French FM speaks out on Middle East crises
Newly appointed French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault speaks to Al-Monitor about the link between Europe's migrant crisis and the Syrian conflict, saying the European Union and France must shoulder their responsibilities to help solve the Israeli-Palestinian issue.
Jean-Marc Ayrault, France's recently named minister for foreign affairs and international development, has had a long career in the political arena.
Ayrault was first elected to the French National Assembly in 1986. As mayor of Nantes from 1989 to 2012, he transformed and modernized the city, which today is considered one of the most dynamic cities in France and a strong base of the Socialist Party. Ayrault left that position to serve as head of the Socialist Party delegation to the chamber from 1997 to 2012. In this capacity, he worked closely with Francois Hollande, who at that time was the first secretary of the party.
When Hollande was elected president of France, Ayrault became his first prime minister, from 2012 to 2014. A dedicated left-wing politician, Ayrault is a former German professor.
Al-Monitor interviewed Ayrault via email April 13, soon after he returned from the Group of Seven (G-7) meeting of industrialized countries in Japan.
