Former French Minister of Culture Jacques Toubon was unanimously elected on Tuesday (19 November) as the new president of Eurimages, the Council of Europe's pan-European fund for co-production, distribution and exhibition.

Toubon, who had held a number of ministerial posts in France, most notably that of Culture and Francophony from 1993-1995 (including during the crucial GATT talks), was unanimously elected by members of the Eurimages board of management for a two year term of office.

He will be the successor to Gianni Masaro who suddenly tendered his resignation as president at the end of October, blaming bad management, the "excessive power of the Council of Europe" and bitter feuds between the Council and the fund.