Fabius, Laurent

(1946- )

   political figure

   Born in Paris, Laurent Fabius, in 1984, became the youngest prime minister in French history. A Socialist deputy in 1978, and with the coming of the Left to power, he was named minister of finance (1981-83), then industry (1983-84). Named prime minister (1984-86) by President François Mitterrand, Fabius pursued a policy of industrial redevelopment but faced a rise in unemployment and increasing social crises, as well as the Rainbow Warrior scandal, involving the international organization Greenpeace, in 1985. As president of the National Assembly (1988-92), he supported a policy of modernization of the Left. He became first secretary of the Socialist Party in 1992, but left that post in April 1993 after the defeat of the Left in that year's legislative election.