Jean-Claude Gaudin was born October 8, 1939, in Mazargues, in southern Marseille. He is a French politician and was a member of the French National Assembly. He is currently mayor of Marseille, a position he has held since 1995, and has been Vice-President of the Union for a Popular Movement since 2002.
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Early life
In 1965, he served a brief time in military service, and after graduating university, he became a professor of history and geography for 15 years at Saint-Joseph College in Marseille. He was elected on the list of centrist and socialist politicians known as the “Removes iron-Rastoin” against the De Gaulle party UNR. He was subsequently elected in a local election and became one of the youngest members of the town council of Marseille. He was re-elected again in 1971.
National Assembly
In 1974, he took part in the presidential campaign of Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. In 1978, he won his first election for the French National Assembly as the candidate in the 2nd district of the Rhône delta. He beat the outgoing socialist deputy, Charles-Emile Loo, with 53.7% of the votes cast. In June 1981, he won reelection. He then became president of the UDF group to the French National Assembly. In 1986, he was given the responsibility for the executive of Provence the Alps Rivieras. On April 25, 1986, he became president of the first regional council of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur elected by direct vote. In 1988, after the dissolution of the French National Assembly, he was again re-elected, for the 4th time, deputy of the Rhone delta for 2nd district of Marseilles, with 60.63% of the votes cast. His presidency of the UDF Group to the French National Assembly was also renewed.
Senate
In September 1989, he was a candidate for the senatorial elections and won the district. In 1992, the renewal of the regional council of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur enlisted much media interest. He then had to face the growing power of Jean-Marie Le Pen and the Front National. At the end of a violent and difficult campaign, he carried the vote again, beating Bernard Tapie and Jean-Marie Le Pen. He was also re-elected president of the regional council on March 27, 1992.
Mayor of Marseille
In 1983, Gaudin tried to unseat Gaston Defferre as Mayor of Marseilles, and lost for a handful of votes. In 1989, he was expected to win against Defferre's successor Robert-Paul Vigouroux, but lost again. In 1995, Gaudin stood for the post of Mayor along with maintaining his position as a senator. He won with an absolute majority of 55 City council men out of 101 and was installed as Mayor of Marseilles on June 25, 1995. On November 7, 1995, on a proposal from Alain Juppé, the President of the Republic Jacques Chirac named Jean-Claude Gaudin Minister for Integration and City and Regional planning. On July 14, 1997, he was made Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur. On October 6, 1998, he became Vice-President of the Senate. He was re-elected Mayor of Marseilles again on March 25, 2001, and president of the Urban Community Marseilles Provence Métropole on April 11. On October 3, 2001, Jean-Claude Gaudin was re-elected as Vice president of the Senate for a second time. In 2004, he was re-elected for a third time as Vice President of the senate. In 2004, Gaudin was interim president of the Union for a Popular Movement after Alain Juppé stepped down and before Nicolas Sarkozy was elected.
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| Preceded by Alain Juppé |
Acting President of the Union for a Popular Movement 2004 |
Succeeded by Nicolas Sarkozy |
| Preceded by Nicolas Sarkozy |
Acting President of the Union for a Popular Movement 2007 |
Succeeded by Collegial direction composed of himself, Patrick Devedjian, Jean-Pierre Raffarin, and Pierre Méhaignerie |
