Robert Poujade (French pronunciation: [ʁɔbɛʁ puʒad]; 6 May 1928 – 8 April 2020),[1] born in Moulins, Allier, was a French politician. He was the first French Minister of the Environment and was mayor of Dijon from 1971 to 2001.[2]

Robert Poujade
Mayor of Dijon
In office
25 March 1971 – 25 March 2001
Preceded byJean Veillet
Succeeded byFrançois Rebsamen
Minister of Ecology
In office
7 January 1971 – 1 March 1974
Prime MinisterJacques Chaban-Delmas
Pierre Messmer
Succeeded byAlain Peyrefitte
Personal details
Born(1928-05-06)6 May 1928
Moulins, France
Died8 April 2020(2020-04-08) (aged 91)
Paris, France
Political partyRally for the Republic
Alma materÉcole normale supérieure

Biography

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The son of a professor of literature, Poujade became a teacher in literature after having studied at the Ecole normale supérieure.

Initially politically active for environmental causes, and a member in the successive Gaullist parties (RPF, UNR, UDR, RPR), Poujade became the first Minister of the Environment in France in 1971. He served in the government of Prime Minister Jacques Chaban-Delmas, under the presidency of Georges Pompidou.

As an opponent to the mayor of Dijon Félix Kir, Robert Poujade ran for Member of Parliament for the first time in 1962. He succeeded only in 1967, and stayed at the parliament to 1981, year of Mitterrand's victory. He was returned at the National Assembly in year 1986 and held the post continuously until his retirement in 2002.

In Dijon, Robert Poujade entered the city council in 1968. After Felix Kir's death in 1971, he became the first Gaullist mayor of Dijon. He retired in 2001, and his successor Jean-François Bazin lost the election against François Rebsamen, who became the first Socialist mayor of the City since before the Second World War.[3]

References

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  1. ^ "L'ancien maire de Dijon Robert Poujade est mort" (in French). France 3 Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. 2020-04-14. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  2. ^ Cody, Edward (25 October 2009). "A place known for mustard shows fine taste for conservation". The Washington Post. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  3. ^ "Côte-d'Or - Carnet noir. Robert Poujade, ancien maire de Dijon et figure politique du XXe siècle, est mort". www.bienpublic.com (in French). Retrieved 2022-02-04.