Career
She created the France-Libertés Foundation in 1986, when she was First Lady, with the fusion of three smaller associations which had been established in 1981. In 1996 Madame Mitterrand was one of the winners of the North–South Prize. Danielle Mitterrand had three sons: Pascal (who died in childhood), Jean-Christophe and Gilbert Mitterrand.
Mistress
Mitterrand was a longtime supporter of Cuba and its Marxist–Leninist government. However, during Fidel Castro"s 1995 visit to France, she also helped secure the release of imprisoned Cuban dissident Yndamiro Restano Díaz, who was reportedly freed at her request. She was also a supporter of the African National Congress and the anti apartheid movement.
She was very critical with respect to Turkey, opposing its accession to the European Union and supportive of the Kurdistan independence movement.
She voiced her views in favour of Sahrawi separatists, Subcomandante Marcos, and the Tibetan people, among others As First Lady, she spoke up against human rights violations, including in countries with which the French government was seeking to maintain good relations.
She earned the ire both of the Chinese government and of King Hassan II of Morocco, in particular. Her France-Libertés Foundation provided financial support to local human rights initiatives abroad, and also financed access to medicine and education in poor countries.
She supported a "no" vote in the 2005 French referendum on the European Constitution: "I denounce the power of the economy over people, a system that turns individuals into elements in an economic equation, does not respect the poor and excludes everyone that does not live up to the principle of profitability." Foreign honours.