Born 1958 in Luxembourg (Grand Duchy of Luxembourg), François Biltgen obtained a master’s degree in law in 1981 and, subsequently, a diploma of advanced studies (DEA) in Community law in 1982 at the université de droit, d’économie et de sciences sociales de l’université de Paris II Panthéon-Assas (University of Law, Economics and Social Sciences of University Paris 2 Panthéon-Assas, France). It was also in 1982 that he graduated from the Institut d’études politiques de Paris (Paris Institute of Political Studies, France).

Admitted to the Bar of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in 1987, he practised as a lawyer from 1987 to 1999. At the same time, he also pursued a political career as Secretary of the Christian Social Party, a parliamentary group in the Luxembourg Parliament, from 1983 to 1994 and, from 1987 to 1999, as Councillor of the town of Esch-sur-Alzette (Luxembourg), of which he was Deputy Mayor from 1997 to 1999 – a career which led him to be appointed as an Alternate Member of the Luxembourg delegation to the Committee of the Regions of the European Union between 1994 and 1999. Elected as a Member of the Luxembourg Parliament for a term of five years in 1994, he actively participated in legislative activities, in particular as a rapporteur for a number of draft acts of EU law.

Following the general elections in 1999, he was invited to serve in the Luxembourg Government and was responsible for a number of ministries: he was Minister for Labour and Employment, Minister for Religious Affairs, Minister for Relations with Parliament and Minister with responsibility for Communications from 1999 to 2004, then Minister for Labour and Employment, Minister for Religious Affairs and Minister for Culture, Higher Education and Research from 2004 to 2009 and, subsequently, Minister for Justice, Minister for the Civil Service and Administrative Reform, Minister for Higher Education and Research, Minister for Communications and the Media and Minister for Religious Affairs from 2009 to 2013.

The tasks that he performed in his ministerial posts were also reflected in the responsibilities that he held at international level. Accordingly, he chaired a number of configurations of the Council of the European Union in 2005. Mr Biltgen was Joint President of the Ministerial Conference of the Bologna Process in 2005 and 2009 and of the Interministerial Conference of the European Space Agency (ESA) from 2012 to 2013.

Mr Biltgen was appointed as a Judge at the Court of Justice on 7 October 2013, where he has held office as President of Chamber since 8 October 2024.

Memberships of legal, cultural, artistic, social, sporting or charitable foundations, organisations or establishments