Dominique Baudis
Encyclopedia
Dominique Baudis is the French ombudsman
. Formerly a journalist, politician and Mayor of Toulouse
, he had been a member of DL
and later of the leading centre-right Union for a Popular Movement
.
A journalist, he became a foreign correspondent for TF1
in the Middle East
from 1976 to 1977. He was even news anchor on TF1
from 1977 to 1980 and from 1980 to 1982 on FR3
.
A member of the CDS (a member of the centre-right UDF
, he was elected to replace his father, Pierre Baudis as mayor of Toulouse
(Haute-Garonne
) in the French municipal elections, 1983
. In 1984, he was elected to the European Parliament
, in 1986 he became President of the Regional Council
of the Midi-Pyrénées
, also in 1986 he was elected to the French National Assembly
representing Haute-Garonne's 1st constituency
. He won re-elected in 1988, 1993 and 1997.
He led the UDF
-RPR
list in the 1994 European election
.
In 2001, Jacques Chirac
nominated him to become President of the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel
(CSA), a post which he held until 2007, when Chirac nominated him to be President of the Arab World Institute
.
In 2009, the UMP
nominated him to lead the UMP list in the South-West
for the 2009 European election
. His list won 26.89% and he was elected to the European Parliament
for a third time. For the first time, the Presidential Majority (meaning all the parties gathered around Nicolas Sarkozy) scored four Seats in the European Parliament, two more than the Socialist Party, French South-West's leading force. In some urban areas, as Toulouse, Bordeaux, Bayonne or Montpellier, he scorded more than 30%.
In July 2009, he was elected Vice-President of the Commission of Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament, and on November 2009 he was named rapporteur on the Association Agreement with Syria.
Baudis was nominated by the Prime Minister to the new office of Defender of Rights, essentially an ombudsman role, and was appointed by the Council of State with effect from July 2011.
Ombudsman
An ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organization and some internal or external constituency while representing not only but mostly the broad scope of constituent interests...
. Formerly a journalist, politician and Mayor of Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
, he had been a member of DL
Liberal Democracy (France)
Liberal Democracy was a French political party that advocated conservative liberalism and liberal conservatism, headed by Alain Madelin. The party replaced in 1997 the Republican Party, which was the classical liberal component of the Union for French Democracy .It became independent in 1998,...
and later of the leading centre-right 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...
.
A journalist, he became a foreign correspondent for TF1
TF1
TF1 is a national French TV channel, controlled by TF1 Group, whose major share-holder is Bouygues. TF1's average market share of 24% makes it the most popular domestic network...
in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
from 1976 to 1977. He was even news anchor on TF1
TF1
TF1 is a national French TV channel, controlled by TF1 Group, whose major share-holder is Bouygues. TF1's average market share of 24% makes it the most popular domestic network...
from 1977 to 1980 and from 1980 to 1982 on FR3
France 3
France 3 is the second largest French public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5, and France Ô....
.
A member of the CDS (a member of the centre-right UDF
Union for French Democracy
The Union for French Democracy was a French centrist political party. It was founded in 1978 as an electoral alliance to support President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing in order to counterbalance the Gaullist preponderance over the right. This name was chosen due to the title of Giscard d'Estaing's...
, he was elected to replace his father, Pierre Baudis as mayor of Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
(Haute-Garonne
Haute-Garonne
Haute-Garonne is a department in the southwest of France named after the Garonne river. Its main city is Toulouse.-History:Haute-Garonne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Languedoc.The...
) in the French municipal elections, 1983
French municipal elections, 1983
Municipal elections were held in France on 6 and 13 March 1983. The left, in power since only two years, was defeated in the 1983 locals by the RPR-UDF. The Communists lost Saint-Étienne and Reims, while the PS lost Tourcoing, Grenoble, and Roubaix. They narrowly held Marseille against Jean-Claude...
. In 1984, he was elected to the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
, in 1986 he became President of the Regional Council
President of the regional council
In Italy, the President of the Regional Council is the Speaker who heads the consiglio regionale of a regione, a state-level territory....
of the Midi-Pyrénées
Midi-Pyrénées
Midi-Pyrénées is the largest region of metropolitan France by area, larger than the Netherlands or Denmark.Midi-Pyrénées has no historical or geographical unity...
, also in 1986 he was elected to the French National Assembly
French National Assembly
The French National Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of France under the Fifth Republic. The upper house is the Senate ....
representing Haute-Garonne's 1st constituency
Haute-Garonne's 1st constituency
The 1st constituency of the Haute-Garonne is a French legislative constituency in the Haute-Garonne département.-Deputies:-2007: -Sources:* Official results of French elections from 1998:...
. He won re-elected in 1988, 1993 and 1997.
He led the UDF
Union for French Democracy
The Union for French Democracy was a French centrist political party. It was founded in 1978 as an electoral alliance to support President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing in order to counterbalance the Gaullist preponderance over the right. This name was chosen due to the title of Giscard d'Estaing's...
-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...
list in the 1994 European election
European Parliament election, 1994 (France)
On 12 June 1994 the fourth direct elections to the European Parliament were held in the France. Six lists were able to win seats: an alliance of the centre-right Union for French Democracy and the Gaullist Rally for the Republic, the Socialist Party, the Left Radical Party, the French Communist...
.
In 2001, 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...
nominated him to become President of the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel
Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel
The Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel is a French institution, created in 1989, whose role is to regulate the various electronic media in France, such as radio and television, including through eventual censorship...
(CSA), a post which he held until 2007, when Chirac nominated him to be President of the Arab World Institute
Arab World Institute
The Institut du Monde Arabe or Arab World Institute , in English, was established in 1980 in Paris, when 18 Arab countries concluded an agreement with France to establish the Institute to disseminate information about the Arab world and set in motion detailed research to cover Arabic and the Arab...
.
In 2009, the UMP
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...
nominated him to lead the UMP list in the South-West
South-West France (European Parliament constituency)
In European elections, South-West France is a constituency of the European Parliament. It consists of the regions of Aquitaine, Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées.-2009:-2004:...
for the 2009 European election
European Parliament election, 1994 (France)
On 12 June 1994 the fourth direct elections to the European Parliament were held in the France. Six lists were able to win seats: an alliance of the centre-right Union for French Democracy and the Gaullist Rally for the Republic, the Socialist Party, the Left Radical Party, the French Communist...
. His list won 26.89% and he was elected to the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
for a third time. For the first time, the Presidential Majority (meaning all the parties gathered around Nicolas Sarkozy) scored four Seats in the European Parliament, two more than the Socialist Party, French South-West's leading force. In some urban areas, as Toulouse, Bordeaux, Bayonne or Montpellier, he scorded more than 30%.
In July 2009, he was elected Vice-President of the Commission of Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament, and on November 2009 he was named rapporteur on the Association Agreement with Syria.
Baudis was nominated by the Prime Minister to the new office of Defender of Rights, essentially an ombudsman role, and was appointed by the Council of State with effect from July 2011.
External links
- Dominique Baudis' Official Website (French)
- Dominique Baudis' Official Facebook Profile (French)
- Website of the Défenseur des Droits (French)