Henri Emmanuelli (31 May 1945 – 21 March 2017) was a French politician. A member of the Socialist Party (PS), he was a deputy for Landes from 1978 to 1981, from 1986 to 1997 and again from 2000 to 2017. He served as President of the National Assembly from 1992 to 1993 and First Secretary of the Socialist Party from 1994 to 1995.

Early life and career

Emmanuelli was born in Eaux-Bonnes in the French department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques. He grew up with a working-class background and lost his father at a very young age. He studied at Lycée Louis-Barthou in Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques and then in Sciences Po in Paris. In 1969, he joined the Compagnie Financière Edmond de Rothschild. In 1971, he was appointed to the management of this company, becoming a senior banking executive and then a co-director in 1975. He continued his professional career at the Rothschild Bank until he was elected to the National Assembly at age 32 in 1978.

Political career

Emmanuelli joined the Socialist Party in 1971. On the request of François Mitterrand he was, at the age of 27, a candidate in the 1978 legislative election in the 2nd constituency of Lot-et-Garonne. But it was on 19 March 1978 that he was elected for the first time as the deputy for the 3rd constituency of Landes, which moved the district to the left-wing. In 1982, he was elected for the first time as the President of the General Council of Landes. Between 1981 and 1986, he served in the governments of Pierre Mauroy and Laurent Fabius as Secretary of State tasked with the DOM-TOM territories of France (1981–1983), Secretary of State for the Budget (1983–1986) as well as Secretary of State for Consumption (1984–1986). Between January 1992 and April 1993, he was President of the National Assembly. He was then elected First Secretary of the Socialist Party in June 1994 and held this office until October 1995. His election to this position was seen as "revenge" for the Mitterrand wing of the Socialist Party against Michel Rocard, the incumbent First Secretary, who had been weakened by the party's poor result in the 1994 European Parliament election. However, he was defeated by Lionel Jospin in the race to represent the Socialist Party in the 1995 presidential election. Jospin also took on the role of First Secretary in October 1995. One year later, Emmanuelli was convicted for the illicit financing of the party when he was its treasurer. He re-entered politics in 2000. Whilst he was a faithful supporter of Mitterrand until the latter's death, he is identified as belonging to the left-wing of the Socialist Party, and was one of the leaders of the party's "New World" faction formed in 2002 that aimed to steer the party leftwards after Jospin's poor performance in that year's presidential election. In the campaigns for the referendum on the European Constitution in 2005 and the Treaty of Rome of 2004, he publicly declared himself in favour of the "no" campaign; this put him in direct opposition to the official line of the Socialist Party, which was in favour of the treaty. He believed that the treaty was a move away from the idea of a federal Europe, which he endorsed, notably in his "Plea for Europe". He was followed by his close supporters, one of which was Michel Vergnier, a deputy for Creuse. In 2000, he took part in the Congress of Grenoble of the Socialist Party and was an avid campaigner for a Socialist Party that was aligned to the left. For the Congress of Le Mans in November 2005, he associated himself with the New Socialist Party motion of Arnaud Montebourg, Vincent Peillon and Benoît Hamon.

Other activities

Death

Emmanuelli died on 21 March 2017 at a medical centre in Bayonne, Pyrénées-Atlantiques from complications of acute bronchitis at the age of 71.

Political positions

Governmental functions Electoral mandates National Assembly of France Regional Council General Council Political function

Publications