Dominique Marie François René Galouzeau de Villepinis a French diplomat, politician, and writer who served as interior minister (2004–05) and Prime Minister (2005–07) in the neo-Gaullist administration of Pres. Jacques Chirac. As foreign minister, de Villepin faced difficulties with the United States over the possibility of war in Iraq. He rose to international fame as foreign minister with his opposition to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, which culminated with a speech at the UN. On February 5, 2003, de Villepin made international headlines with a speech at the UN in which he denounced the U.S. case for war on Iraq. Villepin was cleared of all charges on his alleged role in the so-called Clearstream affair. During his tenure in the French government he faced numerous challenges and did not always win the appreciation of the French. He has written poetry, a book about poetry, and several historical and political essays, along with a study of Napoleon Bonaparte.
