The former president of the Senate, between 1998 and 2008, Christian Poncelet died at the age of 92.
The politician, originally from the Ardennes, readily described himself as "a convinced European and a loyal Gaullist", served as secretary of state in three governments.
Christian Poncelet, Gaullist and former president of the Senate between 1998 and 2008, died at the age of 92, the mayor of Remiremont, Jean Hingray, told AFP on Friday.
"Like many Romarimontains and Vosgiens, I am imbued with immense sadness on learning of the death of President Poncelet", indicated the mayor of this commune of the Vosges, of which the former second figure of the State was himself mayor from 1983 to 2001.
"To have had the immense chance to know him and to meet him, I retain his extreme simplicity. Let us hope that where he will be, his great humanity will still be able to express itself. Farewell President, farewell 'Ponpon'", added Jean Hingray.
Christian Poncelet, who readily described himself as "a convinced European and a faithful Gaullist", served as Secretary of State in three governments, that of Pierre Messmer, that of Jacques Chirac (1974-1976) and that of Raymond Barre (1976) -1977), followed by the Budget then Relations with Parliament after Social Affairs and the Civil Service.
President of the Senate for ten years
Born March 24, 1928 in Blaise (Ardennes), Christian Poncelet entered politics in 1962 by being elected deputy (UNR) of the Vosges, a mandate that he found in 1967, 1968 and 1973. He was elected in 1963 general councilor of this same department before taking the chairmanship of the board for nearly 40 years.
Father of two children, he held the presidency of the Senate for ten years with the aim of modernizing this old institution.
A tireless advocate of bicameralism, he was stung when in 1998 the then Prime Minister, Lionel Jospin, called the Senate "an anomaly among democracies".