Gaston Defferre

Gaston, Paul, Charles Defferre , born with Marsillargues (Herault), - between Montpellier (Herault) and Nimes (Gard) - the September 14th 1910 and died with Marseilles the May 7th 1986 is a Politician French. Former mayor of Marseilles and Ministre. Wire of Paul Removes iron, acknowledged in Nimes and of Suzanne, born Causse. His third wife was the writer Edmonde Charles-Roux.

Course

Before the Release

After studies of right, it becomes lawyer at the bar of Marseilles in 1931 and militant Socialiste. In 1940, it is one of the resistant first socialist, within the Réseau Brutus - Boyer, under the pseudonym of Lieutenant-colonel Danver. It joined clandestinity when the Germans invade the free zone on November 12th 1942.

One of the rare known anecdotes of the combat of the shade will be that of an escape in Toulouse: it was necessary to make escape Malafosse, resisting essential, stopped, imprisoned. They arrive at four, of which Boyer and Defferre. Disguised as gendarmes, they penetrate in the prison with a false mandate to bring. Boyer remained in the car, traction-before. As they had only three pants blue for four, they thought that the jacket would be enough for the driver sitting at the wheel. Boyer is anxious. The starter is broken down and it is not necessary that the engine fixes. But the false gendarmes already passed the shackles to Malafosse, leave it prison, push it in the car which starts.

Man of an abrupt and direct frankness, it contributes with others like De Gaulle or Michel Debré to the popular insurrection against the German oppressor in 1944.

IVe Republic

It becomes again socialist mayor of Marseilles between 1953 and 1986 without counting the period 1944-1945.

It prepares, with the assistance of Pierre Messmer, the Décolonisation of the Black Africa as a minister of Guy Mollet in 1956-1957. For this purpose, it writes the outline law which bears its name.

Ve République

It makes vote yes with the constitutional referendum of 1958. Beaten at the legislative elections of 1958, it sits at the Sénat of 1959 to 1962 then finds its mandate of socialist deputy in 1962. He is constantly re-elected until 1986. He was president of the socialist group of the National Assembly.

In 1965, it is had a presentiment of to be candidate of the left opposition and the center to the presidential election, vis-a-vis the general de Gaulle. Its candidature is in particular inspired by the countryside of the weekly magazine the Express train, Gaston Defferre being the “Mr X”, ideal candidate of the opposition to the gaullism. Nevertheless, the negotiations between the socialist party SFIO and center MRP fail in June 1965. The idea of a great democratic movement, inspired of the American model and the president Kennedy, thus fails. François Mitterrand and Jean Lecanuet will carry finally the colors of the left and the centrism to the poll of December 1965.

In April 1969, the resignation of the de Gaulle general again opens the battle for the presidency of the Republic. Gaston Defferre is this time candidate, out of tandem with Pierre Mendès France which must become its Prime Minister in the event of election (there still, the selected strategy takes as a starting point the American model, with the “ticket” chair - vice-president). The positioning center and opposed to the operation of the V {{E}} Republic of Gaston Defferre and Pierre Mendès-France hardly allures the electorate, since the candidate collects only 1.133.222 votes with the first turn, that is to say 5% of the votes cast. It is victim of the competition of the center candidate Alain Poher, president of the Senate and leader the countryside of “not” with the referendum of April 27th, 1969, as well as that of Jacques Duclos, which fills the tank with the communist voices. This resounding failure will bring the foundation of new the Socialist party in 1971, and the choice of an alliance on the left with the French Communist party, around the common Programme, as from 1972.

After the victory of the left in 1981, Gaston Defferre is the initial choice of François Mitterrand to become its Prime Minister, but the president knows that the age of interested could pose problem. Remove iron advertisement the Interior and it obtains it while becoming decentralization and Minister of Interior Department, from May 21st, 1981 to July 17th, 1984 in the government of Pierre Mauroy then minister of state in charge with the Plan and Town and country planning in the government of Laurent Fabius from July 18th, 1984 to March 20th, 1986 during the first septennate of François Mitterrand. Its five years Beauveau places are marked by the implementation of the Décentralisation, one of the great reforms of the left.

Thierry the Lad, following rumors on its bonds with the Maffia Marseillaise, declared in connection with her nomination as Minister of Interior Department: “to deal with the organized crime, it was better a specialist” .

Mayor of Marseilles

It is mainly illustrated by its long mandate of Maire of Marseilles of 1953 until its death, in 1986, punctuated of doubtful businesses mixing political and Maffia. Post-war period at the years 1970, the influence of the Maffia on the city was accentuated, culminating with the " French Connection " , moment when the city becomes the place principal provider of drug in Europe.

In 1983, he is elected with less voice than his adversary Jean-Claude Gaudin: as a Minister of Interior Department, it came to modify the way of voting in the towns of Paris, Lyon and Marseilles: the election is done in each district for the first 2 cities, and Marseilles profited from a cutting in sectors adapted to the outgoing mayor. This cutting was modified after its death.

During its mandate, Marseilles sees its population increasing in a considerable way (repatriated Algeria…). The city develops in the urgency to meet the needs for the population. Many towers are set up, in a context privileging the concrete. The efforts of the municipality make pass in priority the development of new urban districts, with the detriment of the center town.

Two underground lines are built, the ground extracted the ground is used to create beaches artificial, officially called beaches Gaston Defferre , which does not prevent the Marseillais from calling them the Plages of Prado .

Gaston Defferre was also owner of the Marseilles daily newspapers Of Provence the (socialist) and the Southerner (of right-hand side).

Political mandates

Elective functions

  • Appointed socialist of the Rhone delta 1945 - 1958 and (1962) - (1981). July 24th, 1981, it is named with the government and resigns.
  • Mayor of Marseilles 1944 - 1945 and 1953 - 1986
  • Socialist senator of the Rhone delta elected on April 26th 1959, re-elected on September 23rd 1962. He resigns on December 13rd of the same year after being elected appointed.

Governmental functions

  • Secretary of State in charge of the Information of the Government Felix Gouin (from January 26th to June 24th, 1946)
  • Under-secretary of State in France with Overseas of the Government Leon Blum (3) (from December 16th, 1946 to January 22nd, 1947)
  • Minister for the Merchant navy of the Government Rene Pleven (1) (from July 12th, 1950 to March 10th, 1951)
  • Minister for the Merchant navy of the Government Henri Queuille (3) (from March 10th to August 11th, 1951)
  • Minister of France with overseas of the Government Guy Mollet (from February 1st, 1956 to June 13rd, 1957)
  • Minister of state, Decentralization and Minister of Interior Department Government Pierre Mauroy (1) (from May 22nd to June 23rd, 1981)
  • Minister of state, Minister of Interior Department and Decentralization of the Government Pierre Mauroy (2) (from June 23rd, 1981 to March 22nd, 1983)
  • Minister of Interior Department and Decentralization of the Government Pierre Mauroy (3) (from March 22nd, 1983 to July 17th, 1984)
  • Minister of state in charge of the Plan and Town and country planning with the Government Laurent Fabius (from July 17th, 1984 to March 20th, 1986)

Anecdote

He disputed the last official Duel of the French history in 1967 against Rene Ribière with which he had had different in the hemicycle from the National Assembly. After holdhaving held four minutes its adversary will be wounded twice. A video of this duel is available below in the bonds.

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