Roger Karoutchi (born 26 August 1951) is the French Ambassador to the OECD.[1] He is a former Secretary of State to the French Prime Minister, with responsibility for Relations with Parliament.[1]
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Karoutchi was born in Casablanca into a Sephardi family settled in Morocco in the 18th century. They had come from Livorno in Italy.
He received a master's degree from the Institut d'études politiques d'Aix-en-Provence.
He wrongly claims on his official résumé to have graduated from Sciences-Po.[2]
He became a history teacher, first in Goussainville, and then in Paris, teaching from 1975 to 1985. He continued his political activity, which he had started at the age of 16, during that period, being a national delegate of the Rassemblement pour la République (RPR) from 1981 to 1986.
At that time, he joined the office of Philippe Séguin, the Minister of Social Affairs and Employment, eventually becoming Séguin's chief of staff when he became president of the Assemblée nationale.
Karoutchi was a European delegate from 1997 to 1999 and Senator from Hauts-de-Seine from 1999 to 2007.
He was very active in the 2007 presidential campaign of Nicolas Sarkozy, with whom he has a close personal relationship.
In January 2009, Karoutchi publicly announced that he is gay.[3] As such, he was the first French Minister to come out while in office.[4]
He now works as the French Ambassador to the OECD.[5][6]
Governmental function
Secretary of State for Relations with Parliament : 2007-2009.
Electoral mandates
European Parliament
Member of European Parliament : 1997-1999 (Became senator of Hauts-de-Seine in 1999).
Senate of France
Senator of Hauts-de-Seine : 1999-2007 (Became secretary of State in 2007). Reelected in 2004.
Regional Council
Vice-president of the Regional Council of Ile-de-France : 1994-1998.
Regional councillor of Ile-de-France : Since 1992. Reelected in 1998, 2004.
Municipal Council
Deputy-mayor of Villeneuve-la-Garenne : Since 2008.
Municipal councillor of Villeneuve-la-Garenne : Since 2008.
Municipal councillor of Nanterre : 1989-1995.
Municipal councillor of Boulogne-Billancourt : 1995-2001.