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Jean-Louis Debré
Jean-Louis Debré 2012.jpg
Debré in 2012
President of the Constitutional Council
In office
5 March 2007 – 4 March 2016
Appointed by Jacques Chirac
Preceded by Pierre Mazeaud
Succeeded by Laurent Fabius
President of the National Assembly
In office
25 June 2002 – 2 March 2007
Preceded by Raymond Forni
Succeeded by Patrick Ollier
Minister of the Interior
In office
18 May 1995 – 4 June 1997
President Jacques Chirac
Prime Minister Alain Juppé
Preceded by Charles Pasqua
Succeeded by Jean-Pierre Chevènement
Member of the National Assembly
for Eure's 1st constituency
In office
1 June 1997 – 5 March 2007
Preceded by Françoise Charpentier
Succeeded by Françoise Charpentier
In office
2 April 1986 – 18 June 1995
Succeeded by Françoise Charpentier
Mayor of Évreux
In office
18 March 2001 – 12 March 2007
Preceded by Roland Plaisance
Succeeded by Jean-Pierre Nicolas
Personal details
Born (1944-09-30)30 September 1944
Toulouse, France
Died 4 March 2025(2025-03-04) (aged 80)
Political party RPR
UMP
The Republicans
Spouse Anne-Marie Debré (d. 2007)
Relations Bernard Debré (twin brother)
François Debré (brother)
Children Charles
Guillaume
Marie-Victoire
Parents Michel Debré
Anne-Marie Lemaresquier
Alma mater École nationale de la magistrature
Sciences Po
Website Website

Jean-Louis Debré (born 30 September 1944 – died 4 March 2025) was an important French judge and politician. He held several key positions in France. He was the President of the National Assembly, which is like the main law-making body, from 2002 to 2007. Later, he became the President of the Constitutional Council from 2007 to 2016. This council makes sure that new laws follow the French constitution. Before these roles, he served as the Minister of the Interior from 1995 to 1997.

Early Life and Family Background

Jean-Louis Debré was born in Toulouse, a city in France. He came from a family deeply involved in French public life. His father, Michel Debré, was a former Prime Minister. His grandfather, Robert Debré, was a famous professor of medicine. Jean-Louis also had a twin brother, Bernard Debré, who was also a politician.

Political Career Highlights

Jean-Louis Debré was a member of the Rally for the Republic (RPR) party, and later the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP). These parties were important in French politics.

Serving in the National Assembly

Debré was first elected to the National Assembly in 1986. He represented the Eure's 1st constituency and was re-elected several times. This meant he helped make laws for France.

Role as Minister of the Interior

From 1995 to 1997, Debré served as the Minister of the Interior. This is a very important job, as it involves national security and public order. During his time, he worked on a law in 1997 to manage immigration and help foreigners settle in France.

He also focused on bringing peace to Corsica, an island region of France. He tried to negotiate with local groups to end conflicts. This was a challenging task, and he faced criticism for his efforts.

Local Government and Leadership Roles

Besides his national roles, Debré was also active in local government. He was elected as the Mayor of Évreux in 2001, serving until 2007. He also led the RPR group in the National Assembly from 1997 to 2002.

President of the National Assembly

From 2002 to 2007, Jean-Louis Debré became the President of the National Assembly. In this role, he was in charge of the main legislative body of France. He worked closely with Jacques Chirac, who was the President of France at the time.

Leading the Constitutional Council

In 2007, President Chirac appointed Debré as the President of the Constitutional Council. This council plays a crucial role in France. It makes sure that all new laws passed by the parliament follow the rules of the French constitution. He held this position until 2016.

During his time as president, the Constitutional Council made important decisions. For example, in 2011, they ruled that the ban on same-sex marriage in France was not against the constitution. They stated that it was up to the parliament to decide on this issue.

In 2015, Jean-Louis Debré met a homeless author named Jean-Marie Roughol. This meeting inspired Roughol to write a book about his experiences, which became a bestseller in France.

Later Career and Public Service

Even after leaving the Constitutional Council, Debré continued to contribute to public life. In 2020, the French Prime Minister asked him to prepare a report. This report looked at ways to make voting easier during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the idea of allowing mail-in voting.

Jean-Louis Debré passed away on 4 March 2025, at the age of 80.

Political Views and Legacy

Jean-Louis Debré was known for his loyalty to President Jacques Chirac. He often spoke out against other political leaders when he disagreed with them. Later in his career, he showed support for different political candidates, showing his independent thinking. For example, he voted for François Hollande in the 2012 presidential election. In 2016, he supported Alain Juppé for the 2017 elections.

Debré's career shows a long commitment to public service in France, holding many important roles at both national and local levels.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Jean-Louis Debré para niños

  • Debré family
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