Giroud, Françoise

(1916-2003)

   journalist, political figure

   Born France Gourdji, in Geneva, Switzerland, Françoise Giroud, a widely admired French journalist, was of Russian and Turkish background. At age 16, she began working as a script girl for several French film directors, including marc allégret and jean renoir. During World War II, she served with the Resistance and was briefly imprisoned. At the time of the Liberation, she was one of the creators of the weekly Elle and, in 1953, founded L'Express with jean-jacques servan-schreiber. She later became chief editor, then publisher of that journal (1971-74). A defender of women's rights, Giroud was appointed by Premier jacques chirac to serve as secretary of state for women's affairs (1974-76), then as minister of culture in the government of valéry Giscard d'estaing (1976-77). She supported François Mitterrand in the presidential elections (1981), but agreed to serve in his government only under the condition that she would have an active role and responsibilities and not merely assume a token post. A prolific writer, Giroud is the author of works on journalism and politics and on the cinema and has published her memoirs (Leçons particulières, 1990).