Bernard Cazeneuve

Bernard Cazeneuve is a lawyer and holds a Master's degree from the Political Studies Institute of Bordeaux. Between 1991 and 1993, he worked in several ministerial cabinets: as technical advisor to the Secretary of State for International Cultural Relations, as chief of staff to Alain Vivien (Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs), and as chief of staff to Charles Josselin (Secretary of State for the Sea).

He was elected general councillor of Octeville in 1994, followed by mayor of Octeville (1995-2000), and won the legislative elections in the 5th electoral district of the Manche in 1997. In 2000, the communes of Octeville and Cherbourg merged and he became mayor of Cherbourg-Octeville (2001-2012). From 2008 to 2012, he was also President of the Cherbourg Urban Community. Between 2004 and 2007, he served as First Vice President of the Basse-Normandie Region.

Alongside his duties as an elected official, Bernard Cazeneuve was appointed judge of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Justice of the Republic (1997-2002).

For the 2012 presidential election, he was chosen as one of François Hollande's four spokespersons. On 16 May 2012, he was nominated Minister Delegate for European Affairs, then Minister Delegate for the Budget on 19 March 2013. On the 2nd of April 2014, as part of a ministerial reshuffle, he was named Minister of the Interior, a position he held until December 2016. Bernard Cazeneuve was then appointed Prime Minister by François Hollande, until the resignation of the government on 10 May 2017. He subsequently joined the law firm AUGUST DEBOUZY as a partner.

Besides his activity as a lawyer, he chairs the board of directors of Sciences Po Bordeaux and teaches a course on "France facing challenges in the fight against terrorism" at Sciences Po Paris.

Born in Senlis on 2 June 1963, Bernard Cazeneuve is married and has two children. In June 2015, he was decorated with the rank of Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit of the Kingdom of Spain by King Felipe VI. In January 2016, he was awarded the Cross of Grand Commander of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany by the German Minister of the Interior Thomas de Maizière. He was awarded the rank of Commander of the Legion of Honour by decree of President Emmanuel Macron on 12 July 2017.