Jean-François Copé

About Jean-François Copé

Jean François Copé is a French politician who served as Government Spokesperson and President of the UMP.

A graduate of Sciences Po Paris and then of the ENA in 1989, he was Chief of Staff to the President of Crédit local de France from 1990 to 1993. During the same period, Jean-François Copé was also a lecturer in economics and local finance at Sciences Po.

After joining the RPR, he became a member of Jacques Chirac’s economic think tank in preparation for the 1995 presidential elections. During that year, he became the General Delegate for the RPR’s societal project.

1995 also marked his victory in the municipal elections of the city of Meaux, at just 31 years old. He set two priorities: urban renewal and security. Culturally, he launched the Muzik’Elles festival in 2003, dedicated to female artists, which celebrated its 10th edition in 2014. He was re-elected mayor of this city in 2005.

Deputy for Seine-et-Marne until 1997, he became National Secretary of the RPR in 1998 and then Deputy Secretary until 2002.

Between 2000 and 2002, he became Chief of Staff to the Chairman of the Board of Dexia Crédit and President of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Local Development Managers.

Government Spokesperson from 2002 to 2007, he was also appointed in 2004 as Deputy Minister of the Interior and Deputy Minister of Budget.

He later became President of the UMP group in the National Assembly and then Secretary General of the UMP, during which time he passed a law regarding balanced representation of women and men on the boards of directors and supervisory boards of French companies, known as the “Copé-Zimmermann law”.