Jacques Médecin
Encyclopedia
Jacques Médecin was a French
politician. A member of the Gaullist
RPR
, he served as mayor of the city of Nice from 1966 to 1990. Under suspicion of corruption, he fled France in 1990, but was extradited from Uruguay back to France in 1993, convicted and jailed.
, and the grandson of another, Alexandre Médecin. He studied law in Paris and worked for several years as a journalist. He was elected mayor of Nice in 1966, and its member of Congress the year after (positions he held simultaneously). He served as Secretary of State for Tourism in Jacques Chirac
's government during 1976-77.
Médecin was challenged in the first round of the 1977 municipal elections, and accused of links with former members of the OAS terrorist group which, it was claimed, had helped OAS member and notorious bank robber Albert Spaggiari
to escape. Later, when Médecin was criticized for positions that were widely seen as racist, he responded that he shared almost "99% of the views" of the far right
National Front party, and called the party's leader Jean-Marie Le Pen
an "old friend".
In the 1980s Médecin became the target of corruption allegations, following an exposé of judicial and police wrongdoing in Nice by the British novelist, Graham Greene
. As accusations of political corruption against him grew through the decade, Médecin fled France in 1990. He was finally arrested in Uruguay
in 1993 and was extradited to France in 1994. He was convicted of several counts of corruption and associated crimes and sentenced to prison.
Médecin returned to Uruguay following his release from prison. He died in Punta del Este
, Uruguay in November 1998 of cardiac arrest.
Outside politics, Médecin was the author of a noted book on the cuisine of the Nice region, published in English translation by Penguin Books
in 1983, and reissued by Grub Street in 2002. In the context of an article about different philosophies on the preparation of Salade Niçoise, Rowley Leigh
, chef and food writer for the Financial Times
, wrote of the book: "Things changed in 1983 with the publication of the English translation of Cuisine Niçoise: Recipes from a Mediterranean Kitchen by one Jacques Médecin. In spite of the fact that Médecin was a famously racist mayor of Nice who was extradited from South America in order to face trial on corruption charges, the book, unlike its author, was a delight... However crooked Médecin had been, none of us doubted his cooking."
Secretary of State for Tourism : 1976-1977
Electoral mandates
National Assembly of France
Member of the National Assembly of France for Alpes-Maritimes
: 1967-1988. Elected in 1967, reelected in 1968, 1973, 1978, 1981, 1986.
General Council
President of the General Council of Alpes-Maritimes
: 1973-1990 (Resignation). Reelected in 1976, 1979, 1982, 1985, 1988.
General councillor of Alpes-Maritimes
: 1961-1990 (Resignation). Reelected in 1979, 1985.
Municipal Council
Mayor of Nice
: 1966-1990 (Resignation). Reelected in 1971, 1977, 1983, 1989
Municipal councillor of Nice
: 1965-1990 (Resignation). Reelected in 1971, 1977, 1983, 1989.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
politician. A member of the Gaullist
Gaullism
Gaullism is a French political ideology based on the thought and action of Resistance leader then president Charles de Gaulle.-Foreign policy:...
RPR
Rally for the Republic
The Rally for the Republic , was a French right-wing political party. Originating from the Union of Democrats for the Republic , it was founded by Jacques Chirac in 1976 and presented itself as the heir of Gaullism...
, he served as mayor of the city of Nice from 1966 to 1990. Under suspicion of corruption, he fled France in 1990, but was extradited from Uruguay back to France in 1993, convicted and jailed.
Biography
Médecin was the son of an earlier long-serving mayor of Nice, Jean MédecinJean Médecin
Jean Médecin was a French lawyer and politician. He was Mayor of Nice, France from 1928 to 1943 and from 1947 to 1965, and the father of Jacques Médecin, who succeeded him as mayor until 1990.- Before the war :...
, and the grandson of another, Alexandre Médecin. He studied law in Paris and worked for several years as a journalist. He was elected mayor of Nice in 1966, and its member of Congress the year after (positions he held simultaneously). He served as Secretary of State for Tourism in Jacques Chirac
Jacques Chirac
Jacques René Chirac is a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He previously served as Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988 , and as Mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995.After completing his studies of the DEA's degree at the...
's government during 1976-77.
Médecin was challenged in the first round of the 1977 municipal elections, and accused of links with former members of the OAS terrorist group which, it was claimed, had helped OAS member and notorious bank robber Albert Spaggiari
Albert Spaggiari
Albert Spaggiari , nicknamed Bert, was a French criminal chiefly known as the organizer of a break-in into a Société Générale bank in Nice, France in 1976.-Earlier life:...
to escape. Later, when Médecin was criticized for positions that were widely seen as racist, he responded that he shared almost "99% of the views" of the far right
Far right
Far-right, extreme right, hard right, radical right, and ultra-right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group or person occupies within right-wing politics. Far-right politics may involve anti-immigration and anti-integration stances towards groups that are...
National Front party, and called the party's leader Jean-Marie Le Pen
Jean-Marie Le Pen
Jean-Marie Le Pen is a French far right-wing and nationalist politician who is founder and former president of the Front National party. Le Pen has run for the French presidency five times, most notably in 2002, when in a surprise upset he came second, polling more votes in the first round than...
an "old friend".
In the 1980s Médecin became the target of corruption allegations, following an exposé of judicial and police wrongdoing in Nice by the British novelist, Graham Greene
Graham Greene
Henry Graham Greene, OM, CH was an English author, playwright and literary critic. His works explore the ambivalent moral and political issues of the modern world...
. As accusations of political corruption against him grew through the decade, Médecin fled France in 1990. He was finally arrested in Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
in 1993 and was extradited to France in 1994. He was convicted of several counts of corruption and associated crimes and sentenced to prison.
Médecin returned to Uruguay following his release from prison. He died in Punta del Este
Punta del Este
Punta del Este is a resort town on the Atlantic Coast in the Maldonado Department of southeastern Uruguay. It is located on the intersection of Route 10 with Route 39, directly southeast of the department capital Maldonado and about east of Montevideo...
, Uruguay in November 1998 of cardiac arrest.
Outside politics, Médecin was the author of a noted book on the cuisine of the Nice region, published in English translation by Penguin Books
Penguin Books
Penguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
in 1983, and reissued by Grub Street in 2002. In the context of an article about different philosophies on the preparation of Salade Niçoise, Rowley Leigh
Rowley Leigh
Rowley Leigh is a British chef, restaurateur and journalist who lives in Shepherd's Bush, London.Born in Manchester, Leigh went to Clifton College and Christ's College, Cambridge in 1968...
, chef and food writer for the Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
, wrote of the book: "Things changed in 1983 with the publication of the English translation of Cuisine Niçoise: Recipes from a Mediterranean Kitchen by one Jacques Médecin. In spite of the fact that Médecin was a famously racist mayor of Nice who was extradited from South America in order to face trial on corruption charges, the book, unlike its author, was a delight... However crooked Médecin had been, none of us doubted his cooking."
Political career
Governmental functionsSecretary of State for Tourism : 1976-1977
Electoral mandates
National Assembly of France
Member of the National Assembly of France for Alpes-Maritimes
Alpes-Maritimes
Alpes-Maritimes is a department in the extreme southeast corner of France.- History : was created by Octavian as a Roman military district in 14 BC, and became a full Roman province in the middle of the 1st century with its capital first at Cemenelum and subsequently at Embrun...
: 1967-1988. Elected in 1967, reelected in 1968, 1973, 1978, 1981, 1986.
General Council
President of the General Council of Alpes-Maritimes
Alpes-Maritimes
Alpes-Maritimes is a department in the extreme southeast corner of France.- History : was created by Octavian as a Roman military district in 14 BC, and became a full Roman province in the middle of the 1st century with its capital first at Cemenelum and subsequently at Embrun...
: 1973-1990 (Resignation). Reelected in 1976, 1979, 1982, 1985, 1988.
General councillor of Alpes-Maritimes
Alpes-Maritimes
Alpes-Maritimes is a department in the extreme southeast corner of France.- History : was created by Octavian as a Roman military district in 14 BC, and became a full Roman province in the middle of the 1st century with its capital first at Cemenelum and subsequently at Embrun...
: 1961-1990 (Resignation). Reelected in 1979, 1985.
Municipal Council
Mayor of Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
: 1966-1990 (Resignation). Reelected in 1971, 1977, 1983, 1989
Municipal councillor of Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
: 1965-1990 (Resignation). Reelected in 1971, 1977, 1983, 1989.