Anne-Claire Legendre
Anne-Claire Legendre | |
|---|---|
| President of the Institut du monde arabe | |
| Assumed office February 2026 | |
| Preceded by | Jack Lang |
| Spokesperson of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 1 September 2021 – 2023 | |
| Ambassador of France to Kuwait | |
| In office 2020–2021 | |
| Consul General of France, New York City | |
| In office 10 February 2016 – 30 July 2020 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 3, 1979 Brittany, France |
| Education | Sciences Po INALCO Sorbonne Nouvelle University |
Awards | Ordre national du Mérite (2023) |
Anne-Claire Legendre (born 3 June 1979 in Brittany)[1] is a French female diplomat and politician. Since February 2026, she has served as President of the Institut du monde arabe, succeeding Jack Lang.
Biography
Anne-Claire Legendre was born on 3 June 1979 in Brittany, France. Her mother, Maurice Fresneau, was a professor of medicine, and was the founder of the Universite Angevine du Temps Libre.[2]
Prior to entering politics, she studied at Sciences Po and humanities at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University, before studying Arabic at the Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales.[1]
Career
Legendre began her work at the French embassy in Yemen, working in the press office between 2006 and 2007. In 2007, she joined the French directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and developed consular cooperation programs amongst members of the European Union.[3]
Between 2010 and 2013, she joined the Permanent Mission of France to the United Nations, where she was given trust on sensitive files regarding the Middle East in the United Nations Security Council.[3]
In 2013, she joined the cabinet for the newly-formed Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs under Laurent Fabius, as Councillor of the MENA region, before becoming Consul General of France in New York City in 2016.[4][5]
On 10 September 2020, Legendre was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to the State of Kuwait.[6] On July 28, 2021, she was appointed Director of Communications and Press for the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, and took office on September 1.[4]
Starting in March 2022, she was regularly invited by 24-hour news channels to comment, in particular, on the situation following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.[7][8]
In 2026, as the first woman to hold the position, she was appointed president of the Institut du monde arabe, succeeding Jack Lang after his retirement from the Epstein files.[4]
References
- 1 2 "Institut du monde arabe : Anne-Claire Legendre, proche d'Emmanuel Macron, succède à Jack Lang". www.telerama.fr (in French). 2026-02-17. Retrieved 2026-04-06.
- ↑ Tréca-Durand, Yves (2026-02-17). "Une Angevine prend la tête de l'Institut du monde arabe après le départ de Jack Lang". Le Courrier.
- 1 2 ""Les vérités abstraites pleuvent des étoiles" de Anne-Claire Legendre, prière pour les corps et les mémoires : épisode 18/20 du podcast L'Instant poésie de Wajdi Mouawad". France Culture (in French). 2025-04-23. Retrieved 2026-04-06.
- 1 2 3 Azimi, Roxana; Ricard, Philippe (2026-02-18). "Anne-Claire Legendre, diplomate et conseillère d'Emmanuel Macron, succède à Jack Lang à la tête de l'Institut du monde arabe". Le Monde.
- ↑ "Décret du 10 février 2016 portant nomination d'une consule générale de France à New York - Mme LEGENDRE (Anne-Claire)". Légifrance, Government of France. 2016-02-10.
- ↑ "Décret du 10 septembre 2020 portant nomination d'une ambassadrice extraordinaire et plénipotentiaire de la République française auprès de l'Etat du Koweït - Mme LEGENDRE (Anne-Claire)". Légifrance. 2020-09-10.
- ↑ "Guerre en Ukraine: les premiers civils évacués par couloir humanitaire sont arrivés "en sécurité"". BFM (in French). 2022-03-08. Retrieved 2026-04-06.
- ↑ La porte-parole du Quai d'Orsay dénonce "des bombardements indiscriminés contre les civils" : Actualités - Orange (in French). 2022-03-08. Retrieved 2026-04-06 – via actu.orange.fr.