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Laurent Wauquiez
Photo: European People's Party, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons29

Laurent Wauquiez

French politician (born 1975)

Laurent Timothée Marie Wauquiez ([lɔʁɑ̃ timɔte maʁi vokje]; born 12 April 1975) is a French politician who presided over the Regional Council of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes from 2016 to 2024. He is a member of The Republicans (LR), which he led from 2017 to 2019 following the resignation of Nicolas Sarkozy.2

From Wikipedia’s article on Laurent Wauquiez (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Born Apr 12, 1975.1

About

Wauquiez was Secretary of State for European Affairs under the Foreign Minister Alain Juppé; and previously Secretary of State for Employment under the Minister of the Economy, Industry and Employment from March 2008 in François Fillon's government. He also was Government Spokesman from June 2007 to March 2008 as Minister of State under the Prime Minister. He was elected as 2nd Vice President of the ORU Fogar at the organisation's General Assembly held in Quito, Ecuador on 16 October 2016.

On 10 December 2017, Wauquiez was elected to the presidency of The Republicans with 74% of the vote. Pundits have described him as moving the party to the right. On 2 June 2019, a week after overseeing the worst result for the right in its history in the European election with 8% of the vote, Wauquiez resigned as party president.

After 2024 legislative election, Wauquiez became president of the LR group in the National Assembly.

From Wikipedia’s article on Laurent Wauquiez, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.2

Companies

Early life and education

  • 1999 to 2001École nationale d'administration3 4
  • Date not recordedÉcole Normale Supérieure3
  • Date not recordedParis Institute of Political Studies3
  • Date not recordedUniversity of Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne3
  • Date not recordedLycée Louis-le-Grand3
  • Date not recordedLycée Henri-IV3

Wauquiez graduated from the École normale supérieure in 1994 and Université Panthéon-Sorbonne with a masters in history and studied public law at the Institut d'études politiques de Paris (Sciences Po); he later attended the École nationale d'administration (ÉNA). He worked as professor at Emlyon Business School.

From Wikipedia’s article on Laurent Wauquiez (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Career

Occupation: politician, minister, cadres de la fonction publique.15 16

  • Since 2024Chair, The Republicans group14
  • Since 2024Member of the French National Assembly8 11
  • 2017 to 2019Chair, The Republicans13
  • 2016Chair, The Republicans13
  • 2016 to 2024President of the Regional Council of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes8 10
  • Since 2016Regional councillor of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes8
  • 2012 to 2017Member of the French National Assembly8 9
  • 2008 to 2016Mayor of Le Puy-en-Velay8
  • 2007Member of the French National Assembly8 9
  • 2004 to 2007Member of the French National Assembly8 9
  • Since 2004Master of Requests of the Conseil d'État8
  • 2001 to 2004Auditor at the Conseil d'État8
More of their career (3)
  • Date not recordedWorked at Emlyon Business School5 6
  • Date not recordedFounded The Social Right7
  • Date not recordedChair, The Social Right12

Personal life

  • BornApr 12, 1975, Lyon17
  • CitizenshipFrance18
  • SpouseCharlotte Wauquiez married 200119 20

Wauquiez is known for wearing a red parka coat.

From Wikipedia’s article on Laurent Wauquiez (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Politics

Wauquiez held several governmental positions over the course of Nicolas Sarkozy's presidency. He was named the Secretary of State for Employment in 2008 and also functioned as the government spokesman. He later served as Minister of European Affairs and of Higher Education. In 2012, he was re-elected to the National Assembly and became head of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in 2015.

In 2012, Wauquiez opposed legalisation of same-sex marriage.

On 10 December 2017, Wauquiez was elected as the president of The Republicans, winning over Maël de Calan and Florence Portelli. During his time in office, he overrode party scepticism to appoint François-Xavier Bellamy to lead the LR list in the European elections. He resigned in June 2019, bowing to pressure to step down after a his party’s weak performance in the elections.

In August 2021, Wauquiez decided not to run as the Republicans’s candidate in the 2022 presidential election.

Ahead of the Republicans' 2022 convention, Wauquiez endorsed Éric Ciotti as the party's chairman.

Although he had previously promised not to participate in a government coalition after the 2024 legislative election, LR ultimately joined the Barnier government, led by an LR member. After Michel Barnier's ousting, LR joined the Bayrou government.

In February 2025, Wauquiez announced his candidacy to reclaim the presidency of The Republicans, in 2025 The Republicans leadership election. Wauquiez sparked outrage in France, even within his own conservative circles, after proposing to send migrants awaiting deportation to French overseas territory Saint Pierre and Miquelon. However, he secured only 26% of the vote in the May 18 election, losing to Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau.

From Wikipedia’s article on Laurent Wauquiez (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Awards

  • 2006Young Leader of the French American Foundation21 22

Sources

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