Rocard, Michel (1930– )

French socialist politician, prime minister 1988–91. Widely popular as the exponent of a moderate and modernizing social democracy, he was leader of the Parti Socialiste (PS; English Socialist Party) 1993–94.

Trained at the Ecole Nationale d'Administration (where he attended classes with Jacques Chirac), Rocard joined the new Unified Socialist Party led by Pierre Mendès-France and stood as its presidential candidate in 1969 before joining the PS in 1974. He unsuccessfully challenged François Mitterrand for the party's 1981 presidential nomination. He served under Mitterrand as minister of planning and regional development 1981–83 and agriculture 1983–85, but resigned from government protesting at the introduction of proportional representation for the 1986 parliamentary elections. He played a key role in Mitterrand's strategy of ‘opening to the centre’ in his second presidential term. Tipped to be the party's next presidential candidate, he resigned as leader after its poor performance in the 1994 European elections.