François Mitterrand
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Former French president.
Typing resources
Texts
Videos
- 10-min interview
- Mitterrand calmly interrupting interview on bugs
- Mitterrand enjoying a country walk
- Brief clip of Mitterrand laughing at a question
Photos
[edit] Logical Intuitive Intratim (LII)
[edit] For LII
Throughout his life, and according to all accounts, Mitterrand was someone who refused to be hurried up ("they can wait a little more" was one of his most often-repeated retorts, when reminded that someone was already waiting for him, or for a decision) and who remained, in every one of his public appearances, even when irritated (as when cutting off interviews due to questions he disliked) extremely self-controlled. He himself used to say that his greatest personal asset as a politician was "indifference". All of this makes IJ temperament likely for him. As a politician, during decades, before reaching the presidency, his leadership was far more of an intellectual nature than due to his personality or due to careful "climbing up" the political ladder. His political argument, as evidenced in books, was based on changing the constitutional structure of the 5th republic and on ideological consistency in defending socialism, rather than addressig specific, "concrete" issues or using emotional rhetoric. This suggests a confidence in, and preference for, in relation to other functions.
In his final years, both still as president and ex-president, he devoted increasing time to sensorial pleasures in the company of friends; most (in)famously culminating in his last meal, the highly ritualized eating of ortolan birds, one of the ultimate pleasures in French cuisine, and actually forbidden by that time (as ortolans were by then an endangered species). Still as president, in his last months, according to an eyewitness, he spent time visiting historical places and churches and made a point of touching statues and the like. Since this was fairly frequent behavior, it can be said that was likely to be a quadra value. Another indication of this is perhaps seen in his very personal involvement in the details of the design of the buildings in Paris he sponsored - his "Grands Travaux" - like the Opera de la Bastille, the Arch of La Defense, etc. The selection of the design was closely supervised by Mitterrand himself (it is said that he even chose the color of the seats of the Opera de la Bastille) and thus reflected closely his personal taste and interests, which showed a liking for alternative and bold designs. All of this suggests and as quadra values.
Extremely aware of, and concerned with, the rituals and procedures related to the dignity of the presidency, such as insisting that all ministers should be waiting for him on their seats when he came for cabinet meetings; or "competing" with Ronald Reagan, the only other head of state (as opposed to head of government) present in G-7 meetings, as to which of them should be the last one to arrive (impliying higher protocolar rank). All of this suggests and as quadra values.
According to several accounts, personally fascinated by, and attracted to, Ronald Reagan's personality, even while seeing him as an intellectual lightweight. This would be consistent with Reagan as EIE and Mitterrand as LII. The same applies to his views of his predecessor in the presidency, Giscard d'Estaing, another likely EIE.
In public, Mitterrand wasn't really very emotionally expressive, although he seemed to welcome gestures of friendliness and positive emotions from others. This is not really a strong case for having as suggestive function but it is consistent with it (it must be said, though, that LIIs are very often far more expressive than Mitterrand seemed to be, so the case is ambiguous).
