Translated material
Career Christine
The first woman - the Minister of Economics and Finance of France, Kristin Lagarde is preparing to become the first woman - director of the International Monetary Fund
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| Christine Lagard was born on January 1, 1956 in Paris. Higher education received at the University of Paris X - Nanter and at the Institute of Political Sciences. Since 1981 she worked in the American law office Baker & McKenzie. There, in the USA, she worked at the Center for International and Strategic Studies (Center for International Studies) along with the famous political scientist Zbignev Brzezinsky. In 2005, even under President Jacques Shirake, he was appointed Minister of Foreign Trade of France. Under President Nicolas Sarkozy became the Minister of Economics and Finance. In her youth, she was a member of the French national team on synchronous swimming, playing tennis. Cavalier of the Order of the Honorary Legion Mother of two sons. Senior, Pierre-Henri (born in 1986)-web-master, youngest, volume (born in 1988)-studies architecture |
Nonnichronized swimming. The first woman is the Minister of Economics and Finance of France, the first woman is the president of one of the world's largest law firms Christine Lagard is preparing to become the first woman-director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its entire 65-year history. The New Times became interested in how the daughter of a modest teacher's couple managed to break into the French and world elite
The procedure for nominating candidates for the post of director-administrator of the IMF (instead of the retired Dominic Stross-Kan) ended on June 10, and although the elections themselves will be held later, their outcome can be considered almost predetermined: the Minister of Finance was not left for the Minister of Finance. “If they choose me,” Kristin Lagarde recently said at a press conference in Paris, “I will bring to the IMF work the experience of a lawyer, minister, manager and, finally, women.” The last part of the phrase is perhaps the most important.
At first, there was a sport, she looks at you confidently and openly, in the depths of her brown eyes there is some irony, it seems that she foresees each of your further question. Christine Lagarde loves to communicate with reporters, is not afraid of tricky questions, which he answers clearly and in case - more as a lawyer, not a politician. Tall, slender, with sports posture, which is emphasized by a fitted jacket and which high heels do not interfere at all, she is confidently swimming in life. “I started my career with sports,” she says, “this still helps to remain strong in the most difficult situations.”
With the sons of Pierre-Henri and Tom (photo of 2001), the girl Little Christine Laluet (her girl’s last name) was stared by films with the participation of Esther Williams, an American actress and swimmer. Following idol, Christine began to engage in synchronized swimming, performed in the national team and at the age of 15 she even received a bronze medal in the French championship. But the dreams of a sports career were not destined to come true: at 17, Christine loses her father, her mother remains with four children. Christine had to take care of the family for herself, she combined the school with small part -time jobs: she would help to clean the fish in the market, then he will sell jeans. Although I had to end sports, he left a mark on the character of the future minister: 20 minutes of yoga every morning, not a drop of alcohol and no meat.
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| Charges and caricatures on Lagarda occupy half a deaf in her office |
At the end of school, Christine receives an American non -governmental grant and leaves to study in the States. After several years of study and internships in the US Congress, she returns to France to continue his studies at the ex-envans and later in Paris.
“In the French class, almost a caste society, it’s not so easy to break upstairs,” former colleague Christine from the American law firm Baker & Mckenzie shared with anonymity, “but she was lucky. Quickly, after receiving a university diploma, she got into our company, in which over 25 years of work passed all the steps of a career ladder - from a simple companion in the Paris office to the president of the executive international committee in Chicago. " Lagarda not only successfully managed a staff of 4800 employees of 35 nationalities, including 2,300 lawyers, but also raised the company's turnover by 50%, bringing it to $ 1.28 billion in 2005.
After 10 years in Chicago, Christine returned to France. “It was not easy to make such a decision,” says her former colleague, “she was at the top of her career. The Frenchwoman at the head of one of the largest law firms - this could become the plot of the novel. In addition, in Chicago she received € 40 thousand per month, taking into account the bonuses, as the Minister of Foreign Trade, which she occupied in France, is four times less. But Christine understood that in America her career was finished, there is nowhere to rise above. And she needed new victories. ”
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| "Christine Lagard is always in the form: the growth of unemployment is reduced." |
In just two years , Christine Lagard has been changing three ministerial portfolios in just two years: foreign trade, agriculture and, finally, the economy. The enemies call it L'mericaine (“American”) - in France this is not a compliment at all. She speaks English freely and without the slightest accent. In some compatriots, this still causes irritation. But Christine himself allows us to speak, as they say, in the same language with partners on the other side of the Atlantic. During the erupted in 2008. Christine made more than a dozen flights across the ocean plus flights in Europe. She did not have a single weekend, sometimes she worked for three to four days, without crushing for a minute. “She can work like a robot, and at the same time she is organized and disciplined as a soldier,” her colleagues from the French Ministry of Finance say. The workaholic in the skirt nevertheless managed to grow two sons - from the first marriage. And since 2006 she has been dating an entrepreneur from Marseille Xavier Jokanti, who, according to his own calling, has been struck by the “gross internal potential” of his companion. They planned to "not delay with official marriage", but the erupted global crisis tore off all plans. " A new round in Lagard career may again delay the wedding for an indefinite period ...
According to experts, it was Lagard's tirelessness and mutual understanding with other participants in the process that helped France to survive at the height of the crisis and to this day to maintain a small, economic growth. A curious detail: having taken on the main responsibility for the painful economic measures taken by the Sarkozy government during the crisis (sequestration of the budget, cutting social expenses, freezing salaries in the public sector), Madame Lagarde managed to maintain a rather high level of popularity among the population. The journalists who know her personally explain this to “a kind of aura of competence, high motivation and the complete absence of snobbery”. The latter is evidenced by dozens of caricatures for Christine Lagarde, who occupy half the walls in her office. “Such a look often helps to soberly evaluate himself,” the mistress of the office explains.
European minus
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| Before the dinner at the Champs Elysees: Christine Lagard and her life partner - Xavier Jokanti |
About Christine Lagard, as a candidate for the post of head of the IMF, they started talking almost immediately after the scandalous resignation of Dominic Struss-Kan. But at first - among many other worthy financiers - from Mexico, Turkey, China, Kazakhstan (see Read more The New Times No. 17 of May 23, 2011). However, by June 10 it became clear: Madame is a minister - an unconditional favorite. It is most put on it now in London bookmakers. The Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi says: Lagarda would be a “excellent choice” as a single candidate from Europe. Swedish Minister of Finance Anders Borg: "Kristin Lagard is an outstanding specialist." US Secretary of State also spoke in support of Lagarda
* * USA - the main shareholder of the IMF: 16.8%. Hillary Clinton. However, Lagarda herself evaluates its chances differently: the fact that she is a European can prevent her from heading the IMF. During the long -term crisis of the Eurozone, a consistent of the rescue of the problematic economies of Ireland and Greece, as well as the governments of these countries that erupted last year. From the standpoint of today, such determination does not seem justified to everyone. In any case, in an interview with The Financial Times, Lagarde said that she plans to commit a tour of developing countries in the near future in order to convince them to support their candidacy.
In France, her intentions caused a different reaction. The right support Lagarda (which is not surprising), but there is no general position in the camp of the left. If the leadership of the Socialist Party is “for”, then, for example, a socialist deputy Jacques Kayuzak harshly criticizes her. “The message that France addresses the world community, supporting the candidacy of Madame Lagard, is a deregulation,” the deputy said in an interview with the RMC radio station. “Meanwhile, today's world, in any case, the country that needs help, expect from the IMF just the opposite: regulation of the economy.” But it seems that developing countries are ready to agree with her candidate, despite the statements that it is time to stop the European hegemony at the IMF. There is only one “Zagogulin”, standing in her way - the sensational “Tapi case”, in the framework of which the French prosecutor's office decided to excite the case of abuse of authority against Lagard.
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| “With me, there will be no Lux rooms in the Sofitel. I have enough for the servants' rooms. ” |
Millions of Tapi scandal are rooted in the 90s, when the French businessman Bernard Tapi accused of Credit Lyonnais of an unscrupulous conduct of the ADIDAS businessman. Tapi decided that his former company was bought by fake persons for resale and he, as the original owner, has the right to a percentage of profit. In 2007, when Christine Lagarda already held the post of Minister of Economics, Tapi submits a petition to transfer the case to the arbitration court, who eventually recognized the plaintiff and obliged the state to reimburse him, taking into account moral damage and expenses for lawyers, € 220 million. According to representatives of the state who were engaged in this case, they received a direct instruction of the Minister of Economics with a request to accept the plaintiff’s request for arbitration - it is in this that opponents of Lagarda see, if not corruption, then certainly abuse of office. However, according to experts, the prosecutor’s attack was not directed against Lagarda itself, but against the President of France. This was indirectly confirmed by the leaders of the French "green" Eva Zholi and Daniel Kon-Bendtt, who said that the minister was acting from the Champs Elysees.
On July 8, the French court must decide whether to initiate a case against Lagard. She herself says that the case is not worth a damned egg and is completely fabricated: “As for this judicial procedure, I feel completely confident. First of all, because I have a pure conscience. I acted strictly in the interests of the state and in the framework of the law. ” The advisers of the minister add that it followed the existing legal procedure in the interests of taxpayers, since the lawsuit with Bernard Tapi in a regular court would cost huge state money. However, even if the investigation has begun in the homeland, this does not prevent Christine Lagard from performing the functions of the director of the IMF: after all, in this position she will not have to sit in four walls under the unscarries, as happened with her predecessor Dominic Strauss-Kan.
On the other hand, after the arrest of Strauss-Kan, the French cannot afford another candidate with a scandalous background. Meanwhile, according to the French information site, Mediapart, specializing in financial and political investigations, justice may well pay attention to two more episodes from the past by Christine Lagard. This is, firstly, about its decision last year to close the investigation of the activity of the Paris Exchange. The second episode concerns the fact of dismissal of one of the subordinates of the minister in June 2010 - not quite impeccable, as some believe, from the point of view of the law.
Some experts argue that the biggest drawback of Lagard, paradoxically, is its nationality: since 1965, the French led the fund for 35 years, leaving representatives of all other countries only 11. They say, is it time to know? The question is not idle, but to ask him Christin Lagard, apparently already late ...
Direct speech 
The reforms “European countries need to restore the balance of their public finances. This means that we should spend less in certain areas and focus on those areas that we consider truly valuable. Among them, for example, the reform of the pension system. "
About Russia "earlier Russia was perceived in France through the prism of the United States as a certain center of balancing. Now there are many poles in the world. Now Russia has announced its desire for modernization, which is a sign of the emergence of a new growing market. ”
There is too much testosterone about the scandal around the stross-kan "in some offices."
Among Russian economists, opinions about the prospects of Christine Lagarde were divided
“Before the new head of the IMF will be faced with a serious challenge - the crisis showed that it is time to reform this organization,” said Yevgeny Gavrilenkov, chief economist of the Three Dialogue. “And Lagard has enough professional and human qualities to carry out serious reforms.” True, Gavrilenkov stipulates that these reforms are not in the competence of the director of the administrator, the countries should authorize them-the main shareholders of the IMF. “The activities of the IMF can be compared with the ambulance work on call,” says Konstantin Sonin, professor of the Russian economic school. “And it largely depends on the leader what calls to come to.” According to Sonin, the main challenges for the IMF are the long -term crisis of the economies of the south of Europe (Greece, Spain, Portugal): “This problem will be the entire Lagard time if it sits in the chair of the head of the IMF.” Given the fact that France is a traditional donor for the EU, Sonin believes Christine Lagarde a well -prepared figure to solve this problem. According to Nikolai Solabuto, who is managing the assets of the Criminal Code of the FG BCS, if Lagarda is at the head of the fund, the fund’s policy will be more stringent: “Now the IMF is accused of extra chatter when making decisions and related inefficiency. With a lagard, everything will be more specific. The decisions of the fund, although they will remain forecasted, the terms of their adoption will be reduced and the conditions for providing assistance will be tightened. ”