Noël Mamère (; born 25 December 1948) is a French

journalist A journalist is a person who gathers information in the form of text, audio or pictures, processes it into a newsworthy form and disseminates it to the public. This is called journalism. Roles Journalists can work in broadcast, print, advertis ...

and former

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

. He was the

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

of Bègles in

Gironde Gironde ( , US usually , ; , ) is the largest department in the southwestern French region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Named after the Gironde estuary, a major waterway, its prefecture is Bordeaux. In 2019, it had a population of 1,623,749.

from 1989 to 2017, as well as deputy to the

French National Assembly The National Assembly (, ) is the lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral French Parliament under the French Fifth Republic, Fifth Republic, the upper house being the Senate (France), Senate (). The National Assembly's legislators are known ...

for Gironde's 3rd constituency from 1997 to 2017. He also served as a

Member of the European Parliament A member of the European Parliament (MEP) is a person who has been Election, elected to serve as a popular representative in the European Parliament. When the European Parliament (then known as the Common Assembly of the European Coal and S ...

from 1994 to 1997.

Biography

Noël Mamère rose to fame in the 1980s as a

and anchorman, in particular on Antenne 2. In 1992, he became president of Brice Lalonde's '' Ecology Generation'' party, from which he was expelled in 1994. He then founded "Ecology-Solidarity Convergences", of which he was president, before joining ''Les Verts'' in 1998. In 2002, he was a presidential candidate and garnered 5.25% of the votes. On 5 June 2004, whilst mayor of Bègles, he stirred up controversy by conducting a marriage ceremony for a male homosexual couple, nine years before

same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same legal Legal sex and gender, sex. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 38 countries, with a total population of 1.5 ...

became legal in France. The marriage was annulled by the courts on 27 July 2004. The couple appealed to the

European Court of Human Rights The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), also known as the Strasbourg Court, is an international court of the Council of Europe which interprets the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The court hears applications alleging that a co ...

, who ultimately upheld the annulment in 2016, but acknowledged that, by then, it was now legal for them to get married.

Political career

Member of

European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the two legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it ...

: 1994–1997 (Resignation, elected in the National Assembly of France). Elected in 1994. Member of the National Assembly of France for

: 1997–2017. Elected in 1997, reelected in 2002, 2007, 2012. Regional councillor of

Aquitaine Aquitaine (, ; ; ; ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Aguiéne''), archaic Guyenne or Guienne (), is a historical region of southwestern France and a former Regions of France, administrative region. Since 1 January 2016 it has been part of the administ ...

: 1992–1994 (Resignation) / March 1998 (Resignation). Reelected in 1998.

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

of Bègles : 1989–2017. Reelected in 1995, 2001, 2008, 2014. Municipal councillor of Bègles : 1989–2017. Reelected in 1995, 2001, 2008, 2014. Vice-president of the Urban Community of Bordeaux : 1989–2001. Reelected in 1995. Member of the Urban Community of Bordeaux : 1989–2001. Reelected in 1995.

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mamere, Noel 1948 births Living people 20th-century mayors of places in France 21st-century mayors of places in France People from Libourne Candidates in the 2002 French presidential election MEPs for France 1994–1999 Ecology Generation politicians Europe Ecology – The Greens politicians 20th-century French lawyers French television journalists French LGBTQ rights activists Mayors of places in Nouvelle-Aquitaine People from Bègles Deputies of the 12th National Assembly of the French Fifth Republic Deputies of the 13th National Assembly of the French Fifth Republic Deputies of the 14th National Assembly of the French Fifth Republic