She succeeds Alain Pagano, departmental secretary since 2011, who wanted to pass the baton. This Avrillaise, a former worker and housewife, is a PCF faithful.
Change of gender, change of style. The PCF will now be headed by a woman in Anjou: Stéphanie Dupeyroux, 44 years old. A first in this federation, of which she was treasurer.
"In the team, she is one of the people who have abilities, availability, whose path is different," said Alain Pagano, who pleaded for her to succeed him. "And then it's a woman, and it counts, too," he adds. Certainly.
"But I hope it was not the only criterion," replies, with a smile, the new departmental secretary, a little intimidated and tense for his first media release.
"Fell in the pot"
This mother of four, looking for a job, lives in Avrillé, near Angers (Maine-et-Loire). A long-time housewife, she also worked at Packard Bell and as a maternal assistant. A busy life.
His inexperience is therefore mostly political. She was never elected, despite several candidacies on left-wing lists at the municipal elections, and recently at the legislative elections of 2017 and 2012, in the riding of Angers-Segré. "I come from a communist family. I fell into the pot when I was little, even though I only joined in 2008. I still believe in political parties. I have been able to measure that our word does not have the same significance when we are not part of it. "
She who describes herself as a "diplomat" is convinced that the left can still fight and win, "on the public service, health, employment" .
The future of Pagano
In the immediate future, he will especially have to prepare the European and municipal deadlines, and lead a party certainly not visible in Anjou, but that Alain Pagano had helped to make it less austere. The one who is also a city councilor in Angers, teacher-researcher in biology by profession, wanted to take a step back, after more than seven years.
But the national context of the PC is not completely foreign to his departure. Scheduled for the end of the month, the extraordinary congress could place Fabien Roussel, deputy of the North - which he supports - in a position to succeed Pierre Laurent. "We can not advocate for the rotation of the leaders and not apply this principle to oneself" , justifies the one who could also play a role on the national executive committee, on the environmental question. If the opportunity arises.