Edouard Balladur, former French prime minister, dies at age 97

Former French Prime Minister Edouard Balladur, a technocrat known for his conflicts with President Jacques Chirac, has passed away at the age of 97. Balladur, who lost the 1995 presidential election to Chirac, was a prominent figure in France's centre-right political scene. He was responsible for a series of privatization drives that sold off major French companies and reformed the pension system.

Balladur also played a significant role in shaping the careers of future political leaders like Nicolas Sarkozy and Nicolas Bazire. Despite his technical approach, Balladur faced criticism for being aloof and disconnected from his contemporaries. After serving as Prime Minister under Chirac, Balladur ran for the presidency in 1995, causing a rift with Chirac.

Despite initial popularity, he was defeated by Chirac in the first round of voting. Balladur was born in Izmir, then part of the Ottoman Empire, and later emigrated with his family to Marseille, France. He joined the government in 1964 and worked under Georges Pompidou before becoming economy, finance, and privatization minister in Chirac's cabinet in 1986.