Opponent of Michel Rocard, in 1979 she became the first woman to lead a political organization in France, the Unified Socialist Party (PSU) – now dissolved. She ran under this label in the 1981 presidential election, but had collected only 1.10% of the vote, before supporting François Mitterrand in the second round.
She then became Secretary of State, then Minister of the Environment in 1984. She was deputy for the 4th constituency of Doubs between 1986 and 1993. This constituency today held by RN deputy Delphine Grangier brings together the former cantons of Audincourt, Etupes, Hérimoncourt, Pont-de-Roide, Sochaux-Grand-Charmont, Valentigney. Jean Geney succeeded her in 1993, when she did not run again.
She settled in Gard where she was elected mayor of her new town of residence, Aigues-Vives, from 1995 to 2001. She then retired from political life and focused on writing and launched a publishing house, HB Éditions.
The PS paid tribute to its role as “Take the spear” of the fight for the right to voluntary termination of pregnancy (abortion).
Former Prime Minister Bernard Cazeneuve paid tribute to a “intellectual and a tireless activist who marked the history of the left and the Republic with her courage and universalism”.
