Michel Mercier
Encyclopedia
Michel Mercier is a French politician and cabinet minister since 2009.
After studying law and graduation from the Lyon IEP
, he taught finance and local government law at the Faculty of Law of Lyon II
.
Elected Senator from the Rhône
on September 24, 1995, he was the right's official candidate in the municipal elections
in 2001 in Lyon
, incumbent Mayor Raymond Barre
having refused to run for re-election. Arriving behind the right-wing dissident list supported by Charles Millon
in his sector, the 5th arrondissement of Lyon
, he decided to withdraw in favor of Jean-Michel Dubernard
, who established an alliance with Charles Millon
. The Socialist Gérard Collomb
was elected Mayor of Lyon.
He was re-elected Senator on 26 September 2004. General councillor for the canton of Thizy, he is also President of the General Council
of Rhône since February 1990. Treasurer of the UDF
, he remained loyal to the opposition of François Bayrou
vis-à-vis the government of Dominique de Villepin
.
President of the Centrist Union
Senate group since 2002, he remained faithful to François Bayrou by joining the MoDem
. On 30 January 2008, Michel Mercier, by favouring an alliance with the UMP in Lyon, whose list was led by Dominique Perben
for the 2008 municipal elections
signaled his disagreement with the strategy of François Bayrou by resigning the presidency of the MoDem in Rhône. He remained MoDem treasurer and member of the executive board of the MoDem until his appointment to the government.
On 23 June 2009, he joined the government of François Fillon
as Minister of Rural Areas and Spatial Planning. He announced his hiatus from the MoDem and was replaced as treasurer by Jean-Jacques Jégou
.
From 14 November 2010 he is Minister of justice in the 3rd government of François Fillon.
Keeper of the Seals, Minister of Justice and Freedoms : Since 2010.
Minister of Rural Areas and Spatial Planning : 2009–2010.
Electoral mandates
National Assembly of France
Member of the National Assembly of France for Rhône (departement)
(departement) : 1993–1995 (Resignation, elected senator in 1995).
Senate of France
Senator of Rhône (departement)
: 1995–2009 (Became minister in 2009). Elected in 1995, reelected in 2004.
Regional Council
Vice-president of the Regional Council of Rhône-Alpes
: 1992–1993 (Resignation).
Regional councillor of Rhône-Alpes
: 1992–1993 (Resignation).
General Council
President of the General Council of Rhône (departement)
: Since 1990. Reelected in 1992, 1994, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2008.
General councillor of Rhône (departement)
: Since 1978. Reelected in 1979, 1985, 1992, 1998, 2004.
Municipal Council
Mayor of Thizy, Rhône
: 1977–2001. Reelected in 1983, 1989, 1995.
Deputy-Mayor of Thizy, Rhône
: since 2006. Reelected in 2008.
Municipal councillor of Thizy, Rhône
: Since 1971. Reelected in 1983, 1989, 1995, 2001, 2008.
Community of communes Council
President of the Communauté de communes
of Pays d'Amplepuis Thizy : 1994–2001. Reelected in 1995.
1st vice-president of the Communauté de communes
of Pays d'Amplepuis Thizy : Since 2001. Reelected in 2008.
Member of the Communauté de communes
of Pays d'Amplepuis Thizy : Since 1994. Reelected in 1995, 2001, 2008.
After studying law and graduation from the Lyon IEP
Institut d'études politiques de Lyon
The Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Lyon also known as Sciences Po Lyon, was established following an executive decree by General de Gaulle in 1946. This prestigious and highly selective institute is modeled on the former Paris "École Libre des Sciences Politiques"...
, he taught finance and local government law at the Faculty of Law of Lyon II
Lumière University Lyon 2
Lumière University Lyon 2 is one of the three universities that comprise the current University of Lyon, having splintered from an older university of the same name, and is primarily based on two campuses in Lyon itself...
.
Elected Senator from the Rhône
Rhône
Rhone can refer to:* Rhone, one of the major rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France* Rhône Glacier, the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the canton of Valais in Switzerland...
on September 24, 1995, he was the right's official candidate in the municipal elections
French municipal elections, 2001
Municipal elections were held in France on 11 and 18 March 2001. These elections were marked by a setback for the left and a victory for the right one year before the 2002 presidential election...
in 2001 in Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, incumbent Mayor Raymond Barre
Raymond Barre
Raymond Octave Joseph Barre was a French centre-right politician and economist. He was a Vice President of the European Commission and Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs under three Presidents and later served as Prime Minister under Valéry Giscard d'Estaing from 1976 until 1981...
having refused to run for re-election. Arriving behind the right-wing dissident list supported by Charles Millon
Charles Millon
Charles Marie Philippe Millon, born on 13 November 1945 in Belley, Ain, is a French politician. A member of the UDF, he was member of the French parliament for Ain and President of the Rhône-Alpes Regional Council. He was Minister of Defence from 1995 to 1997 in Alain Juppé's government, and led...
in his sector, the 5th arrondissement of Lyon
5th arrondissement of Lyon
The 5th arrondissement of Lyon is one of the nine arrondissements of the City of Lyon.- History :The 5th arrondissement was created on 24 March 1852 . It is the historic center of Lyon. It is at Fourvière that Munatius Plancus founded the Roman colony of Lugdunum in 43 BC...
, he decided to withdraw in favor of Jean-Michel Dubernard
Jean-Michel Dubernard
Jean-Michel Dubernerd is a medical doctor specializing in transplant surgery, as well as a former Deputy in the French National Assembly.Dr...
, who established an alliance with Charles Millon
Charles Millon
Charles Marie Philippe Millon, born on 13 November 1945 in Belley, Ain, is a French politician. A member of the UDF, he was member of the French parliament for Ain and President of the Rhône-Alpes Regional Council. He was Minister of Defence from 1995 to 1997 in Alain Juppé's government, and led...
. The Socialist Gérard Collomb
Gérard Collomb
Gérard Collomb, born on 20 June 1947 in Chalon-sur-Saône, Saône-et-Loire, is a French politician. He is an active member of the French Socialist Party and has been Mayor of Lyon since March 2001....
was elected Mayor of Lyon.
He was re-elected Senator on 26 September 2004. General councillor for the canton of Thizy, he is also President of the General Council
President of the general council
In France, the President of the General Council is the locally-elected head of the General Council, the assembly governing a departments in France. The position is elected by the general councillors from among their number. If there is a tie, the senior Councillor is elected.The President of the...
of Rhône since February 1990. Treasurer of 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...
, he remained loyal to the opposition of François Bayrou
François Bayrou
François Bayrou is a French centrist politician, president of Union for French Democracy since 1998 and was a candidate in the 2002 and 2007 French presidential elections. In the first round, he received 18.6% of the vote, finishing in 3rd place and therefore was eliminated from the race....
vis-à-vis the government of 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....
.
President of the Centrist Union
Centrist Union
The Centrist Union is a current parliamentary group in the French Senate founded in 1983. As of April 2009, the UC group has 29 Senators.Since the 2008 Senate elections, the group is known as the Centrist Union. Prior to that, between 2005 and 2008, it was known as the Centrist Union-Union for...
Senate group since 2002, he remained faithful to François Bayrou by joining the MoDem
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...
. On 30 January 2008, Michel Mercier, by favouring an alliance with the UMP in Lyon, whose list was led by Dominique Perben
Dominique Perben
Dominique Perben is a French politician. Born in Lyon, he was French Minister of Transportation from 2005 to 2007. He was previously Minister of Justice , Minister of Civil Service and Administration and Minister of Overseas France .Perben has been a Deputy in the National Assembly for the fifth...
for the 2008 municipal elections
French municipal elections, 2008
The French municipal elections of 2008 were held on 9 March in that year to elect the municipal councils of France's 36,782 communes...
signaled his disagreement with the strategy of François Bayrou by resigning the presidency of the MoDem in Rhône. He remained MoDem treasurer and member of the executive board of the MoDem until his appointment to the government.
On 23 June 2009, he joined the government of 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...
as Minister of Rural Areas and Spatial Planning. He announced his hiatus from the MoDem and was replaced as treasurer by Jean-Jacques Jégou
Jean-Jacques Jégou
Jean-Jacques Jégou is a member of the Senate of France, representing the Val-de-Marne department. He is a member of the Centrist Union.-References:*...
.
From 14 November 2010 he is Minister of justice in the 3rd government of François Fillon.
Political career
Governmental functionsKeeper of the Seals, Minister of Justice and Freedoms : Since 2010.
Minister of Rural Areas and Spatial Planning : 2009–2010.
Electoral mandates
National Assembly of France
Member of the National Assembly of France for Rhône (departement)
Rhône (département)
Rhône is a French department located in the central Eastern region of Rhône-Alpes. It is named after the Rhône River.- History :The Rhône department was created on August 12, 1793 when the former département of Rhône-et-Loire was split into two departments: Rhône and Loire.Originally, the eastern...
(departement) : 1993–1995 (Resignation, elected senator in 1995).
Senate of France
Senator of Rhône (departement)
Rhône (département)
Rhône is a French department located in the central Eastern region of Rhône-Alpes. It is named after the Rhône River.- History :The Rhône department was created on August 12, 1793 when the former département of Rhône-et-Loire was split into two departments: Rhône and Loire.Originally, the eastern...
: 1995–2009 (Became minister in 2009). Elected in 1995, reelected in 2004.
Regional Council
Vice-president of the Regional Council of Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes is one of the 27 regions of France, located on the eastern border of the country, towards the south. The region was named after the Rhône River and the Alps mountain range. Its capital, Lyon, is the second-largest metropolitan area in France after Paris...
: 1992–1993 (Resignation).
Regional councillor of Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes is one of the 27 regions of France, located on the eastern border of the country, towards the south. The region was named after the Rhône River and the Alps mountain range. Its capital, Lyon, is the second-largest metropolitan area in France after Paris...
: 1992–1993 (Resignation).
General Council
President of the General Council of Rhône (departement)
Rhône (département)
Rhône is a French department located in the central Eastern region of Rhône-Alpes. It is named after the Rhône River.- History :The Rhône department was created on August 12, 1793 when the former département of Rhône-et-Loire was split into two departments: Rhône and Loire.Originally, the eastern...
: Since 1990. Reelected in 1992, 1994, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2008.
General councillor of Rhône (departement)
Rhône (département)
Rhône is a French department located in the central Eastern region of Rhône-Alpes. It is named after the Rhône River.- History :The Rhône department was created on August 12, 1793 when the former département of Rhône-et-Loire was split into two departments: Rhône and Loire.Originally, the eastern...
: Since 1978. Reelected in 1979, 1985, 1992, 1998, 2004.
Municipal Council
Mayor of Thizy, Rhône
Thizy, Rhône
Thizy is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France.-References:*...
: 1977–2001. Reelected in 1983, 1989, 1995.
Deputy-Mayor of Thizy, Rhône
Thizy, Rhône
Thizy is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France.-References:*...
: since 2006. Reelected in 2008.
Municipal councillor of Thizy, Rhône
Thizy, Rhône
Thizy is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France.-References:*...
: Since 1971. Reelected in 1983, 1989, 1995, 2001, 2008.
Community of communes Council
President of the Communauté de communes
Communauté de communes
A communauté de communes is a federation of municipalities in France. It forms a framework within which local tasks are carried out together...
of Pays d'Amplepuis Thizy : 1994–2001. Reelected in 1995.
1st vice-president of the Communauté de communes
Communauté de communes
A communauté de communes is a federation of municipalities in France. It forms a framework within which local tasks are carried out together...
of Pays d'Amplepuis Thizy : Since 2001. Reelected in 2008.
Member of the Communauté de communes
Communauté de communes
A communauté de communes is a federation of municipalities in France. It forms a framework within which local tasks are carried out together...
of Pays d'Amplepuis Thizy : Since 1994. Reelected in 1995, 2001, 2008.