Former French PM Edouard Balladur dies aged 97: family

Balladur, who was born in Turkey, served as President Francois Mitterrand's last prime minister from March 1993 to May 1995, carrying out several major privatisations of state companies, and unsuccessfully ran for the top job in 1995

Former French prime minister Edouard Balladur died in Paris on Monday at the age of 97, his family told AFP.

Aug 31 - After losing the 1995 presidential election against his ally-turned-rival Jacques Chirac, former French Prime Minister Edouard Balladur wrote: \"Moved? No.\" He added: \"I would not have been any more so had I won.\"

French President Emmanuel Macron called Balladur a "demanding, level-headed, and devoted public servant" who he said had "dedicated his life to the Fifth Republic."

Former secretary general of the Elysée under Georges Pompidou, negotiator of the Grenelle Agreements in 1968 and head of François Mitterrand's government in 1993, he failed to win the presidential elections of 1995 against Jacques Chirac. This key figure of France's Fifth Republic has died at the age of 97.

Former secretary general of the Elysée under Georges Pompidou, negotiator of the Grenelle Agreements in 1968 and head of François Mitterrand's government in 1993, he failed to win the presidential elections of 1995 against Jacques Chirac. This key figure of France's Fifth Republic has died at the age of 97.