Edouard Balladur (born 1929) took the leadership of the French Government in March 1993, after a long career in civil service and, beginning in 1986, in politics. After an unsuccessful bid for the presidency in 1995, Balladur retired from the public spotlight.

Edouard Balladur became premier (prime minister) of the French Government in March 1993. After his election he distinguished himself perhaps more for his highly unusual popularity in the midst of deep economic crisis than for the solutions he attempted for France's economic woes.

Balladur became premier after conservative parties, including his own Gaullist Rally for the Republic (RPR), inflicted a resounding election defeat on the incumbent Socialists. As a result, Socialist President François Mitterrand found himself compelled, for the second time in his presidential career, to appoint a head of government from an adversary party. However, due to Balladur's conciliatory posture and personality, this second episode in cohabitation proved...