On May 15, 1991, the socialist Édith Cresson became the first woman to be appointed Prime Minister.

But very quickly, she had to face violent criticism, often tinged with sexism, from the press but also from her colleagues in politics.

"Whenever I tried to do something, it was criticized in a filthy way," she recalls. 

INTERVIEW

If his time at Matignon lasted less than a year, it is nonetheless historic.

By being appointed on May 15, 1991 by François Mitterrand, Édith Cresson then became the first (and still only) woman Prime Minister in France.

But very quickly, the Socialist will become unpopular and will pay for the failures of the majority in regional and cantonal elections by being replaced by Pierre Bérégovoy.

At the microphone of Europe 1, the one that has been relatively discreet in the public debate for years looks back on this period, and particularly insists on the sexism of the comments when she was at the head of the government. 

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"These functions, I did not look for them," she says today.

"I was extremely reluctant because we were in the second half of the second term, which is the worst period."

And as soon as she arrived in Matignon, the one who had already been notably Minister of Agriculture or European Affairs must face violent criticism, from the press, but also from her colleagues.

"I was immediately extremely attacked by the media, and also by right-wing politicians, but not only", she recalls, denouncing a "hostile attitude" on the part of the commentators ".

"It's totally specific to France"

The cult satirical program of the "Bebête show" particularly damaged its image. "They represented me as a lascivious panther crawling at the feet of Mitterrand who kicked him to get rid of it. So people who did not know me had a terrible image of me which was conveyed by the media", still regrets the guest of Europe 1. In the press, "the comments were 'she wears earrings'. She wears a bracelet '. 'Watch how she walks'. He knelt in front of my car to film my legs. The attitude of these people was unimaginable ", continues Édith Cresson indignantly. 

For the former Prime Minister, this sexism vis-à-vis a politician is "totally specific to France".

"I have seen how it goes elsewhere ... There are never such things. A woman was Prime Minister in Portugal without it posing the slightest problem, and I have never seen an attitude like this. type in Spain ". 

"Criticized in a filthy way"

At the head of the government, "I applied the program which was in François Mitterrand's letter to all French people," recalls Édith Cresson.

"But as soon as I tried to do something, it was immediately criticized in a filthy way." 

And while Edith Cresson had to face the violence of the comments, she also had to deal with a government of strong personalities, mostly male: Roland Dumas, Pierre Joxe, Lionel Jospin, Jack Lang, etc.

"I had no problem with Pierre Joxe, with Jack Lang ... I had problems with Roland Dumas because he was extremely macho. But otherwise, the ministers are doing their job," says Edith Cresson today. 

Being a woman "doesn't change" the way you govern

Since her time in Matignon, no woman has become Prime Minister again.

For Édith Cresson, if the place of women in politics has become commonplace, this is not the case for the highest positions.

"That a woman could be a minister, for a while, it shocked. Then then they got used to it more or less. But Prime Minister, that was too much… They couldn't."

However, assures Edith Cresson, being a woman does not change "anything at all" in the way of governing a country.

"This is a question that we do not ask in England, that we never asked Margaret Thatcher. It is only in France that we ask this question," she annoyed.