Philippe Vigier (; born 3 February 1958) is a French politician who served as Minister Delegate for the Overseas in the government of Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne from 2023 to 2024.Nathalie Guibert (21 July 2023), Remaniement: à peine nommé, le ministre des outre-mer Philippe Vigier déjà critiqué Le Monde.
A member of the Democratic Movement (MoDem), which he joined in 2020 upon leaving The Centrists (LC), he has represented the 4th constituency of the Eure-et-Loir department in the National Assembly since 2024, previously holding the seat from 2007 until his appointment to the government in 2023. Vigier has also held a seat in the Regional Council of Centre-Val de Loire since 2021, previously holding office from 1995 to 2014 when the region was named Centre.
Early life and education At age 16, Vigier campaigned for Valéry Giscard d'Estaing in the 1974 presidential election."Ils se souviennent de VGE : le député d'Eure-et-Loir Philippe Vigier s'est engagé en politique grâce à lui", L'Écho Républicain (in French), 3 December 2020.
Political career Career in local politics A biologist by occupation, Vigier became a Deputy Mayor of Châteaudun and regional councillor of Centre in 1995, positions he held until 1998 and 2014, respectively. In 2001, he was elected to the mayorship of Cloyes-sur-le-Loir, Eure-et-Loir, which he held until 2017.
In the 2015 regional election, Vigier led the Union of the Right and Centre (UDC) list in Centre-Val de Loire (formerly Centre)."Philippe Vigier lance sa campagne des régionales 2015 en Centre-Val de Loire", France Bleu, 27 June 2015. Despite favourable polls, the UDC list was narrowly defeated in the second round by the Socialist Party list led by outgoing Regional Council President François Bonneau. Vigier declined to take a seat in the regional council."Battu, Philippe Vigier renonce à siéger à la Région", France Bleu (in French), 16 December 2015. In 2021, he was returned to the regional council on the Democratic Movement list led by Agriculture Minister Marc Fesneau.
Deputy in the National Assembly In the 2007 legislative election, Vigier was elected to the National Assembly in the first round with 57.1% of the vote in the 4th constituency of Eure-et-Loir with the support of President Nicolas Sarkozy's Union for a Popular Movement. He was reelected in 2012 with 50.7% of the first-round vote.
In Parliament, Vigier presided over the Union of Democrats and Independents group from 2014 to 2017. In 2018, he was a founding member of the Liberties and Territories group,Tristan Quinault-Maupoil and Mathilde Siraud (17 October 2018), Assemblée nationale : création d'un nouveau groupe baptisé «Libertés et territoires», Le Figaro. which he co-presided until leaving for the Democratic Movement group in 2020.
Vigier served on the Committee on Social Affairs; he was a member of the Committee on Finance from 2007 to 2019. In addition to his committee assignments, he was a member of the French parliamentary friendship groups with Armenia and Italy.Philippe Vigier, French National Assembly. He also served as member of the French delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe from 2022, where he was part of the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development.Philippe Vigier, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
In the 2024 snap election, Vigier was reelected with 51.7% of the second-round vote, despite placing second in the first round behind Roger Pécout of The Republicans, who also had the support of the National Rally as part of the Union of the Far-Right.
In government On 20 July 2023, Vigier was appointed Minister Delegate for the Overseas under Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, in the government of Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne, replacing Jean-François Carenco. On 11 January 2024, less than six months into his position, he was succeeded by Marie Guévenoux, returning to the National Assembly.
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