Azouz Begag was born on February 5, 1957, in France. He is a renowned French writer, politician, and researcher in economics and sociology at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS).
Begag's political career began when he served as the delegate minister for equal opportunities in the government of French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin from 2005 to 2007. He resigned from his position to support the moderate centrist candidate François Bayrou, making him one of the two UMP ministers to do so.
Before becoming a minister, Begag was decorated with the Chevalier de l'Ordre national du Mérite and Knight of the Legion of Honor. He is the son of Algerian parents who immigrated to France in 1949. Begag grew up in a shanty town outside Lyon, known as "les bas quartiers," before his family moved to a tower block in the Cité de la Duchère.
He is the father of two daughters and is divorced from his wife. Begag holds a doctorate in Economics from Lumière University Lyon 2 and has combined his roles as a researcher in economy at the CNRS and the Maison des sciences sociales et humaines of Lyon since 1980. He is also a professor at the École Centrale de Lyon.
In addition to his academic and political pursuits, Begag has written approximately 20 literary books for adults and children, as well as songs. He is the scriptwriter of the French movie Camping à la ferme, which explores his vision of "three levels of riches" multiculturalism in today's French society.
Throughout his career, Begag has focused on the problems of unequal opportunity for those brought up in industrial suburbs and ghettos. He has also held visiting professorships at Florida State University and Cornell University.
