Lionel Jospin, French Prime Minister Under Chirac, Dies Aged 88

Lionel Jospin at a demonstration in Paris, in 1984.

Source: Pool Aventurer/Francolon/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images

Lionel Jospin, the former Socialist prime minister who introduced France’s 35-hour work week before trailing in third when far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen made the presidential runoff in 2002, has died, Agence France-Presse reported. He was 88.

Jospin died on Sunday, AFP said, citing his family. It didn’t immediately provide a cause of death, though noted that Jospin had undergone a “serious operation” in January.