Valérie Létard Explained

Valérie Létard
Office:Senator for Nord
Term Start:14 December 2010
Predecessor:Béatrice Descamps
Office2:Vice President of the Senate
Term Start2:4 October 2017
President2:Gérard Larcher
Office3:Secretary of State for Climate
Term Start3:23 June 2009
Term End3:13 November 2010
President3:Nicolas Sarkozy
Primeminister3:François Fillon
Office4:Secretary of State for Solidarity
President4:Nicolas Sarkozy
Primeminister4:François Fillon
Term Start4:19 June 2007
Term End4:23 June 2009
Birth Name:Valérie Decourrière
Birth Date:13 October 1962
Birth Place:Orchies, France
Nationality:French
Party:UDI

Valérie Létard (in French pronounced as /valeʁi letaʁ/; born 13 October 1962 in Orchies, Nord) is a French politician of the Union of Democrats and Independents (UDI) who served as Secretary of State for Solidarity in the government of François Fillon from 2007 to 2010.

Political career

Member of the Senate, 2008–present

Since 10 April 2008, Létard has been the president of the Valenciennes Agglomeration Community, elected with 83 percent of the vote.[1]

Career in government

Létard served in the government of Prime Minister François Fillon under President of France Nicolas Sarkozy, first as Secretary of State for Solidarity (2007-2009)[2] and later for Climate (2009-2010).[3] During her time in office, she launched the government’s campaign in 2009 to warn potential victims of forced marriages and female genital mutilation.[4]

Later career

On 1 October 2011 Létard was a candidate for the Presidency of the Senate, against the outgoing president, Gérard Larcher (UMP) and Jean-Pierre Bel (PS). She received 29 votes.[5]

Ahead of the Republicans2016 primaries, Létard endorsed Alain Juppé as the party’s candidate for 2017 presidential elections. In March 2017, in the context of the Fillon affair, she called on LR candidate François Fillon to withdraw his candidacy.

Following the 2017 legislative elections, Létard reportedly refused offers to become Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs in Prime Minister Édouard Philippe’s government.[6] On 4 October 2017 she was elected vice-president of the French Senate instead, under the leadership of Gérard Larcher.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Bruno Jeudy (16 November 2016), Jeannette Bougrab : "Je reste fidèle à Sarkozy" Paris Match.
  2. Katrin Bennhold (20 June 2007), Sarkozy Reshuffles Cabinet After an Election Setback New York Times.
  3. interview with Jean-Pierre Thiollet, France-Soir, 26 VII 2009, http://www.francesoir.fr/pratique/emploi/valerie-letard%C2%A0-“220000-emplois-verts-sont-creer-d’ici-2012”-40902.html
  4. Sophie Hardach (14 April 2009), France warns against forced marriages, mutilation Reuters.
  5. Noémie Bisserbe (3 October 2011), French Socialist Elected Speaker Wall Street Journal.
  6. Laurent Decotte (16 May 2017), Ministre du Logement et de la Ville ? Valérie Létard (UDI) a dit non à Macron La Voix du Nord.