Former French Prime Minister Édouard Balladur dies at 97
Édouard Balladur, former Prime Minister of France, has died at the age of 97 in Paris. His family announced that a private funeral mass will be held. Balladur served as Prime Minister under François Mitterrand from March 1993 to May 1995. He was a long-time associate of Jacques Chirac, but their relationship became a fierce rivalry during the 1995 presidential campaign, which ultimately ended Balladur's presidential ambitions. President Emmanuel Macron described him as a "demanding, measured, devoted servant" of France. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu noted Balladur was a "statesman with a reformist spirit" and a "reference" for many in his political family. Gérard Larcher, President of the Senate, praised him as a "great statesman" who embodied state authority, budgetary rigor, and political responsibility. Balladur began his career in Georges Pompidou's cabinet and was involved in the Grenelle agreements in 1968 alongside Jacques Chirac. He became a popular Prime Minister, and with significant public support, he declared his candidacy for the 1995 presidential election. Despite initially leading in polls, he lost to Jacques Chirac, who was elected in the second round. This defeat marked the end of his national political ambitions and created a lasting division within the right-wing. After retiring from politics, Balladur faced accusations of illicit financing for his presidential campaign through kickbacks from arms contracts with Pakistan. He was acquitted by the Court of