Franck Borotra (born 30 August 1937) is a French politician, member of the

Rally for the Republic The Rally for the Republic ( ; RPR ) was a Gaullist and conservative political party in France. Originating from the Union of Democrats for the Republic (UDR), it was founded by Jacques Chirac in 1976 and presented itself as the heir of Gaul ...

party. He was the Minister of Posts, Telegraphs, and Telephones from 7 November 1995 to 2 June 1997 under the government of Prime Minister

Alain Juppé Alain Marie Juppé (; born 15 August 1945) is a French politician. A member of The Republicans, he was Prime Minister of France from 1995 to 1997 under President Jacques Chirac, during which period he faced major strikes that paralysed the c ...

and was a member of the

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...

from 1986 to 2002. He also served as President of the Departmental Council of

Yvelines Yvelines () is a department in the western part of the Île-de-France region in Northern France. In 2019, it had a population of 1,448,207.Deputy Mayor The deputy mayor (also known as vice mayor and assistant mayor) is an elective or appointive office of the second-ranking official that is present in many local governments. Duties and functions Many elected deputy mayors are members of the loca ...

of the city of

Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; ) is a former royal residence commissioned by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, Yvelines, Versailles, about west of Paris, in the Yvelines, Yvelines Department of Île-de-France, Île-de-France region in Franc ...

. Despite his long career in local and national politics, Borotra is little known among the French public.

Early life and family

Borotra was born on 30 August 1937 in

Nantes Nantes (, ; ; or ; ) is a city in the Loire-Atlantique department of France on the Loire, from the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast. The city is the List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, sixth largest in France, with a pop ...

, in the

Loire-Atlantique Loire-Atlantique (; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Louére-Atantique''; ; before 1957: ''Loire-Inférieure'', ) is a departments of France, department in Pays de la Loire on the west coast of France, named after the river Loire and the Atlantic Ocean. ...

department on the west coast of France. He trained as an engineer. Before entering politics, he worked in an oil refinery in

Dunkirk Dunkirk ( ; ; ; Picard language, Picard: ''Dunkèke''; ; or ) is a major port city in the Departments of France, department of Nord (French department), Nord in northern France. It lies from the Belgium, Belgian border. It has the third-larg ...

. In a 2013 public appearance, he said that it was a visit by the former French President

Charles de Gaulle Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French general and statesman who led the Free France, Free French Forces against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government of the French Re ...

to the refinery that motivated him to join politics. He is the twin brother of Didier Borotra, (

Democratic Movement Democratic Movement may refer to: *Brazilian Democratic Movement *Democratic Movement (France) *Democratic Movement (Israel) *Democratic Movement (Italy) *Democratic Italian Movement *Democratic Movement (San Marino) *Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzst ...

- MoDem), former French senator and

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

Biarritz Biarritz ( , , , ; also spelled ; ) is a city on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the French Basque Country in southwestern France. It is located from the border with Spain. It is a luxu ...

. His is also the father of the French actress Claire Borotra and the nephew of the French tennis player and politician

Jean Borotra Jean Laurent Robert Borotra (, ; 13 August 1898 – 17 July 1994) was a French tennis champion. He was one of the " Four Musketeers" from his country who dominated tennis in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Borotra was imprisoned in Itter Castle ...

Political career

*Municipal council member: **1983 to 1995: Deputy mayor of

, in charge of external co-operation and sports *Departmental council member: **1988 to 2005: Departmental council member of

Vélizy-Villacoublay Vélizy-Villacoublay () is a Communes of France, commune in the Yvelines Departments of France, department in the Île-de-France in north-central France. It is located in the south-western suburbs of Paris from the Kilometre Zero, center and ea ...

; **1994 to 2005: President of the departmental council of

Yvelines Yvelines () is a department in the western part of the Île-de-France region in Northern France. In 2019, it had a population of 1,448,207.National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...

: **2 April 1986 to 14 May 1988; **13 June 1988 to 1 April 1993; **2 avril 1993 to 4 December 1995: resignation 4 December 1995; **26 February 1996 (special elections) to 26 March 1996: abandoned duties to assume ministerial position; **1 June 1997 to 18 June 2002.

Retirement

In February 2002, Borotra announced, in a press release to his supporters, that he would not seek re-election in the 2002 legislative elections. Referring to his career as an engineer and then his engagement in politics, Borotra said in the press release, "I've already had two lives and I will have a third." In 2005, he gave up his last elected mandate as president of the departmental council of Yvelines. He has largely withdrawn from the public eye since leaving politics, only rarely appearing for public events.

References

External links

Official Biography on the website of the National Assembly of France
{{DEFAULTSORT:Borotra, Franck 1937 births Living people Ministers of posts, telegraphs, and telephones of France Politicians from Nantes French twins 20th-century French engineers