- Born on 6 August 1946 in Marrakech (Morocco)

- Nationality: French

- Civil Administrator at the Ministry of Finance (1974–1978)

- Financial Attaché for the French Embassy in the United Kingdom (1979–1981)

- Technical Adviser to Jacques Delors in the Ministry for the Economy and Finance (1981–1982) - Technical Adviser to the French President (1982–1988)

- Secretary-General of the Interministerial Committee for Questions on European Economic Cooperation (1985–1990)

- Policy Officer to the French President (1988–1990)

- Minister for European Affairs (1990–1993)

- Member of the European Parliament (1994–1997)

- Keeper of the Seals, Minister for Justice (1997–2000)

- Minister for Employment and Solidarity (2000–2002)

- Member of the National Assembly for the Seine-Saint-Denis département (since 2002), Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee (since 2012)