Assembly: who is Éric Coquerel, the new chairman of the finance committee?

Europe 1 with AFP 1:58 p.m., June 30, 2022, modified at 1:59 p.m., June 30, 2022

The LFI deputy for Seine-Saint-Denis Éric Coquerel, elected Thursday to the key post of chairman of the finance committee of the National Assembly, is a tireless defender of "popular neighborhoods" and one of the promoters with Jean- Luc Mélenchon of the fight against "Islamophobia".

In recent days, it is rather the prospect that he chairs the powerful finance committee that has worried Macronie, the right and the RN.

Even if he assures with a smile that he had "16/20 in the bac on the turn of the rigor of Mauroy", Éric Coquerel could not claim such a convincing pedigree on the economy as the former head of deputies PS Valérie Rabault.

She wanted to introduce herself before surrendering to the logic of intra-Nupe power relations.

Technically, "it is no offense to Éric Coquerel to say that she had a more important skill", underlines the socialist deputy Christine Pires-Beaune to AFP.

However, the one who was the neighbor of Éric Coquerel in committee during the previous legislature testifies: "He was very present, very diligent, this is not the case for everyone. He is someone who worked his records."

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Media availability

Through his availability to journalists, he has established himself over the past ten years as one of the most media-focused melenchonists.

But it is also omnipresent in demonstrations, pickets, student struggles or in neighborhoods.

"He is an action deputy, he likes to participate in social movements", reports Pascal Troadec, deputy mayor of Grigny (Val-de-Marne) and one of the organizers at LFI of militant collectives in the cities.

"I appreciate his availability and his commitment, that's how we recognize an elected official, because these are not always winning battles," he euphemizes.

Veil(s)

Éric Coquerel in particular organized in November 2018 in Épinay (Seine-Saint-Denis) the first "Meetings of working-class neighborhoods".

Beyond all the social and territorial issues then addressed, the event remains one of the symbols of the evolution of Jean-Luc Mélenchon and LFI on the veil.

"I was one of the players in the change of period, considering that with the development of racism against Muslims in the country, they had to be protected", confides Éric Coquerel.

He explains: “Like all the elected officials of Seine-Saint-Denis, it is less me who has changed than the period: we have had to note that for almost all veiled women, it is more a cultural and religious display. than a submission. Whereas before the veil was more seen in our country as a signal of fundamentalism."

François Cocq, former national speaker of LFI, who holds Éric Coquerel for his "godfather in politics", is circumspect on this subject: "This line, they carried it instantly. I don't mind being elected from Saint-Ouen gives a revelation, but they mostly looked at their electoral interests to keep their constituencies."

Specialist in maritime discoveries

He says: "Coquerel was one, after 2017, of those who theorized the 600,000 votes missing in the election of Jean-Luc Mélenchon" and therefore the need to amplify the conquest of working-class neighborhoods.

But François Cocq keeps "a lot of affection" for the deputy, who "humanly mismatches LFI" and "is one of the only ones who dares to say things to Mélenchon".

Éric Coquerel was born on December 30, 1958 in Courbevoie, to a mother who worked in an office, and a father who took advantage of the "social elevator" to go from holder of a CAP to speech therapist.

He passes and misses the baccalaureate for the first time at 19 and must quickly chain odd jobs to conquer his financial autonomy.

He was also a programmer analyst for a few years, before passing and failing the History Capes.

A specialist in maritime discoveries in history, he was passionate about organizing sailing races, and founded a prosperous company, "Effets mer".

He must give up his shares when he emerges in the media: "It's complicated to get sponsors when we campaigned against the banks," he laughs.

Because Éric Coquerel has never ceased to be an activist, from the high school struggle to the leadership of the Left Party, through his membership of the LCR, the MRC of Jean-Pierre Chevènement and then the creation of the "Mars" movement.