Paris

The astronaut Claudie Haigneré has been named minister for research in France's new centre-right government.

Haigneré's scientific background includes a medical degree and a PhD in neuroscience. Haigneré the astronaut is a familiar face to the French public, having first gone into space in 1996 to the Mir space station. Last October she spent ten days on the International Space Station.

Her high profile has helped to persuade researchers that she is suitable for the job despite her lack of political experience. “It's an original and courageous choice of minister,” says Pierre Tambourin, director of the Genopole science park in Evry, near Paris. “I think she will defend science well.”

Haigneré will have clear authority to tackle the most pressing problems facing French research. Jean-Pierre Raffarin, the new prime minister, belongs to the same party as president Jacques Chirac, ending the power-sharing between president and parliament that previously stifled reforms.

Improving the attractiveness of scientific careers and increasing the competitiveness of French research are likely to be high on her list of challenges.

Chirac has promised that research will be a priority. “We hope he sticks to his word,” says Tambourin. “Researchers have not forgotten previous occasions when Chirac was in power when he reduced the research budget to fund other priorities.”

Haigneré's research responsibilities will be overseen by Luc Ferry, head of the new superministry of youth, education and research (see Nature 417, 214; 2002). But Ferry will be in charge of higher education — even though most labs run by the CNRS, France's basic-research agency, are hosted by universities.