These prestigious (or unexpected) diplomas held by the main French political leaders

In France, the highest echelons of power are often synonymous with higher education. While some political figures have followed the royal paths of the grandes écoles, others have taken more unusual paths. From the ENA to law school, including HEC and even Saint-Cyr, the academic backgrounds of our leaders speak volumes about their political vision and style of governance.

The École nationale d'administration (ENA), often criticized but long considered the "factory of elites," has trained several presidents of the Republic. Emmanuel Macron, the current head of state, is a pure product of the administrative elite. A graduate of Sciences Po Paris, he joined the ENA in 2002, in the "Léopold Sédar Senghor" class. Before that, he earned a DEA in philosophy, illustrating a profile at the intersection of humanities and technocratic power.

François Hollande , president from 2012 to 2017, also attended the ENA (National School of Economics). He graduated in 1980, in the famous "Voltaire" class, which also included Ségolène Royal and Dominique de Villepin . François Hollande has a comprehensive academic background: HEC, Sciences Po, and then the ENA.

Earlier, Jacques Chirac , president from 1995 to 2007, had also followed this royal path: Sciences Po, ENA, but also a notable stint at Harvard. On the other hand, his predecessor, François Mitterrand , is an exception to the rule : he is not an ENA graduate, but a lawyer by training, with degrees in law and political science. This did not prevent him from governing for 14 years.

Engineers and technologists: another path to Matignon

As for the Prime Ministers, the profiles are equally impressive. Élisabeth Borne, head of government between 2022 and 2024 (and currently Minister of Education), is an engineer by training. A graduate of Polytechnique (class of 1981) and Ponts et Chaussées, she embodies the return of technicians to the helm. Before her, Jean Castex followed a more traditional administrative path: Sciences Po, then the ENA.

Dominique de Villepin, for his part, exemplifies the profile of a high-ranking diplomat. Also a graduate of the ENA (Voltaire class), he completed his training at Sciences Po. A man of letters and speeches, he has forged an image for himself that is more intellectual than managerial.

Unexpected profiles at the gates of power

Nicolas Sarkozy , elected in 2007, doesn't tick the traditional boxes of the grandes écoles. He holds a DEA in political science from Paris X-Nanterre and was sworn in as a lawyer. He is one of the few presidents not to have attended the ENA or Sciences Po. This hasn't stopped him from climbing the ladder quickly.

Another figure who didn't graduate from these grandes écoles is Marine Le Pen. She holds a law degree from the University of Paris II-Assas. She earned a DEA in criminal law before becoming a lawyer. The leader of La France Insoumise, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, also has a traditional but committed academic background: a degree in philosophy, followed by a CAPES (Certificate of Excellence in Modern Literature), obtained in 1976.

Finally, Jean Lassalle, a member of parliament and an atypical figure in the political landscape, trained as an agricultural technician specializing in hydraulics and land use planning. Philippe Poutou (now a bookseller), meanwhile, is a trained worker without a university degree. These atypical profiles serve as a reminder that politics can also be the fruit of field experience, much more than that of lecture halls.

Grandes Écoles and the Republic: an alliance that raises questions

Behind these prestigious CVs lies a political reality: the French senior civil service remains largely dominated by an elite drawn from the same schools. While the ENA (National School of Public Service) was abolished in 2021 to become the National Institute of Public Service (INSP), the issue of career diversity remains relevant. More and more French people are calling for leaders "from the people," who draw on concrete experience rather than technocratic theories.

Meanwhile, prestigious schools like HEC, Polytechnique, Sciences Po, and ENA continue to fuel the French political class. And while a few figures manage to emerge outside of these circles, they remain the exception rather than the rule.