Souad Zitouni
{{short description|French politician}}
{{infobox Politician
| name = Souad Zitouni
| office = Member of the National Assembly
for Vaucluse's 1st constituency
| term_start = 30 March 2020
| predecessor = Jean-François Cesarini
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|04|23|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Boukadir, Algeria
| nationality = French
| party = La République En Marche!
| alma_mater = Aix-Marseille University
| profession = Lawyer
| termend = 21 June 2022
| successor = Joris Hébrard
}}
Souad Zitouni ({{langx|ar|سعاد زيتوني}}; born 23 April 1974 in Boukadir) is a French lawyer and politician of La République En Marche! (LREM) who served as a member of the National Assembly from 2020 to 2022,Marius Bocquet (13 June 2022), [https://www.lefigaro.fr/politique/resultats-legislatives-2022-qui-sont-les-65-deputes-sortants-elimines-au-premier-tour-20220613 Résultats législatives 2022 : qui sont les 65 députés sortants éliminés au premier tour ?] Le Figaro. representing the Vaucluse's 1st constituency.
Early life and education
Zitouni was born in 1974 in Algeria, she was four years old when her family moved to France, to Marseille.{{Cite web|title=législatives - 1re circonscription : Souad Zitouni est engagée aux côtés de Jean-François Cesarini. L'éducation, priorité de la suppléante du candidat de la République en Marche !|url=https://www.ledauphine.com/vaucluse/2017/05/29/l-education-priorite-de-la-suppleante-du-candidat-de-la-republique-en-marche|access-date=2020-06-03|website=www.ledauphine.com|language=FR-fr}}
Zitouni studied at Aix-Marseille University,{{Cite web|date=2020-03-30|first=Philippe|last=Paupert|title=Souad Zitouni devient députée LREM d'Avignon|url=https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/politique/souad-zitouni-devient-deputee-lrem-d-avignon-1585560284|access-date=2020-06-03|website=France Bleu|language=fr}} where she obtained a master's degree in public law and a specialized graduate diploma in local government management. She continued her training in law school. She practiced law from 2004 at the Avignon Carpentras bars.{{Cite web|title=Profil de Me Souad ZITOUNI|url=https://consultation.avocat.fr/avocat-avignon/souad-zitouni-5085.html|access-date=2020-06-03|website=Avocat.fr Profil|language=fr}}
Political career
Zitouni began her political activism with Ecology Generation, before joining the Democratic Movement. In 2008, she was a candidate for her party in the 2008 municipal elections at Pontet, on the Ambition Le Pontet list led by Michel Bouyol: in sixth position, she was not elected.{{Cite web|last=l'Intérieur|first=Ministère de|trans-title=Results of municipal elections 2008|title=Résultats des élections municipales 2008|url=https://mobile.interieur.gouv.fr/Elections/Les-resultats/Municipales/elecresult__municipales_2008|access-date=2020-06-03|website=French Ministry of the Interior|language=fr}}
Ten years later, Zitouni joined La République En Marche! and campaigned for Emmanuel Macron during the presidential election of 2017. She was a candidate in the legislative elections in Vaucluse's 1st constituency, as substitute candidate for Jean-François Cesarini. They were elected, with 58% in the second round against a candidate from the National Front.{{Cite web|date=2017-06-18|title=Législatives : les résultats du 2nd tour et les députés élus en PACA|url=https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/politique/legislatives-les-resultats-du-2nd-tour-et-les-deputes-elus-en-paca-1497543749|access-date=2020-06-03|website=France Bleu|first=Isabelle|last=Lassalle|language=fr}} Cesarini died on March 29, 2020, and Zitouni automatically succeeded him the next day.{{Cite web|date=2020-03-29|title=Atteint d'un cancer, le député LREM de Vaucluse, Jean-François Cesarini, est décédé|url=https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/politique/le-president-de-l-assemblee-nationale-annonce-le-deces-de-jean-francois-cesarini-1585505749|access-date=2020-06-03|website=France Bleu|first=Philippe|last=Paupert|language=fr}}
In parliament, Zitouni joined the LREM group.{{Cite web|title=Modifications à la composition des groupes - Assemblée nationale|url=http://www2.assemblee-nationale.fr/qui/modifications-a-la-composition-des-groupes|access-date=2020-06-03|website=www2.assemblee-nationale.fr}} She served on the Committee on Sustainable Development and Regional Planning.[http://www2.assemblee-nationale.fr/deputes/fiche/OMC_PA721864 Souad Zitouni] National Assembly
In 2020, Zitouni joined En commun (EC), a group within LREM led by Barbara Pompili.Maël Thierry (22 May 2020), [https://www.nouvelobs.com/politique/20200522.OBS29170/l-appel-de-46-deputes-lrem-nous-voulons-peser-de-l-interieur.html L’appel de 46 députés LREM : « Nous voulons peser de l’intérieur »] L'Obs.
Zitouni lost her seat in the first round of the 2022 French legislative election.{{Cite web |last=à 11h28 |first=Par Le Parisien Le 12 juin 2022 |last2=À 23h04 |first2=Modifié Le 12 Juin 2022 |date=2022-06-12 |title=Législatives 2022 : les résultats dans le Vaucluse |url=https://www.leparisien.fr/elections/legislatives/legislatives-2022-quels-resultats-pour-le-premier-tour-dans-le-vaucluse-12-06-2022-NFAVXP7R45F5VPPEE2N2YZ3UBM.php |access-date=2022-06-13 |website=leparisien.fr |language=fr-FR}}
Political positions
In 2020, Zitouni went against her parliamentary group's majority and abstained from an important vote on a much discussed security bill drafted by her colleagues Alice Thourot and Jean-Michel Fauvergue that helps, among other measures, curtail the filming of police forces.[http://www2.assemblee-nationale.fr/scrutins/detail/(legislature)/15/(num)/3254 Analyse du scrutin n° 3254, deuxième séance du 24/11/2020: Scrutin public sur l'ensemble de la proposition de loi relative à la sécurité globale (première lecture)] National Assembly.Elisa Braun (November 24, 2020), [https://www.politico.eu/article/controversial-security-bill-puts-mounting-pressure-on-macron/ Controversial security bill puts pressure on French interior minister] Politico Europe.
References
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Category:Deputies of the 15th National Assembly of the French Fifth Republic
Category:French people of Algerian descent
Category:21st-century French women politicians
Category:Aix-Marseille University alumni
Category:Algerian emigrants to France
Category:Women members of the National Assembly (France)
Category:21st-century French lawyers