Alain Madelin

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Alain Madelin (born March 26, 1946) is a French politician and a former minister of that country.

Madelin, a strong supporter of laissez-faire economics, was a candidate in the 2002 French presidential election as the leader of the Démocratie Libérale party, where he scored 3.91% on the first round. He is now a member of the Union pour un Mouvement Populaire party and a deputy in the French National Assembly.

He was minister of Industry in Prime Minister Jacques Chirac's cabinet from 1986 to 1988, a minister of Business in Prime Minister Édouard Balladur's cabinet from 1993 to 1995, and a minister of Economy and Finances in Prime Minister Alain Juppé's cabinet. He was sacked by Juppé after only four months, following controversial statements concerning France's civil servants.

Since 1978 he has been continuously re-elected to the National Assembly as representative for Ille-et-Vilaine's fourth circumscription, a district including the town of Redon, where he was mayor from 1995 until 2001.

Madelin is the French major politician the most in favor of the international policies of the United States, and supported the United States-led 2003 invasion of Iraq. Because of this, he has, in the past, generally been considered with favor by the US press.

In the late 1960s, he was a member of the Occident far-right group before joining the UDF center-right party. Occident had fascist leanings, engaged in violent assaults on political opponents, especially Communists, and sought to overthrow the democratic government of Charles de Gaulle. Madelin states that this period in his life only resulted from his anti-communist feelings.

In July 2005, Alain Madelin ran for head of OECD. Rumors reported in the Canard Enchaîné stated that he would be supported by both Jacques Chirac (who allegedly wants to get rid of him) and George W. Bush (since Madelin is traditionally France's important politician closest to the United States). In the event Angel Gurria of Mexico was chosen.