Clément Beaune

Clément Beaune (; born 14 August 1981) is a French public servant and politician who has been heading France Stratégie since 2025.

Beaune served as Secretary of State for European Affairs (2020–2022) and Minister for Transport (2022–2024) in the governments of Prime Ministers Jean Castex and Élisabeth Borne. Following the resignation of the Borne government in 2024, he again became a member of the National Assembly for Paris's 7th constituency. Although he was reported as a likely candidate to become the Mayor of Paris, he soon lost his seat to Emmanuel Grégoire in the first round of the French legislative elections.

Background and early life Beaune was born in Paris. His mother was a nurse from Marseille, and his father was a biochemistry teacher and researcher from Auvergne. Beaune is a graduate of Sciences Po (the Institut d'études politiques de Paris), the Bruges College of Europe ("Montesquieu Year", 2004–2005) He then spent a brief period as an Economic, Financial and Monetary Affairs advisor to the French Permanent Representation in Brussels in 2014,

From 2016 to 2017, he was Deputy CEO of Groupe ADP. He was subsequently named Secretary of State for European Affairs on 26 July 2020, serving under the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian in the Jean Castex government.

In November 2020, Beaune joined the Territoires de progrès Party (TdP), founded earlier in 2020. The party is ideologically on the left wing of the presidential majority.

In October 2023, Beaune participated in the first joint cabinet retreat of the German and French governments in Hamburg, chaired by Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Emmanuel Macron.

Beaune ran for the 2026 Paris municipal election, in third position on the list for the Council of Paris led by Pierre-Yves Bournazel. While the list received enough votes in the first round to qualify for the second round, Bournazel, pressured by right-wing party leaders, merged his list with the list led by Rachida Dati before the second round. Along with some of their running mates, Beaune and Bournazel decided to withdraw from the merged list. Beaune then announced he would vote for Emmanuel Grégoire in the second round. Beaune also ran in second position on the list for the Conseil d'arrondissement of the 11th arrondissement of Paris led by Delphine Goatern, and wasn't elected.

Political positions Beaune is considered a leading figure on the left wing of Macron's government and has been said to be on "the center left."

Personal life In December 2020, Beaune came out as gay in an interview with the French LGBT lifestyle magazine Têtu. Beaune said he wanted to show that being gay was “not an obstacle” to becoming a government minister, and condemned homophobia in other European countries. “I wouldn't want people to say I am fighting against ‘LGBT-free’ zones because I am gay,” he said. “It would be insulting to say I am leading that fight for myself. ... However, as European affairs minister, I have an additional responsibility. I must fight for tolerance.” In the same interview Beaune announced that he planned to visit Polish “LGBT-free” cities early in 2021. He also intended to meet with an abortion rights group in Poland. In the same 2020 interview Beaune disclosed his family background included Jewish relatives who suffered deportation during The Holocaust.

Beaune is a fencing enthusiast.