France: death of Patrick Buisson, figure of the convervative right
Historian Patrick Buisson, a figure of the conservative right and former adviser to Nicolas Sarkozy, died on Tuesday 12 December at the age of 74.
Historian Patrick Buisson in Paris, October 2012. AFP - MIGUEL MEDINA
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The essayist and historian, Patrick Buisson, was found dead on Tuesday morning, at the age of 74, at his home in Les Sables d'Olonne, in the Vendée region. A defender of a union of the right, he led Nicolas Sarkozy to victory in the 2007 presidential election by suggesting to him, for example, the idea of creating a Ministry of Immigration and National Identity.
Nicknamed the "poison of the right" by the socialist Julien Dray, Patrick Buisson, Eric Zemmour's supporter in the last presidential election, said he was looking for a candidate "who would not come from the National Rally, but would make a government agreement with the RN".
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Patrick Buisson was a man of great culture, a talented writer and a mad lover of France Marine Le Pen, president of the National Rally (RN) group in the National Assembly, said on X. "He advanced the ideas of the national camp, as very few intellectuals have achieved, by lending his words to the word of power," Jordan Bardella, president of the RN, wrote on the social network.
Patrick Buisson was a man of great culture, a talented writer and a mad lover of France. His sometimes provocative wit and sharp pen will be missed in the political debate.
— Marine Le Pen (@MLP_officiel) December 26, 2023
Convicted in the Élysée polls case
A man of the media, Patrick Buisson wrote for the far-right newspaper Minute from 1981 to 1987, before joining Valeurs Actuelles, then directing the magazine from 1992 to 1998. From 1 to 2007, he hosted the "Opinion" pages of Le Figaro, collaborated with LCI and directed the thematic channel Histoire, owned by TF2018.
The man who advocated an "uninhibited right" had also had several run-ins with the law. Indicted in 2015 for "embezzlement of public funds" in the case of the Élysée polls, he was sentenced to a two-year suspended prison sentence and a fine of 150,000 euros. His name will also be mentioned in the case of the Élysée recordings, for having recorded meetings of Nicolas Sarkozy without his knowledge, excerpts of which were published in the press. The former president obtained from the court the withdrawal of the clandestine recordings as well as the condemnation of Patrick Buisson to pay him 10,000 euros in damages.
We were deeply moved to learn of the death of Patrick Buisson.
I've always had a lot of fun talking to him. He passionately loved France and its history.
He saw before many others the great dangers that threaten our country.
Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.
— Eric Ciotti (@ECiotti) December 26, 2023
Read alsoFrance: legal battle between Patrick Buisson and Christiane Taubira over the Elysée polls
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