Georges Frêche
Georges Frêche | |
|---|---|
Jacques Blanc | |
| Succeeded by | Christian Bourquin |
| Mayor of Montpellier | |
| In office 1977–2004 | |
| Preceded by | François Delmas |
| Succeeded by | Hélène Mandroux |
| Member of the National Assembly | |
| In office 1997–2002 | |
| Preceded by | Bernard Serrou |
| Succeeded by | Jacques Domergue |
| In office 1981–1993 | |
| Preceded by | Robert-Félix Fabre |
| Succeeded by | Bernard Serrou |
| In office 1973–1978 | |
| Preceded by | René Couveinhes |
| Succeeded by | François Delmas |
| Constituency | Hérault (1st & 2nd districts) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 9, 1938 Paris Law Faculty |
| Profession | University professor |
Georges Frêche (July 9, 1938 – October 24, 2010) was a French
A long-time political figure within French political circles, Frêche was an extremely controversial character, considered by some a great builder and visionary, while criticised by others and judged in court for his controversial remarks, which were sometimes interpreted as racist.
Life and career
Frêche was born in
He served as the
While he was a member of French's Socialist Party (PS) and the leader of one of the largest socialist federations in France, Georges Frêche was never given a ministerial position in any socialist government, not even as socialist François Mitterrand was France's president for 14 years. This could have been due to both the fact that Frêche was an embarrassing figure for the socialists, prone to multiple politically incorrect speeches with racist overtones, and his alleged refusal to let the Socialist Party be secretly financed by fake bills issued by the private company Urba (Urba would cause a political scandal in France). He had antagonized François Mitterrand as early as the foundation of the current French Socialist Party in 1971, being cast aside even at that date.
Frêche was permanently expelled from the Socialist Party on January 27, 2007, after commenting that the number of black players on the France national football team was disproportionately higher than one might expect from France's demographics.[2] Frêche maintained that he was not trying to be racist and was instead talking about whites being less successful at sports because they are not sufficiently "hungry".
Frêche continued to attract controversy after his expulsion from the Socialist Party, insulting former Socialist
Frêche died of a
Controversial comments
- July 1, 2000: "This is the longest tunnel in the world. You enter it in
- April, 2005: "I hope he does better than the other idiot",
- February 11, 2006: Frêche referred to a group of former Algerian War of Independence), as "sub-humans".[French 3] They were taking part in a demonstration in support of the French law on colonialism, which asked teachers and textbooks to "acknowledge and recognise... the positive role of the French presence abroad, especially in North Africa", in Palavas-les-Flots.[6][7]
- November 15, 2006: "On (the France national football team), there are 9 Blacks out of 11. The normal number would be three or four. This would reflect [French] society. But if there are so many, it is because Whites are lame. I'm ashamed for this country. Soon, there will be eleven blacks. When I see certain football teams, it makes me sad."[French 4][6][7] Frêche received support from political opponents such as Jean-Pierre Grand during the media storm that occurred after his outburst about the French football team.
Electoral mandates
- National Assembly of France
- Member of the National Assembly of France for Hérault: 1973–1978 / 1981–1993 / 1997–2002. Elected in 1973, reelected in 1981, 1986, 1988, 1997.
- Regional Council
- President of the Regional Council of Languedoc-Roussillon : 2004–2010 (Died in 2010). Reelected in 2010
- Vice-president of the Regional Council of Languedoc-Roussillon : 1973–1986.
- Regional councillor of Languedoc-Roussillon : Since 1973. Elected in 1986, reelected in 1992, 1998, 2004, 2010.
- Municipal Council
- Mayor of Montpellier : 1977-2004 (Resignation). Reelected in 1983, 1989, 1995, 2001.
- Municipal councillor of Montpellier : 1971–2010 (Died in 2010). Reelected in 1977, 1983, 1989, 1995, 2001, 2008.
- Agglomeration community Council
- President of the Agglomeration community of Montpellier Agglomération: 1977–2010 (Died in 2010). Reelected in 1983, 1989, 1995, 2001, 2008.
- Member of the Agglomeration community of Montpellier Agglomération: 1977–2010 (Died in 2010). Reelected in 1983, 1989, 1995, 2001, 2008.
Notes
- ^ « Ici, c'est le tunnel le plus long du monde : vous entrez en France et vous sortez à Ouarzazate. »
- ^ « J'espère qu'il sera meilleur que l'autre abruti. Celui-là, on le jugera sur le mariage des prêtres et la capote. »
- ^ « Vous êtes vraiment d’une incurie incroyable. Vous ne connaissez pas l’histoire. Ah, vous êtes allés avec les gaullistes… Vous faites partie des harkis qui ont vocation à être cocus toute leur vie… Faut-il vous rappeler que 80 000 harkis se sont fait égorger comme des porcs parce que l'armée française les a laissés ? Moi qui vous ai donné votre boulot de pompier, gardez-le et fermez votre gueule ! Je vous ai trouvé un toit et je suis bien remercié. Arrêtez-vous ! Arrêtez-vous ! Allez avec les gaullistes ! Allez avec les gaullistes à Palavas. Vous y serez très bien ! Ils ont massacré les vôtres en Algérie et vous allez leur lécher les bottes ! Mais vous n’avez rien du tout ! Vous êtes des sous-hommes ! Rien du tout ! Il faut que quelqu’un vous le dise ! Vous êtes sans honneur. Vous n’êtes pas capables de défendre les vôtres ! Voilà, voilà… Allez, dégagez ! »
- ^ « Dans cette équipe, il y a neuf blacks sur onze. La normalité serait qu'il y en ait trois ou quatre. Ce serait le reflet de la société. Mais, là, s'il y en a autant, c'est parce que les blancs sont nuls. J'ai honte pour ce pays. Bientôt, il y aura onze blacks. Quand je vois certaines équipes de foot, ça me fait de la peine. »
References
- ^ a b c "Georges Frêche est mort", Le Monde, 24 October 2010.
- ^ "Frêche, exclu mais incontournable", Libération, 29 January 2007.
- ^ "Frêche se prend le PS dans "la tronche"", Libération, 29 January 2010.
- ^ a b c "Georges Frêche est mort", Libération, 24 October 2010.
- ^ "Georges Frêche, trublion de la gauche, est décédé", Le Figaro, 24 October 2010.
- ^ a b c d "Georges Frêche, un habitué des dérapages", Le Monde, 28 January 2010.
- ^ a b c d "Georges Frêche, provocateur en série", Le Figaro, 24 October 2010.
External links
- (in French) Georges Frêche National Assembly web-page.
- Emile Chabal, 'Managing the postcolony: minority politics in Montpellier, c.1960-c.2010' in Contemporary European History (Vol. 23, No. 2, 2014) [2]
- Emile Chabal, 'Le Président? Georges Frêche and the making of a local notable in late 20th century France' in P. Whalen & P. Young, Place and Locality in Modern France, 1750-present, éditions Bloomsbury Academic, 2014)
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