Jacques Toubon

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Jacques Toubon (born 29 June 1941 in Nice, France) is a right-wing French politician who held several major national and Parisian offices.

[edit] Political career

Governmental functions

Minister of Culture : 1993-1995

Minister of Justice : 1995-1997

Electoral mandates

Member of the National Assembly of France for Paris : 1981-1993 (Became minister in 1993)

Member of European Parliament : Since 2004

Deputy-mayor of Paris : 1983-2001

Mayor of the 13th arrondissement of Paris : 1983-2001

Municipal councillor of Paris : 1983-2008

[edit] Controversial actions

Jacques Toubon is known for the controversial so-called Toubon Law, enforcing the use of the French language in official French government publications, and advertisements published in France. Since the law can largely be described as being hostile to English, Jacques Toubon is sometimes referred to, jokingly, as "Mr Allgood" ("All Good" being a translation of "Tout bon").

The Loi Toubon would have banned foreign terms from the French vocabulary, and offenders would have faced fines for using foreign words. The law would have reached into every cranny of French life. Building workers would have been required to clear a path with un bouteur instead of un bulldozer, businessmen would study mercatique instead of marketing, and gomme a macher would have replaced le chewing gum.

Jacques Toubon is also remembered for the "helicopter affair". In 1996, an initial criminal enquiry had been opened by Laurent Davenas, then head prosecutor of Évry for alleged misuse of government funds, in which Xavière Tiberi, wife of then mayor of Paris Jean Tiberi (from Toubon's party) was involved. (See corruption scandals in the Paris region). However, this was not a full criminal investigation and no investigative magistrate had been named. Davenas then went on vacation in the Himalaya. His deputy then announced his decision to open a full investigation. The Rally for the Republic leaders got frightened of the possible implications of such an investigation, and Jacques Toubon, then minister of justice, famously hired an helicopter to fetch the mountaineering prosecutor and convince him to rein his deputy in (Davenas refused). [1]

Jacques Toubon has been the topic of much lampooning. In addition to "Mr Allgood", Les Guignols de l'info have referred to him as "M. Bouffon" ("Mr Buffoon").

[edit] External links

• Former official page as Minister of Justice

Political offices
Preceded by Jack Lang	Minister of Culture 1993-1995	Succeeded by Philippe Douste-Blazy
Preceded by Pierre Méhaignerie	Minister of Justice 1995–1997	Succeeded by Élisabeth Guigou