Philippe Vigier (born 3 February 1958) is a French politician of the Democratic Movement (MoDem) who served as Minister of the Overseas in the government of Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne from 2023 to 2024.[1] He previously represented the 4th constituency of the Eure-et-Loir department in the National Assembly from 2007 to 2023.[2] He is a member of the Democratic Movement, which he joined in 2020 upon leaving The Centrists. Vigier has also held a seat in the Regional Council of Centre-Val de Loire since 2021, previously holding office from 1995 to 2014.[a]
Philippe Vigier | |
---|---|
Minister of the Overseas | |
In office 20 July 2023 – 11 January 2024 | |
Prime Minister | Élisabeth Borne |
Preceded by | Jean-François Carenco |
Succeeded by | Marie Guévenoux |
President of the Liberties, Independents, Overseas and Territories group in the National Assembly | |
In office 17 October 2018 – 8 September 2020 Served with Bertrand Pancher | |
Preceded by | Group established |
Succeeded by | Sylvia Pinel |
President of the Union of Democrats and Independents group in the National Assembly | |
In office 14 April 2014 – 20 June 2017 | |
Preceded by | Jean-Louis Borloo |
Succeeded by | Stéphane Demilly Franck Riester |
Member of the National Assembly for Eure-et-Loir's 4th constituency | |
Assumed office 20 June 2007 | |
Preceded by | Alain Venot |
Mayor of Cloyes-sur-le-Loir | |
In office 18 March 2001 – 4 September 2017 | |
Preceded by | Jacques Jouvelet |
Succeeded by | Claude Martin |
Personal details | |
Born | Valence, France | 3 February 1958
Political party | Democratic Movement (2020–present) |
Other political affiliations | Union for French Democracy (until 2007) The Centrists (2007–2020) Union of Democrats and Independents (2012–2017) |
Alma mater | Clermont Auvergne University |
At age 16, Vigier campaigned for Valéry Giscard d'Estaing in the 1974 presidential election.[3]
A biologist by occupation, Vigier became Deputy Mayor of Châteaudun and a regional councillor of Centre in 1995, positions he held until 1998 and 2014, respectively. In 2001, he was elected to the mayorship of Cloyes-sur-le-Loir, Eure-et-Loir.
In the 2007 legislative election, Vigier was elected to the National Assembly in the first round with over 57% of the vote in the 4th constituency of Eure-et-Loir with the support of President Nicolas Sarkozy's Union for a Popular Movement.
In parliament, Vigier presided over the Union of Democrats and Independents (UDI) group from 2014 to 2017. He served on the Committee on Social Affairs; he was a member of the Committee on Finance from 2007 to 2019.
In addition to his committee assignments, Vigier was a member of the French parliamentary friendship groups with Armenia and Italy.[4] He has also been serving as member of the French delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe since 2022, where he is part of the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development.[5]
In 2018, Vigier was a founding member of the Liberties and Territories (LT) parliamentary group,[6] which he co-presided until he left the group for the Democratic Movement in 2020.
In the 2015 regional election, Vigier led the Union of the Right and Centre (UDC) list in Centre-Val de Loire (formerly Centre).[7] Despite favourable polls, the UDC list was narrowly defeated in the second round by the left-wing list led by outgoing Regional Council President François Bonneau. Vigier declined to take a seat in the regional council.[8] In 2021, he was returned to the regional council on the list led by Agriculture Minister Marc Fesneau. On July 20, 2023, he was appointed Minister of the Overseas Territories under the Minister of the Interior and Overseas Territories, Gérald Darmanin, in the Élisabeth Borne government.[9]