Patrick Devedjian
Encyclopedia
Patrick Devedjian is a French
politician of the Union for a Popular Movement
(UMP) party. A close adviser of Nicolas Sarkozy
since the 1990s, he was Minister under the Prime Minister in charge of the Implementation of the Recovery Plan, a special ministerial post created for two years after the global financial crisis of 2008, since December 2008. He is of Armenian
descent.
. He was admitted to the Paris
Bar in 1970. He became a militant in the Gaullist movement in 1971 and took part in the foundation of the Rally for the Republic
(RPR) party in 1976.
, a position he would hold until 2002 with re-elections in 1989, 1995 and 2001. In 1986, he also became a Deputy in the National Assembly from the Hauts-de-Seine
department and was re-elected four times in 1988, 1993, 1997 and 2002. He was member of the Assembly Committee on Finance, and was rapporteur
of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
Committee.
In 1992, he was one of the few members of the RPR who voted to support the Maastricht Treaty
. During the 1995 presidential campaign
, he supported Édouard Balladur
together with Nicolas Sarkozy
, and suffered unpopularity with the RPR after Balladur’s defeat against Jacques Chirac
. He became a close adviser to Nicolas Sarkozy, and came back into favour during the presidential campaign of 2002
.
’s reelection in 2002
, Nicolas Sarkozy
, who became Minister of the Interior
and de facto Number 2 of Jean-Pierre Raffarin
's government, chose Patrick Devedjian to be his Deputy Minister for Local Liberties, in charge of local government
. As President Chirac had requested that ministers did not carry local executive powers, Devedjian resigned as Mayor of Antony and was succeeded by Raymond Sibille. He was also replaced in Parliament by his substitute Georges Siffredi.
When Nicolas Sarkozy became Minister of the Economy and Finance in 2004, Patrick Devedjian followed him as Deputy Minister for Industry.
In June 2005, new Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin
did not include Patrick Devedjian in his government. As a result, Georges Siffredi resigned from Parliament in October in order for Devedjian to be reelected in the Hauts-de-Seine
13th constituency.
Devedjian proposed an amendment to a proposed bill penalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide
on 9 October 2006 that read, "These regulations do not apply to academic and scientific researches and studies." Devedjian added a statement to the amendment that according to media would "prevent any provocations and political demonstrations organized by a foreign country."
When Nicolas Sarkozy resigned from Government and became President of the Union for a Popular Movement
party, Patrick Devedjian became his political advisor.
and Nicolas Sarkozy
’s election as President of the Republic, tensions appeared between Sarkozy and Devedjian, who had wished and been predicted to become Minister of Justice
. Instead, Sarkozy chose Rachida Dati
, the first woman of Northern African
ancestry to hold a Ministry in France. Devedjian was not included in François Fillon
’s government. On that occasion, Devedjian bitterly remarked: "I am in favour of a government open to a wide range of people—even to Sarkozists." The joke earned him the 2007 Prize for Political Humour.
Instead, Devedjian took the presidency of the Hauts-de-Seine
General Council
on 1 June, becoming head of the richest département in France. He was also named Deputy Secretary-General of the Union for a Popular Movement
(UMP), replacing Brice Hortefeux
, then Secretary-General on 25 September, sharing the party leadership with First Vice President Jean-Pierre Raffarin
.
on 8 December.
Minister of Economic Recovery Plan : 2008-2010.
Minister of Industry : 2004-2005
Minister of Local Liberties : 2002-2004
Electoral mandates
National Assembly of France
Member of the National Assembly of France for Hauts-de-Seine
(13th constituency) : 1986-2002 (Became minister in 2002) / 2005-2008 (Became minister in 2008) / And since 2010. Elected in 1986, reelected in 1988, 1993, 1997, 2002, 2005.
General Council
President of the General Council of Hauts-de-Seine
: Since 2007 (Replacement after the resignation of Nicolas Sarkozy
, who became president of the French Republic)
Vice-président of General Council of Hauts-de-Seine : 2004-2007.
General councillor of Hauts-de-Seine : Since 2004.
Municipal Council
Mayor of Antony, Hauts-de-Seine
: 1983-2002 (Resignation). Elected in 1983, reelected in 1989, 1995, 2001.
Deputy-mayor of Antony, Hauts-de-Seine
: 2002-2005 (Resignation).
Municipal councillor of Antony, Hauts-de-Seine
: 1983-2005. (Resignation)
Agglomeration community Council
President of the Agglomeration community of Hauts de Bièvre : 2002-2005 (Resignation).
Member of the Agglomeration community of Hauts de Bièvre : 2002-2008.
Political functions
General Secretary of the Union for a Popular Movement
: 2007-2008.
Spokesman of the Rally for the Republic
: 1999-2001.
, Télé Lyon Métropole
(TLM) filmed a conversation during which a UMP Deputy of Bouches-du-Rhône
introduced new MP Michel Havard to Patrick Devedjian, saying that Havard had beaten Democratic Movement
candidate Anne-Marie Comparini
. Devedjian congratulated Havard and then added "… cette salope !" ("… that bitch!") about Comparini. That evening, Devedjian apologized in private, then issued a press release deploring the broadcast of "stolen images of a private conversation". He said he regretted his "inappropriate exclamation about Mrs Anne-Marie Comparini" and said "he sent her his regards and esteem". He apologized again in public at a press conference the next day, but it was too late to forestall a storm of criticism. The president of TLM said that Devedjian had asked for the interview not to be broadcast "but Mr. Devedjian knew he was being filmed".
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 of the Union for a Popular Movement
Union for a Popular Movement
The Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party...
(UMP) party. A close adviser of Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
since the 1990s, he was Minister under the Prime Minister in charge of the Implementation of the Recovery Plan, a special ministerial post created for two years after the global financial crisis of 2008, since December 2008. He is of Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
descent.
Youth
As a student at the University of Paris II, he was a member of the far-right group OccidentOccident (movement)
Occident was a French far-right militant political group, often described as fascist-leaning. A number of members of Occident later were prominent members of right-wing parties, and even obtained ministerial positions. The movement never had more than 550 members.- History :Founded by Pierre Sidos...
. He was admitted to the Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
Bar in 1970. He became a militant in the Gaullist movement in 1971 and took part in the foundation of the Rally for the Republic
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...
(RPR) party in 1976.
Mayor of Antony and Deputy
In 1983, Devedjian was elected Mayor of AntonyAntony, Hauts-de-Seine
-Personalities:Antony was the birthplace of:* Nicola Sirkis singer with the French band Indochine* Agnès Jaoui screenwriter, film director and actress* Laurent Lafforgue , mathematician-International relations:...
, a position he would hold until 2002 with re-elections in 1989, 1995 and 2001. In 1986, he also became a Deputy in the National Assembly from the Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine is designated number 92 of the 101 départements in France. It is part of the Île-de-France region, and covers the western inner suburbs of Paris...
department and was re-elected four times in 1988, 1993, 1997 and 2002. He was member of the Assembly Committee on Finance, and was rapporteur
Rapporteur
Rapporteur is used in international and European legal and political contexts to refer to a person appointed by a deliberative body to investigate an issue or a situation....
of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade was negotiated during the UN Conference on Trade and Employment and was the outcome of the failure of negotiating governments to create the International Trade Organization . GATT was signed in 1947 and lasted until 1993, when it was replaced by the World...
Committee.
In 1992, he was one of the few members of the RPR who voted to support the Maastricht Treaty
Maastricht Treaty
The Maastricht Treaty was signed on 7 February 1992 by the members of the European Community in Maastricht, Netherlands. On 9–10 December 1991, the same city hosted the European Council which drafted the treaty...
. During the 1995 presidential campaign
French presidential election, 1995
Presidential elections took place in France on 23 April and 7 May 1995, to elect the fifth president of the Fifth Republic.The incumbent Socialist president, François Mitterrand, did not stand for a third term. He was 78, had cancer, and his party had lost the previous legislative election in a...
, he supported Édouard Balladur
Édouard Balladur
Édouard Balladur is a French politician who served as Prime Minister of France from 29 March 1993 to 10 May 1995.-Biography:Balladur was born in İzmir, Turkey, to an Armenian Catholic family with five children and long-standing ties to France...
together with Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
, and suffered unpopularity with the RPR after Balladur’s defeat against 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...
. He became a close adviser to Nicolas Sarkozy, and came back into favour during the presidential campaign of 2002
French presidential election, 2002
The 2002 French presidential election consisted of a first round election on 21 April 2002, and a runoff election between the top two candidates on 5 May 2002. This presidential contest attracted a greater than usual amount of international attention because of Le Pen's unexpected appearance in...
.
Second Chirac presidency
After Jacques ChiracJacques 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 reelection in 2002
French presidential election, 2002
The 2002 French presidential election consisted of a first round election on 21 April 2002, and a runoff election between the top two candidates on 5 May 2002. This presidential contest attracted a greater than usual amount of international attention because of Le Pen's unexpected appearance in...
, Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
, who became Minister of the Interior
Minister of the Interior (France)
The Minister of the Interior in France is one of the most important governmental cabinet positions, responsible for the following:* The general interior security of the country, with respect to criminal acts or natural catastrophes...
and de facto Number 2 of Jean-Pierre Raffarin
Jean-Pierre Raffarin
Jean-Pierre Raffarin is a French conservative politician and senator for Vienne.Jean-Pierre Raffarin served as the Prime Minister of France from 6 May 2002 to 31 May 2005, resigning after France's rejection of the referendum on the European Union draft constitution. However, after Raffarin...
's government, chose Patrick Devedjian to be his Deputy Minister for Local Liberties, in charge of local government
Administrative divisions of France
The administrative divisions of France are concerned with the institutional and territorial organization of French territory. There are many administrative divisions, which may have political , electoral , or administrative objectives.- Metropolitan France :As of January 1, 2008, metropolitan...
. As President Chirac had requested that ministers did not carry local executive powers, Devedjian resigned as Mayor of Antony and was succeeded by Raymond Sibille. He was also replaced in Parliament by his substitute Georges Siffredi.
When Nicolas Sarkozy became Minister of the Economy and Finance in 2004, Patrick Devedjian followed him as Deputy Minister for Industry.
In June 2005, new Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin
Dominique de Villepin
Dominique Marie François René Galouzeau de Villepin is a French politician who served as the Prime Minister of France from 31 May 2005 to 17 May 2007....
did not include Patrick Devedjian in his government. As a result, Georges Siffredi resigned from Parliament in October in order for Devedjian to be reelected in the Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine is designated number 92 of the 101 départements in France. It is part of the Île-de-France region, and covers the western inner suburbs of Paris...
13th constituency.
Devedjian proposed an amendment to a proposed bill penalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide
Denial of the Armenian Genocide
The denial of the Armenian Genocide is the assertion that the Armenian Genocide did not occur in the manner or to the extent described by scholarship...
on 9 October 2006 that read, "These regulations do not apply to academic and scientific researches and studies." Devedjian added a statement to the amendment that according to media would "prevent any provocations and political demonstrations organized by a foreign country."
When Nicolas Sarkozy resigned from Government and became President of the Union for a Popular Movement
Union for a Popular Movement
The Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party...
party, Patrick Devedjian became his political advisor.
2007 elections
After the 2007 presidential electionFrench presidential election, 2007
The 2007 French presidential election, the ninth of the Fifth French Republic was held to elect the successor to Jacques Chirac as president of France for a five-year term.The winner, decided on 5 and 6 May 2007, was Nicolas Sarkozy...
and Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
’s election as President of the Republic, tensions appeared between Sarkozy and Devedjian, who had wished and been predicted to become Minister of Justice
Minister of Justice (France)
The Ministry of Justice is controlled by the French Minister of Justice , a top-level cabinet position in the French government. The current Minister of Justice is Michel Mercier...
. Instead, Sarkozy chose Rachida Dati
Rachida Dati
Rachida Dati is a French politician and Member of the European Parliament, representing Île-de-France. Before her election, she held the cabinet post of Keeper of the Seals, Minister of Justice. She was a spokesperson for Nicolas Sarkozy during the French presidential election of 2007...
, the first woman of Northern African
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
ancestry to hold a Ministry in France. Devedjian was not included in François Fillon
François Fillon
François Charles Armand Fillon is the Prime Minister of France. He was appointed to that office by President Nicolas Sarkozy on 17 May 2007. He served initially until 13 November 2010 when he resigned from being prime minister before a planned cabinet reshuffle.On 14 November 2010, Sarkozy...
’s government. On that occasion, Devedjian bitterly remarked: "I am in favour of a government open to a wide range of people—even to Sarkozists." The joke earned him the 2007 Prize for Political Humour.
Instead, Devedjian took the presidency of the Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine is designated number 92 of the 101 départements in France. It is part of the Île-de-France region, and covers the western inner suburbs of Paris...
General Council
General councils (France)
The General councils are assemblies of the French departments. They are elected by universal suffrage.-List of the Presidents of the General councils:-External links:*...
on 1 June, becoming head of the richest département in France. He was also named Deputy Secretary-General of the Union for a Popular Movement
Union for a Popular Movement
The Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party...
(UMP), replacing Brice Hortefeux
Brice Hortefeux
Brice Hortefeux is a French politician he was Minister of the Interior, Overseas Territories and Territorial collectivities...
, then Secretary-General on 25 September, sharing the party leadership with First Vice President Jean-Pierre Raffarin
Jean-Pierre Raffarin
Jean-Pierre Raffarin is a French conservative politician and senator for Vienne.Jean-Pierre Raffarin served as the Prime Minister of France from 6 May 2002 to 31 May 2005, resigning after France's rejection of the referendum on the European Union draft constitution. However, after Raffarin...
.
Return to Government
From 8 December 2008 to 13 November 2010, Devedjian was appointed Minister under the Prime Minister in charge of the Implementation of the Recovery Plan, a special ministerial post created for two years after the global financial crisis of 2008 and the announcement of a recovery package by President Sarkozy on 4 December. He left the UMP leadership to Xavier BertrandXavier Bertrand
Xavier Bertrand is a French politician and Minister of Labour, Employment and Health. He was Minister of Health for almost two years in Dominique de Villepin's government under President Jacques Chirac, then Minister of Labour, Social Affairs and Solidarity in François Fillon's second government...
on 8 December.
Political career
Governmental functionsMinister of Economic Recovery Plan : 2008-2010.
Minister of Industry : 2004-2005
Minister of Local Liberties : 2002-2004
Electoral mandates
National Assembly of France
Member of the National Assembly of France for Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine is designated number 92 of the 101 départements in France. It is part of the Île-de-France region, and covers the western inner suburbs of Paris...
(13th constituency) : 1986-2002 (Became minister in 2002) / 2005-2008 (Became minister in 2008) / And since 2010. Elected in 1986, reelected in 1988, 1993, 1997, 2002, 2005.
General Council
President of the General Council of Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine is designated number 92 of the 101 départements in France. It is part of the Île-de-France region, and covers the western inner suburbs of Paris...
: Since 2007 (Replacement after the resignation of Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
, who became president of the French Republic)
Vice-président of General Council of Hauts-de-Seine : 2004-2007.
General councillor of Hauts-de-Seine : Since 2004.
Municipal Council
Mayor of Antony, Hauts-de-Seine
Antony, Hauts-de-Seine
-Personalities:Antony was the birthplace of:* Nicola Sirkis singer with the French band Indochine* Agnès Jaoui screenwriter, film director and actress* Laurent Lafforgue , mathematician-International relations:...
: 1983-2002 (Resignation). Elected in 1983, reelected in 1989, 1995, 2001.
Deputy-mayor of Antony, Hauts-de-Seine
Antony, Hauts-de-Seine
-Personalities:Antony was the birthplace of:* Nicola Sirkis singer with the French band Indochine* Agnès Jaoui screenwriter, film director and actress* Laurent Lafforgue , mathematician-International relations:...
: 2002-2005 (Resignation).
Municipal councillor of Antony, Hauts-de-Seine
Antony, Hauts-de-Seine
-Personalities:Antony was the birthplace of:* Nicola Sirkis singer with the French band Indochine* Agnès Jaoui screenwriter, film director and actress* Laurent Lafforgue , mathematician-International relations:...
: 1983-2005. (Resignation)
Agglomeration community Council
President of the Agglomeration community of Hauts de Bièvre : 2002-2005 (Resignation).
Member of the Agglomeration community of Hauts de Bièvre : 2002-2008.
Political functions
General Secretary of the Union for a Popular Movement
Union for a Popular Movement
The Union for a Popular Movement is a centre-right political party in France, and one of the two major contemporary political parties in the country along with the center-left Socialist Party...
: 2007-2008.
Spokesman of the Rally for the Republic
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...
: 1999-2001.
Controversies
After the 2007 legislative electionsFrench legislative election, 2007
The French legislative elections took place on 10 June and 17 June 2007 to elect the 13th National Assembly of the Fifth Republic, a few weeks after the French presidential election run-off on 6 May. 7,639 candidates stood for 577 seats, including France's overseas possessions...
, Télé Lyon Métropole
Télé Lyon Métropole
Télé Lyon Métropole is a private local TV channel of Lyon's agglomeration.- The beginning :Télé Lyon Métropole launched on November 25, 1988 by Roger Caille, director of Jet Services at this year, in the Tour du Crédit Lyonnais. The emission has started 21 boulevard Yves Farge on l'agglomération...
(TLM) filmed a conversation during which a UMP Deputy of Bouches-du-Rhône
Bouches-du-Rhône
Bouches-du-Rhône is a department in the south of France named after the mouth of the Rhône River. It is the most populous department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Its INSEE and postal code is 13.-History of the department:...
introduced new MP Michel Havard to Patrick Devedjian, saying that Havard had beaten Democratic Movement
Democratic Movement (France)
The Democratic Movement , MoDem) is a centrist, social liberal and pro-European French political party that was founded by centrist politician François Bayrou to succeed his Union for French Democracy and to contest the 2007 legislative election, after his strong showing in the 2007 presidential...
candidate Anne-Marie Comparini
Anne-Marie Comparini
Anne-Marie Comparini is a French politician. She is a former Member of Parliament and a former President of the Rhône-Alpes Regional Council.-Biography:...
. Devedjian congratulated Havard and then added "… cette salope !" ("… that bitch!") about Comparini. That evening, Devedjian apologized in private, then issued a press release deploring the broadcast of "stolen images of a private conversation". He said he regretted his "inappropriate exclamation about Mrs Anne-Marie Comparini" and said "he sent her his regards and esteem". He apologized again in public at a press conference the next day, but it was too late to forestall a storm of criticism. The president of TLM said that Devedjian had asked for the interview not to be broadcast "but Mr. Devedjian knew he was being filmed".