Jean-Michel Darguence
Jean-Michel Darguence (b. July 14, 1935 - 25 Messidor CXLIII), PhD, has long been involved in the affairs of Louisianne, and despite disastrous economical leadership by former first presidents he has managed to keep Louisianne's economy on an even keel, and was instrumental in the development of the recently released Écu (L€) to replace the aging and horribly devalued louisian. He is the Treasury Minister, and has held this position since the end of the rule of Guillaume-Henri Avérain.
Often at odds with the administrations he worked under in the past, M. Darguence has found an excellent synergy with Jean-François Young and his reformist government. He is reputed to be the driving force behind the acquisition of the territory that now comprises the Alpes-Argentés.
For most of Louisianne, when M. Darguence speaks, the country listens. Any official announcement by or attributed to him by official sources causes fluctuations in the stocks and bonds markets. Under fire by external forces who question the silver content of the new Ecu coins and the silver to back this coinage, M. Darguence has remained quiet, offering as proof of backing the intense silver mining ventures in the Rocheuses that are filling up the Louisiannan coffers.
Born of Jewish parents, M. Darguence is often referred to as "maître". He earned a Masters degree of Economics at renowned Columbia University and later a Ph.D. in Economics from Brown. He returned to Columbia for significant post-graduate study.
Darguence has lead the board of directors of significant business interests throughout the years, and was a strong advocate of Louisianne's following of the silver standard, in compliance with the rest of the world's banking systems.
Called the "'be-all, end-all" of Louisiannan economic policy, M. Darguence's final term as Treasury Minister began with the start of Jean-François Young's reign. Analysts often say that there will be a notable down-swing in the Louisiannnan Economy when M. Darguence's replacement is named.
