G ont ier , ▁to ▁which ▁he ▁returned ▁after ▁studying ▁at ▁the ▁É cole ▁Sup érieure ▁de ▁Com merce ▁in ▁N antes ▁and ▁Sciences ▁Po ▁in ▁Paris . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁he ▁set ▁up ▁an ▁account ancy ▁business ▁in ▁the ▁town . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁ ▁Career ▁in ▁French ▁politics ▁When ▁Jacques ▁Chi rac ▁became ▁president ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁Ar th uis ▁returned ▁to ▁government ▁under ▁prime ▁minister ▁A lain ▁Ju pp é . ▁Initial ly ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁economic ▁planning , ▁he ▁was ▁later ▁promoted ▁to ▁fin ance ▁minister , ▁succeed ing ▁A lain ▁Mad elin . ▁He ▁represented ▁France ▁in ▁negoti ating ▁the ▁EU ’ s ▁St ability ▁and ▁G row th ▁P act , ▁including ▁cru cial ▁agre ements ▁at ▁the ▁Dublin ▁sum mit ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁ ▁In ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁Ar th uis ▁and ▁his ▁German ▁counter part ▁The o ▁Wa ig el ▁launched ▁a ▁French - G erman ▁economic ▁stim ulus ▁package ▁aim ed ▁at ▁encourag ing ▁sp ending , ▁increasing ▁growth , ▁cutting ▁tax es ▁on ▁business ▁and ▁reducing ▁un emp loyment . ▁ ▁Under ▁a ▁plan ▁announced ▁by ▁Ar th uis ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁the ▁state - run ▁bank ▁C ais se ▁des ▁dép ô ts ▁et ▁cons ign ations ▁bought ▁more ▁than ▁two - third s ▁of ▁the ▁shares ▁of ▁nearly ▁bank rupt ▁property ▁l ender ▁Cr éd it ▁Fon cier ▁de ▁France ▁and ▁transfer