Francois Mitterrand was President of which country?

François Mitterrand was President of France. He served as France’s head of state from 1981 to 1995, becoming the first president from the Socialist Party under France’s Fifth Republic.

Mitterrand won the 1981 presidential election against Valéry Giscard d’Estaing and was re-elected in 1988. His presidency lasted two seven-year terms, known in French as septennats. He governed during major domestic debates over nationalisation, European integration and the changing relationship between the state and the economy.

He also played an important role in the development of modern Europe. During his second term, France helped advance the Maastricht Treaty, which laid foundations for the European Union and the euro. One common mix-up is confusing François Mitterrand with his nephew Frédéric Mitterrand, who was a culture minister and filmmaker rather than president. François Mitterrand remains one of the longest-serving presidents in modern French history.