983, the unemployment compensation programme was expanded to include workers who had resigned from their jobs. In January 1984,a new benefit was introduced called the Insertion Allowance, providing short-term support for those in periods of transition into the labour market.

Although the Mauroy government's social policies improved the living standards of the less well-off in French society, its reflationary economic strategy (based on encouraging domestic consumption) failed to improve the French economy in the long term, with increases in the level of inflation as well as in the trade and budget deficits. Although the government’s reflationary policies tended to stabilise unemployment, the number of people out of work topped 2 million, in spite of a pledge made by Mitterrand to keep it below this figure. A large budget deficit emerged, with social benefits and aid to industry alone going up by 50% in the 1982 budget. In addition, private investment failed to respond to the government’s initiatives, with a 12% decline in volume in 1981.

This led Mauroy to advocate the abandonment of Socialist economic policies (which failed to reduce unemployment and inflation), a controversial "U-turn" which was ratified by President Mitterrand in March 1983, and a number of austerity measures were carried out. In 1982, housing allowances were decoupled from the cost-of-living adjustment index. In 1982 and 1983, eligibility for unemployment benefits was tightened. A complex set of changes introduced in 1983 surrounding early retirement effectively reduced guarantees to full pensions for early retirees. Daily charges for hospital beds were introduced, while a variety of medical reimbursements were reduced. In September 1982, the indexation of wages and salaries in the public sector was abolished.

During the austerity period, the aim of the Socialists was limited to that of safeguarding the position of beneficiaries as far as possible and of giving special consideration to the poorest amongst them. While further increases in benefits for the elderly, the handicapped, and in some family allowances later became possible, extra costs were also imposed. For instance, the duration of unemployment benefits was reduced, while a basic hospital charge (with exemptions) was introduced, and contributions from the early retired and unemployed towards health care were demanded although, once again, the worse off were exempt. Austerity measures also led to efforts to restrain family costs while at the same time trying to safeguard priority groups. In February 1982, a 25% increase was made in allowances for families containing two eligible children, but some benefits were abandoned and the starting and finishing dates for eligibility altered. Later, cash increases were less than the amounts necessary to maintain the real value of family benefits except for the poorest groups in French society.

The limits on income assessed for social insurance contributions were raised and the income base upon which employers and the self-employed were assessed for contributions was changed. The cost of support for handicapped adults was transferred to the national government, although some taxation on tobacco and alcohol was also earmarked for this purpose. A 1% tax on personal incomes was imposed (although the poorest 33% of taxpayers was excluded), and a 1% “solidarity” contribution levied on civil servants towards the cost of unemployment insurance. In spite of austerity, however, the real value of social protection made modest increases. Within the total, the greatest benefits was reserved for the poorest whilst income was raised in ways which saw a modest shift from traditional financing methods towards general community financing.

Failing to restrict the financing of private schools via the Savary Law, he resigned in 1984.

Pierre Mauroy in 2007.

In 1988 he became First Secretary of the PS against the will of Mitterrand, who supported Laurent Fabius. Until the end of his term, in 1992, he tried to appease the relations between the clans which composed the PS, notably during the very strained 1990 Rennes Congress. He allied with the rocardien group and Lionel Jospin's supporters, who came from the mitterrandist group.

President of the Socialist International from 1992 to 1999, Senator since 1992, he left the Lille belfry in 2001. Considered a moral authority of the French Left, he supported the candidacy of Ségolène Royalduring the 2007 primary election.

Political career

Governmental functions

Prime minister : 1981–1984.

Electoral mandates

European Parliament

Member of European Parliament : 1979–1980 (Resignation).

National Assembly of France

Member of the National Assembly of France for Nord (department) (2nd, then 1st constituency from 1988-1992) : 1973–1981 (Became Prime minister in 1981) / 1984–1992 (Elected senator in 1992). Elected in 1973, reelected in 1978, 1981, 1984, 1986, 1988.

Senate of France

Senator of Nord (department) : 1992–2011. Elected in 1992, reelected in 2001.

Regional Council

President of the Regional Council of Nord-Pas-de-Calais : 1974–1981.

Regional councillor of Nord-Pas-de-Calais : 1974–1981 / 1986–1988 (Resignation).

General Council

Vice-president of the General Council of Nord (department) : 1967–1973.

General councillor of Nord (department) : 1967–1973.

Municipal Council

Mayor of Lille : 1973–2001. Reelected in 1977, 1983, 1989, 1995.

Deputy-mayor of Lille : 1971–1973.

Municipal councillor of Lille : 1971–2008. Reelected in 1977, 1983, 1989, 1995, 2001.

Urban community Council

President of the Urban Community of Lille Métropole : 1989–2008. Reelected in 1995, 2001.

Vice-president of the Urban Community of Lille Métropole : 1971–1989. Reelected in 1977, 1983.

Member of the Urban Community of Lille Métropole : 1971–2008. Reelected in 1977, 1983, 1989, 1995, 2001.

Political function

First Secretary (leader) of the Socialist Party (France) : 1988–1992. Elected in 1988.

Mauroy's First Government, 22 May 1981 – 23 June 1981

• Pierre Mauroy – Prime Minister
• Claude Cheysson – Minister of External Relations
• Charles Hernu – Minister of Defense
• Gaston Defferre – Minister of the Interior and Decentralization
• Jacques Delors – Minister of Economy
• Pierre Joxe – Minister of Industry
• Jean Auroux – Minister of Labour
• Maurice Faure – Minister of Justice
• Alain Savary – Minister of National Education
• Jean Laurain – Minister of Veterans
• Jack Lang – Minister of Culture
• Édith Cresson – Minister of Agriculture
• Michel Crépeau – Minister of Environment
• André Henry – Minister of Free Time
• Louis Mermaz – Minister of Transport and Equipment
• Edmond Hervé – Minister of Health
• Roger Quilliot – Minister of Housing
• Georges Fillioud – Minister of Communication
• Louis Mexandeau – Minister of Posts
• Michel Rocard – Minister of Planning and Regional Planning
• André Delelis – Minister of Commerce and Craft Industry
• Michel Jobert – Minister of External Commerce
• Jean-Pierre Chevènement – Minister of Research and Technology
• Nicole Questiaux – Minister of National Solidarity
• Louis Le Pensec – Minister of the Sea

Mauroy's Second Government, 23 June 1981 – 22 March 1983

• Pierre Mauroy – Prime Minister
• Claude Cheysson – Minister of External Relations
• Charles Hernu – Minister of Defense
• Gaston Defferre – Minister of the Interior and Decentralization
• Jacques Delors – Minister of Economy
• Catherine Lalumière – Minister of Consumption
• Pierre Dreyfus – Minister of Industry
• Jean Auroux – Minister of Labour
• Marcel Rigout – Minister of Vocational Training
• Robert Badinter – Minister of Justice
• Alain Savary – Minister of National Education
• Jean Laurain – Minister of Veterans
• Jack Lang – Minister of Culture
• Édith Cresson – Minister of Agriculture
• Michel Crépeau – Minister of Environment
• André Henry – Minister of Free Time
• Charles Fiterman – Minister of Transport
• Jack Ralite – Minister of Health
• Roger Quilliot – Minister of Town Planning and Housing
• Georges Fillioud – Minister of Communication
• Louis Mexandeau – Minister of Posts
• Michel Rocard – Minister of Planning and Regional Planning
• André Delelis – Minister of Commerce and Craft Industry
• Michel Jobert – Minister of External Commerce
• Jean-Pierre Chevènement – Minister of Research and Technology
• Nicole Questiaux – Minister of National Solidarity
• Louis Le Pensec – Minister of the Sea

Changes

• 29 June 1982 – Jean-Pierre Chevènement succeeds Dreyfus as Minister of Industry. Pierre Bérégovoy succeeds Questiaux as Minister of National Solidarity, becoming also Minister of Social Affairs.

Mauroy's Third Government, 22 March 1983 – 17 July 1984

• Pierre Mauroy – Prime Minister
• Claude Cheysson – Minister of External Relations
• Charles Hernu – Minister of Defense
• Gaston Defferre – Minister of the Interior and Decentralization
• Jacques Delors – Minister of Economy, Finance, and Budget
• Laurent Fabius – Minister of Industry and Research
• Marcel Rigout – Minister of Vocational Training
• Robert Badinter – Minister of Justice
• Alain Savary – Minister of National Education
• Michel Rocard – Minister of Agriculture
• Charles Fiterman – Minister of Transport
• Roger Quilliot – Minister of Town Planning and Housing
• Édith Cresson – Minister of Tourism and External Commerce
• Michel Crépeau – Minister of Commerce and Craft Industry
• Pierre Bérégovoy – Minister of Social Affairs and National Solidarity

Changes

• 4 October 1983 – Paul Quilès succeeds Quiliot as Minister of Town Planning and Housing.
• 18 December 1983 – Roland Dumas enters the Cabinet as Minister of European Affairs.