Laurence Rossignol Explained

Laurence Rossignol
Office1:Vice-President of the French Senate
Term Start1:6 October 2020
Term End1:1 October 2023
President1:Gérard Larcher
Predecessor1:David Assouline
Successor1:Sylvie Robert
Office2:Member of the French Senate
Term Start2:18 June 2017
Parliamentarygroup2:SOC
Predecessor2:Jean-Pierre Bosino
Term Start3:1 October 2011
Term End3:9 May 2014
Constituency3:Oise
Parliamentarygroup3:SOC
Predecessor3:André Vantomme
Successor3:Jean-Pierre Bosino
Office4:Minister for Families, Children and Women's Rights
Term Start4:11 February 2016
Term End4:10 May 2017
President4:François Hollande
Primeminister4:Manuel Valls
Bernard Cazeneuve
Office5:Secretary of State for Family, the Elderly, Autonomy and Children
Term Start5:9 April 2014
Term End5:11 February 2011
President5:François Hollande
Primeminister5:Manuel Valls
Predecessor5:Dominique Bertinotti
Successor5:Pascale Boistard
Office6:Vice-president of the Regional Council of Picardie
Term Start6:2 April 2004
Term End6:9 May 2014
President6:Claude Gewerc
Successor6:Sylvie Houssin
Office7:Member of Regional Council of Picardie
Term Start7:21 March 1998
Term End7:31 December 2015
Birth Date:22 December 1957
Birth Place:La Garenne-Colombes, France
Party:Socialist Party
Alma Mater:University of Burgundy
Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University

Laurence Rossignol (born 22 December 1957) is a French politician of the Socialist Party (PS) who has served as a member of the French Senate from 2011 to 2014 and again since 2017, representing Oise.[1] From 2014 to 2017, she served as Secretary of State for the Family, Senior Citizens and Autonomy in the governments of Prime Ministers Manuel Valls and Bernard Cazeneuve.[2]

Political career

Ahead of the Socialist Party's 2008 convention in Reims, Rossignol publicly endorsed Martine Aubry as candidate to succeed François Hollande at the party's leadership.[3] When Aubry took over as party leader, she became the Socialist Party’s spokesperson for environmental policy.[4] In the party's 2011 primaries, she supported Aubry as its candidate for the 2012 presidential election.

From 2014 to 2017, Rossignol served as State Secretary under the leadership of Minister of Health Marisol Touraine. During her time in office, she established the Agency for the Recovery of Unpaid Alimonies (ARIPA) to ensure the recovery of outstanding child support.[5]

Member of the Senate, 2017–present

In the Socialist Party's presidential primaries, Rossignol endorsed Manuel Valls as the party's candidate for the 2017 French presidential election.[6] At the Aubervilliers Congress in 2017, she also supported Luc Carvounas’ candidacy to lead the PS.[7]

In 2017, Rossignol was a candidate for the leadership of the Socialist group in the Senate, against Martial Bourquin and incumbent Didier Guillaume; Guillaume was eventually re-elected.[8] When Guillaume eventually retired in 2008, Rossignol lost out against Patrick Kanner in an internal vote, with 47 against 25 votes.[9]

Ahead of the 2022 presidential election, Rossignol endorsed Arnaud Montebourg as the party’s candidate to replace incumbent President Emmanuel Macron.[10]

Political positions

In 2015, Rossignol defended the government's policy of testing the bones of foreign minors to determine their age.[11]

In 2016, Rossignol caused controversy when she compared Islamic women who chose to wear veils to "negroes who were for slavery".[12] She was later reported to have apologized for the use of the word negro but stood by her comparison of veil wearing to slavery.[13]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ROSSIGNOL Laurence. Senate. May 2, 2017.
  2. Web site: Décret du 9 avril 2014 relatif à la composition du Gouvernement. legifrance.gouv.fr. 3 May 2017. fr.
  3. https://www.nouvelobs.com/politique/20080604.OBS7108/des-femmes-du-ps-lancent-un-appel-en-faveur-de-martine-aubry.html Des femmes du PS lancent un appel en faveur de Martine Aubry
  4. https://www.leparisien.fr/oise-60/l-incontournable-laurence-rossignol-28-12-2008-355616.php L'incontournable Laurence Rossignol
  5. Stéphane Kovacs (20 January 2017), Une agence contre les pensions alimentaires impayées Le Figaro.
  6. Mathilde Siraud (12 December 2016), Najat Vallaud-Belkacem rallie Manuel Valls Le Figaro.
  7. Tristan Quinault-Maupoil (11 March 2017), PS : Laurence Rossignol rallie Luc Carvounas Le Figaro.
  8. Charles Sapin (3 November 2017), La guerre couve chez les sénateurs socialistes Le Figaro.
  9. News: Tristan Quinault-Maupoil. Patrick Kanner élu président du groupe PS au Sénat. Le Figaro. 23 January 2018. French. 23 January 2018.
  10. Pierre Lepelletier (5 November 2021), Le PS épargne pour l’instant ses sénateurs pro-Montebourg Le Figaro.
  11. News: Baumard. Maryline. Immigration : les députés maintiennent les tests osseux. 3 May 2017. Le Monde. 13 May 2015. fr.
  12. News: Laurence Rossignol compare les femmes choisissant de porter le voile aux 'nègres qui étaient pour l'esclavage'. 3 May 2017. Le Monde.fr. 30 March 2016. fr.
  13. Andrew Callus (31 March 2016), French minister under fire for linking veil-wearing to slavery Reuters.