Agnès Vastule

**Children** | 4

**Agnès Marine Vastule** (née **Hérnot**; born 16 November 1952) is a Maldonian diplomat who has served as the Chief Counsellor of Losaco since being appointed by Dennis II on 26 August 2016. She is the first woman to hold this position.

Born in Borluçon, Vastule graduated from secondary school in 1970. After receiving a bachelor's degree and master's degree from the Labonne University, Vastule began working at the Maldonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a policy coordinator. In 1983, she accepted a position to serve as a diplomat at the Escarian embassy in Heloa, working as a political officer tasked with negotiating policy with the government of Escaria. In 1990, she became a managing officer of the Eurean Council, working with various Eurean governments. She left this position in 1999, becoming an international political consultant on foreign affairs to various governments, founding her own political consulting firm Vastule Consulting in 2001.

In 2016, Dennis II, the Duke of Losaco, announced that he had chosen to appoint Vastule as Chief Counsellor of Losaco, succeeding outgoing Chief Counsellor Antoine Fein, after a four-month long interview and vetting process. Vastule was the first woman to be appointed to this position.

## Early life and education

Vastule was born on 16 November 1952 in Borluçon to parents Reginald (1920–2005) and Lucía Hérnot (née *LoCardi*; 1924–2011). Her father was an attorney, specializing in international law and working for the government of Maldone, while her mother was an immigrant from Catuzzi in Regia, who worked as a social worker. Vastule was raised bilingually in Maldonian and Regian in a Eurean Catholic family. She is the eldest of three children and only daughter; her younger brothers are Daniel, born  (1955-04-12) 12 April 1955 (age 68), and David, born  (1957-12-04) 4 December 1957 (age 66), both of whom went on to work as lawyers.

Vastule began her education in 1958, attending a private, Catholic primary school for girls in Borluçon. She graduated from primary school in 1966, and subsequently enrolled in the David Mendoço School to study for her *baccalauréat* diploma in humanities and social sciences, graduating in 1970. After finishing high school, Vastule enrolled in the Faculty of Eurean Languages and Literature at the Labonne University, graduating with a degree in the Regian language in 1973. She subsequently returned to the university and enrolled in the Faculty of Politics and Government, receiving a master's degree in public policy and international relations in 1975.

## Diplomacy career

After finishing her education, Vastule began a position at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, working as a policy coordinator. She held this position for seven years, until becoming a political officer at the Maldonian embassy in Heloa, tasked with negotiating policy with the government of Draconia. In 1990, she became a managing officer of the Eurean Council, working with various Eurean governments. She left this position in 1999, becoming an international political consultant on foreign affairs to various governments, founding her own political consulting firm Vastule Consulting in 2001.

## Chief Counsellor of Losaco

In 2016, Dennis II, the Duke of Losaco, announced that he had chosen to appoint Vastule as Chief Counsellor of Losaco, succeeding outgoing Chief Counsellor Antoine Fein, after a four-month long interview and vetting process. Vastule was the first woman to be appointed to this position. She was later appointed along with her cabinet on 26 August 2016.

As Chief Counsellor, Vastule was tasked with heading the Losacan department of foreign affairs, appointing a council of ministers to head the other departments of the Losacan government, and presiding over the National Council as a policy adviser.

## Personal life

Vastule married Maldonian data analyst and statistician Daniel Vastule in 1977. They met at work, as both were employed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and married eight months after first beginning their relationship. They have four children together: Nadia, born  (1978-08-27) 27 August 1978 (age 45), Michèle, born  (1980-02-17) 17 February 1980 (age 43), Jean, born  (1982-01-26) 26 January 1982 (age 42), and Catrine, born  (1987-09-05) 5 September 1987 (age 36).

Vastule is a Eurean Catholic, and is fluent in Maldonian, Regian, Escarian, Danian, Venutian, and Ditrovian. She owns homes in Delmas and Losaco.