His political policy combines communication, authority and moderate neoliberalism (in the sense of support for free markets and deregulations). In 2003, he launched the reform of the public retirement scheme and that of the decentralization, which led to many strikes. During the summer of 2003, the country experienced an unusual heat wave which caused the death of more than 13,000 people. The perceived late reaction of the government was blamed on his administration.
On March 28, 2004, the ruling UMP party suffered a disaster during the regional elections, with all but one régions of mainland France going to the opposition (PS, PCF, Les Verts). This was generally interpreted, including by Raffarin himself, as a gesture of no-confidence against the government from the electorate. On March 30, Jean-Pierre Raffarin tendered the resignation of his government to president Chirac, who immediately re-appointed him prime minister, with the charge to form a new government. The new cabinet announced on March 31 no longer contains the ministers (such as Luc Ferry or Jean-François Mattei ) who had committed important mistakes during the previous administration.
Jean-Pierre Raffarin is known for his optimistic aphorisms, known colloquially as raffarinades, the best known of which is La pente est rude ,mais la route est droite. ("The slope is hard, but the road is straight").
Giles de Robien - Minister of Transport, Housing, Tourism, Sea, and Equipment
Jean-François Mattéi - Minister of Health, Family, and Handicapped People
Jean-Paul Delevoye - Minister of Civil Service, Reform of the State, and Regional Planning
Changes
17 June2002 - Michèle Alliot-Marie ceases to be Minister of Veterans, remaining only Minister of Defense. Dominique de Villepin ceases to be Minister of Cooperation and Francophonie, becoming solely Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Raffarin's Second Government
31 March2004 - 29 November 2004 (called Raffarin III)
