A ‘passionate’ and ‘deeply cultured’ man: the political class pays tribute to Frederic Mitterrand

The French political-cultural landscape today is losing one of its figures. This Thursday, March 21, former culture minister and nephew of François Mitterrand, Frédéric Mitterrand, died at the age of 76 after “several months of battle with aggressive cancer,” his family announced.

“Tonight the world of culture loses one of its great servants,” lamented National Assembly President Yael Braun-Pivet. (…) Minister, writer, man of culture and media, he leaves behind a huge void after a life of political passions and love of cinema.”

“Frédéric Mitterrand, a former minister with many cultural achievements and a unique voice for television, has left us. I think about his loved ones and his family. I think about what he leaves for French political life,” said his Senate colleague Gerard Larcher.

“Enthused” Minister

Nicolas Sarkozy, under whom Frédéric Mitterrand was culture minister from 2009 to 2012, for his part praised “a deeply cultured and sensitive man, an isolated being, sensitive and sweet, an unclassifiable personality, so far from party life.” “He was an energetic and passionate minister of culture who carried out his duties with panache and flair. He will leave his films, his books, his programs as many evidences of his love for art and culture,” added the former president of the republic.

His friend and predecessor Jack Lang also expressed his emotions: “The death of Frederic Mitterrand upsets me. A friendship that lasted more than 60 years bound us with unchanging affection. All his life he served art with passion, erudition and love. Our common devotion to François Mitterrand united us deeply.” “He called me two days ago. His confession stunned me because he wanted to thank me for my devotion to Francois,” he also reacted to the Parisian, saying that he had spoken with him two days ago.

Frédéric Mitterrand was born in 1947 and first had a career on the small screen before entering politics. Despite his family connection to François Mitterrand, the first Socialist president of the Fifth Republic, Frédéric Mitterrand supported the candidacy of Jacques Chirac in 1995 and then entered the government chaired by Nicolas Sarkozy in 2008.