Former is used after these nouns:
opinion

Former is used with these nouns:
ally, ambassador, associate, barrister, boyfriend, chairman, champion, chief executive, client, colleague, colony, Congressman, Congresswoman, councillor, counsel, day, deputy, diplomat, employee, employer, executive, felon, foe, generation, girlfriend, governor, grandeur, greatness, head, home, homeland, husband, inhabitant, inmate, leader, lover, manor, mayor, member, minister, mistress, occupant, owner, partner, player, premier, president, prime minister, prostitute, pupil, rebel, refugee, regime, republic, residence, rival, ruler, secretary, self, senator, slave, smoker, soldier, splendour, state, student, teacher, territory, time, wife