Léon Bertrand
Encyclopedia
Léon Bertrand is a French
politician
. Previously a professor of physics
and biology
, he is Mayor of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni
since 1983. He was elected to the French National Assembly
for the Rally for the Republic
representing French Guiana's 2nd constituency
in 1988 and was reelected at every election till 2007.
when he was a minister, in 2005: "Born on the banks of the Maroni River
, in Guyana, a French département in Amazonia situated 7,000 km afar from Paris, grandson of a convict from Vendée
who had married a Black woman after his liberation, son of a Creole father and of an Amerindian Surinamese mother, I am Léon Bertrand, with a name typically French but with an physical appearance typically exotic."
He joined the UMP
in 2002, and, as a known confidant of President Jacques Chirac
, he was named Secretary of State for Tourism in 2002 and later Delegate Minister for Tourism in 2004. He held this office until May 15, 2007. When he was a minister, he realized that "several times, when I received in my office people who didn't know my physical appearance, their republican respectful «Monsieur le ministre» was automatically addressed to my advisor, who was white, and not to me. But what's for me quite exceptional and has very minor consequences as a public person is, on the contrary, the daily lot of all those who belong to what people label «Visible minority
»."
Running for re-election as deputy in the French legislative election, 2007
, he was surprisingly defeated with 47.1% of the votes in the runoff against Chantal Berthelot
(PSG
), who won 52.9%. Nonetheless, he was re-elected Mayor of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni
in 2008 by a large margin.
He was nominated as the UMP's top candidate in the 2010 regional elections
in French Guiana
.
During the night of 27-28 November 2009, Léon Bertrand was arrested and put into custody on charges of favoritism and corruption.
Despite still being in custody, he is candidate on the third place of a right wing list not endorsed by the UMP for the March 2010 regional elections in French Guiana.
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. Previously a professor of physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
and biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
, he is Mayor of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni
Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni
Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni is a commune of French Guiana, an overseas region and department of France located in South America. Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni is one of the two sub-prefectures of French Guiana and the seat of the Arrondissement of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni...
since 1983. 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 ....
for the Rally for the Republic
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...
representing French Guiana's 2nd constituency
French Guiana's 2nd constituency
The 2nd constituency of French Guiana is a French legislative constituency in the French Guiana département.-2007: -Sources:* Official results of French elections from 1998:...
in 1988 and was reelected at every election till 2007.
Biography
He described himself in an article published in the French daily LibérationLibération
Libération is a French daily newspaper founded in Paris by Jean-Paul Sartre and Serge July in 1973 in the wake of the protest movements of May 1968. Originally a leftist newspaper, it has undergone a number of shifts during the 1980s and 1990s...
when he was a minister, in 2005: "Born on the banks of the Maroni River
Maroni River
The Maroni or Marowijne is a river in South America. It originates in the Tumuk Humak Mountains and forms the border between French Guiana and Suriname...
, in Guyana, a French département in Amazonia situated 7,000 km afar from Paris, grandson of a convict from Vendée
Vendée
The Vendée is a department in the Pays-de-la-Loire region in west central France, on the Atlantic Ocean. The name Vendée is taken from the Vendée river which runs through the south-eastern part of the department.-History:...
who had married a Black woman after his liberation, son of a Creole father and of an Amerindian Surinamese mother, I am Léon Bertrand, with a name typically French but with an physical appearance typically exotic."
He joined 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...
in 2002, and, as a known confidant of President 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...
, he was named Secretary of State for Tourism in 2002 and later Delegate Minister for Tourism in 2004. He held this office until May 15, 2007. When he was a minister, he realized that "several times, when I received in my office people who didn't know my physical appearance, their republican respectful «Monsieur le ministre» was automatically addressed to my advisor, who was white, and not to me. But what's for me quite exceptional and has very minor consequences as a public person is, on the contrary, the daily lot of all those who belong to what people label «Visible minority
Visible minority
A visible minority is a person who is visibly not one of the majority race in a given population.The term is used as a demographic category by Statistics Canada in connection with that country's Employment Equity policies. The qualifier "visible" is important in the Canadian context where...
»."
Running for re-election as deputy in the French legislative election, 2007
French legislative election, 2007
The French legislative elections took place on 10 June and 17 June 2007 to elect the 13th National Assembly of the Fifth Republic, a few weeks after the French presidential election run-off on 6 May. 7,639 candidates stood for 577 seats, including France's overseas possessions...
, he was surprisingly defeated with 47.1% of the votes in the runoff against Chantal Berthelot
Chantal Berthelot
Chantal Berthelot is a member of the National Assembly of France. She represents the territory of French Guyana, and is a member of the Socialiste, radical, citoyen et divers gauche.-References:*...
(PSG
Guianese Socialist Party
The Guianese Socialist Party is a political party in the French overseas région of French Guiana, in South America. The PSG is currently the majority party in the regional council of French Guiana and has one seat in the French National Assembly....
), who won 52.9%. Nonetheless, he was re-elected Mayor of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni
Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni
Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni is a commune of French Guiana, an overseas region and department of France located in South America. Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni is one of the two sub-prefectures of French Guiana and the seat of the Arrondissement of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni...
in 2008 by a large margin.
He was nominated as the UMP's top candidate in the 2010 regional elections
French regional elections, 2010
Regional elections were held in France on 14 and 21 March 2010. At stake were the presidencies of each of France's 26 régions, which, though they do not have legislative autonomy, manage sizable budgets....
in French Guiana
French Guiana
French Guiana is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department located on the northern Atlantic coast of South America. It has borders with two nations, Brazil to the east and south, and Suriname to the west...
.
During the night of 27-28 November 2009, Léon Bertrand was arrested and put into custody on charges of favoritism and corruption.
Despite still being in custody, he is candidate on the third place of a right wing list not endorsed by the UMP for the March 2010 regional elections in French Guiana.
Political career
- 1983- : Mayor of Saint-Laurent-du-MaroniSaint-Laurent-du-MaroniSaint-Laurent-du-Maroni is a commune of French Guiana, an overseas region and department of France located in South America. Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni is one of the two sub-prefectures of French Guiana and the seat of the Arrondissement of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni...
- 2001- : President of the Community of Communes of Western Guiana.
- 1982-1988: General Councillor of French Guiana, canton of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni
- 1983-2003: Regional Councillor of French Guiana
- 1988-2007: RPRRally for the RepublicThe 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...
and then UMP-aligned Député of the Second Circumscription of French Guiana - 2002-2004: Secretary of State for Tourism, responsible to the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure, Tourism and Sea
- 2004-2007: Delegate Minister for Tourism, responsible to the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure, Tourism and Sea
External links
- page on the French National Assembly website
- Page for Bertrand on premier-ministre.gouv.fr
- About Bertrand and his ministry
- EXOTIK, Sieht er denn aus wie ein Minister? Berliner Zeitung vom 19./20. November 2005 (German)