Christophe Béchu
{{Short description|French politician (born 1974)}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Expand French|topic=gov|date=February 2017}}
{{BLP sources|date=August 2010}}
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{infobox officeholder
| name = Christophe Béchu
| image = Christophe BÉCHU.jpg
| office = Minister for Ecological Transition and Cohesion of the Territories
| term_start = 4 July 2022
| term_end = 21 September 2024
| primeminister = Élisabeth Borne
Gabriel Attal
| predecessor = Amélie de Montchalin
| successor = Agnès Pannier-Runacher (Ecological Transition)
Catherine Vautrin (Territories)
| office1 = Minister for Relations with Local Authorities
| term_start1 = 20 May 2022
| term_end1 = 4 July 2022
| primeminister1 = Élisabeth Borne
| predecessor1 = Joël Giraud
| successor1 =
| term_start2 = 4 April 2014
| term_end2 = 18 July 2022
| predecessor2 = Frédéric Béatse
| successor2 = Jean-Marc Verchère
| office3 = Member of the French Senate
for Maine-et-Loire
| term_start3 = 1 October 2011
| term_end3 = 1 October 2017
| predecessor3 = André Lardeux
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|06|11|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Angers, France
| party = Horizons {{nowrap|(2021–present)}}
| otherparty = UMP (before 2015)
The Republicans (2015–2017)
| alma_mater = Sciences Po
| caption = Béchu in 2023
}}
Christophe Béchu ({{IPA|fr|kʁistɔf beʃy}}; born 11 June 1974) is a French politician who has been serving as Minister for Ecological Transition and Cohesion of the Territories in the government of successive Prime Ministers Élisabeth Borne and Gabriel Attal from 2022 to 2024.{{cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/fr/france/20220704-gouvernement-borne-2-un-remaniement-sans-tambour-ni-trompette|title=Gouvernement Borne 2 : un remaniement sans tambour ni trompette|date=4 July 2022 |publisher=France 24|access-date=5 July 2022}}
Béchu previously was the President of the General Council of the Maine-et-Loire department from 2004 to 2014. He briefly served as a Member of the European Parliament from 2009 until 2011, representing the West France constituency.{{cite web|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/members/expert/alphaOrder/view.do?language=EN&id=97002|title=MEP profile – Christophe BÉCHU|publisher=European Parliament}} A former member of the centre-right Union for a Popular Movement, later the Republicans (LR), and the DL, Béchu became the secretary general of Horizons in 2021.
Béchu briefly served as Minister of Relations with Local Authorities from 20 May to 4 July 2022.Marius Bocquet (20 May 2022), [https://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/remaniement-christophe-bechu-le-premier-des-philippistes-nomme-ministre-delegue-aux-collectivites-territoriales-20220520 Gouvernement : Christophe Béchu, le premier des philippistes, nommé ministre délégué aux Collectivités territoriales] Le Figaro.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/ChristopheBechu/status/1543896412894773248 |title=La confiance que m'accordent @EmmanuelMacron et @Elisabeth_Borne m'oblige. La tâche est immense, je m'engage à déployer toute mon énergie pour mettre en oeuvre une politique écologique concrète et adaptée aux territoires.|via=Twitter|access-date=5 July 2022}}
Political career
Béchu has represented the Canton of Angers-Nord-Ouest since 2001, and was re-elected there during the 2008 French cantonal elections. However, he was narrowly defeated by the incumbent PS mayor of Angers, Jean-Claude Antonini, in the 2008 municipal elections.
=Member of the European Parliament, 2009–2011=
In 2009, the UMP selected him to lead the UMP list in the West constituency ahead of the 2009 European elections. He was elected to the European Parliament as a result. His list won 27.16% of the vote and three MEPs. In parliament, he served on the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development. In addition to his committee assignments, he was part of the parliament's delegation for relations with Japan.[https://www.europarl.europa.eu/meps/en/97002/CHRISTOPHE_BECHU/history/7 Christophe Béchu] European Parliament. He resigned in January 2011.
Béchu lost the regional election of 2010 to become President of Pays de la Loire region, but was elected as a regional councillor. In the 2011 elections, he was elected as a Senator of Maine-et-Loire, and thereafter resigned from regional council of Pays-de-Loire.
=Mayor of Angers, 2014–2022=
During the 2014 French municipal elections, Béchu competed against Frédéric Béatse, incumbent, and became the new mayor of Angers on 4 April 2014. Béchu was re-elected in 2020.
In 2016, Béchu caused controversy when he requested the removal of posters that had been installed as part of a governmental HIV/AIDS prevention campaign "not to expose a young public to a message they cannot understand“; at the time, Minister of Health Marisol Touraine denounced Béchu as "homophobe."François Béguin (22 November 2016), [https://www.lemonde.fr/politique/article/2016/11/22/affiches-de-prevention-du-sida-le-gouvernement-saisit-la-justice-a-la-suite-de-la-censure-de-maires_5035948_823448.html Affiches de prévention du sida : Touraine saisit la justice à la suite d’une « censure »] Le Monde.
=Career in government=
In October 2023, Béchu participated in the first joint cabinet retreat of the German and French governments in Hamburg, chaired by Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Emmanuel Macron.Sarah Marsh and Andreas Rinke (9 October 2023), [https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/germany-france-hold-unprecedented-cabinet-retreat-oil-creaky-eu-motor-2023-10-09/ Germany, France hold unprecedented cabinet retreat to oil creaky EU motor] Reuters.[https://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-de/aktuelles/deutsch-franzoesisches-kabinett-2023-2228354 Erste deutsch-französische Kabinettsklausur: Zukunftsfragen und Weltpolitik diskutiert] Cabinet of Germany, press release of 10 October 2023.
Other activities
- Agence de financement des infrastructures de transport de France (AFITF), chair of the board of directors
- Dexia Crédit Local, member of the board of directors (2007–2009)Thomas Bronnec and Thierry Dupont (24 October 2008), [https://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/politique/dexia-rebsamen-part-les-autres-restent_639459.html Dexia: Rebsamen part, les autres restent] L'Express.
Political positions
In 2019, Béchu publicly declared his support for incumbent President Emmanuel Macron.[https://www.lejdd.fr/Politique/voici-la-tribune-des-72-maires-et-elus-locaux-de-droite-qui-annoncent-leur-soutien-a-emmanuel-macron-3903553 Voici la tribune des 72 maires et élus locaux de droite et du centre qui annoncent leur soutien à Macron] Le Journal du Dimanche, 8 June 2019.
In 2022, Bechu sponsored regulations to re-allow lark hunting in France. This is after previous regulations were struck down as being a violation of EU law.
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bechu, Christophe}}
Category:Liberal Democracy (France) politicians
Category:The Republicans (France) politicians
Category:Modern and Humanist France
Category:French senators of the Fifth Republic
Category:Mayors of places in Pays de la Loire
Category:MEPs for West France 2009–2014
Category:Union for a Popular Movement MEPs
Category:Senators of Maine-et-Loire
Category:Horizons (political party) politicians