Charles Pasqua


Charles Pasqua (born 18 April, 1927) is a French businessman and politician.

He was born in Grasse, Alpes-Maritimes, France and has a degree in Law.

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Political career

From 1952 to 1971, he worked for Ricard, a producer of alcoholic beverages (most notably pastis), starting as a salesman.

In 1947, he helped create the section of the RPF movement for the Alpes-Maritimes.

With Jacques Foccart, he helped create the Service d'Action Civique (SAC) in 1959 to counter the terrorist actions of the OAS during the Algerian War of Independence (1954-1962). The SAC would be charged with the underground actions of the Gaullist movement and participated in the organization of the 30 May, 1968 Gaullist counter-demonstration; it was officially dissolved by President Mitterrand in 1982, after the "Auriol massacre" on the night of 18 July, 1981 (the five members of the Auriol commando were condemned on 1 May, 1985 to sentences between 15 years of prison and life-sentences; however, the mastermind behind inspector Massié's murder was never identified) [1].

From 1968 to 1973, he was deputy to the French National Assembly for the Hauts-de-Seine département for the UDR, of which he was a leading member from 1974 to 1976.

From 1981 to 1986, he was senator for the Hauts-de-Seine, then president of the RPR group in the Senate.

From 1986 to 1988, and from 1993 to 1995 he was Interior Minister (in charge of law enforcement). He is mostly remembered for having pushed a series of anti-immigration laws (lois Pasqua).

Pasqua distanced itself in 1998 from RPR and Jacques Chirac, arguing that Chirac was not a true heir of Gaullism. He then headed the Rassemblement pour la France (RPF), a small sovereignist (Eurosceptic) party, for a while in association with Philippe de Villiers. In 2002, he tried to run for president, but dropped out after alledgedly failing to obtain the 500 representatives'signatures needed to enter the race. (Many suspect that he decided not to run because Jean-Marie Le Pen's presence in the election did not leave him enough political space).

In 2003, he was elected a deputy to the European parliament. In 2004, he was elected senator by an electoral college. Many commentators alleged that this senate position, granting parliamentary immunity, was motivated by prosecution closing on Pasqua with respect to corruption practices in the Hauts-de-Seine département.

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Corruption scandals

He was named in corruption scandals concerning the public housing projects of the Hauts-de-Seine (see Corruption scandals in the Paris region).

In 2004, his name appeared on the list, published by al Mada, of people who allegedly received corruption money from Saddam Hussein's government in Iraq during the Oil for Food program. He has denied the charges.

In 2005 a US Senate report accused him, along with the British Respect MP, George Galloway, of receiving the right to buy oil under the UN's oil-for-food scheme. Pasqua denies the charges and pointed out that all evidence shown by the Senatorial panel shows that the Iraqi regime intended to "reward" Pasqua, and gave oil "vouchers" to intermediaries, but shows no indication that any of this had reached Pasqua.

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Footnotes

  1. ↑  "Un beau travail d'action civique", in Le Canard Enchaîné #4441, December 7, 2005
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External links


Preceded by:
Pierre Joxe 		Minister of the Interior
1986-1988 		Succeeded by:
Pierre Joxe
Preceded by:
Paul Quilès 		Minister of the Interior
1993-1995 		Succeeded by:
Jean-Louis Debré
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