Charles Pasqua
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Charles Pasqua (born April 18, 1927) - is a French businessman and politician. He was born in Grasse, Alpes-Maritimes, France and has a degree in Law.
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. In 1968, he helped create the Service d'Action Civique and participated in the organization of the May 30, 1968 Gaullist counter-demonstration.
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 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 a small sovereignist (Eurosceptic) party, for a while in association with Philippe de Villiers. 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.
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 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.
External links
- Official page as senator (http://www.senat.fr/senfic/pasqua_charles77053g.html)
- US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, 12 May 2005, "Report on oil allocations granted to Charles Pasqua & George Galloway" (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/11_05_05_psi_report.pdf)fr:Charles Pasqua