Roger Duchet
| Roger Duchet | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Minister of Posts, Telegraphs, and Telephones | |
|
In office 4 October 1951 – 28 June 1953 |
|
| Preceded by | Joseph Laniel |
| Succeeded by | Pierre Ferri |
| Minister of Reconstruction and Housing | |
|
In office 23 February 1955 – 1 February 1956 |
|
| Preceded by | Maurice LeMayre |
| Succeeded by | Pierre de Félice |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
4 July 1904 Lyon, Rhone, France |
| Died | 6 September 1981 (aged 77) Paris, France |
| Nationality | French |
| Occupation | Veterinarian |
Roger Duchet (4 July 1904 – 6 September 1981) was a French veterinarian and politician. He was Minister of PTT from 1951 to 1953, and Minister of Reconstruction from 1955 to 1956. After leaving politics he became involved in film production.
Roger Duchet was born on 4 July 1904 in Lyon, Rhone. He was a veterinarian by profession. He attended the Veterinary School of Lyon, and graduated in 1928. He set up in practice as a vetinerarian in Beaune in 1928, where he married Simone Serre. In 1931 he was President of the Union of Livestock Breeders.
Duchet was elected mayor of Beaune as a Radical Socialist in October 1932. At the age of 28 he was the youngest mayor in France. He chaired the Radical Socialist Federation of Côte d’Or. In 1937 he was elected to the general council of the Côte-d'Or as representative of Beaune-Sud. He was an energetic and efficient mayor of Beaune. He modernized the city and reorganized the public services. He created a large school, kindergartens, a summer camp, and other improvements. He revived trade fairs and wine festivals, and promoted agriculture in the region.
During World War II (1939–45) Duchet was mobilized in 1939 as a lieutenant-veterinarian. He was taken prisoner, and released at the end of 1940. During the war Duchet supported Marshal Philippe Pétain. For this, he was deposed on 9 September 1944 after the Liberation of France. However, he was reelected in May 1945. He was then elected councilor-general of Beaune.
On 8 December 1946 Duchet was elected to the Council of the Republic for Côte d'Or. He helped organize the right-wing Independent Republican group. He was reelected on 7 November 1948, and sat on the Finance and Press committees. In 1949 Duchet, René Coty and Jean Boivin-Champeaux created the Centre National des Indépendants (CNI, National Center of Independents), which became the main party of the French Fourth Republic. Duchet also founded the journal France Indépendante.
During the 1950s Duchet became more conservative. He fought against communism and was in favor of a French Algeria. In the second cabinet of René Pleven he was Secretary of State for Public works from 11 August 1951 to 4 October 1951, then Minister of Posts, Telegraphs, and Telephones. He retained the PTT portfolio in the cabinets of Edgar Faure, Antoine Pinay and René Mayer until 28 June 1953. He was Minister of Reconstruction and Housing from 23 February 1955 to 1 February 1956. He was reelected to the Senate on 19 June 1955.
...
Wikipedia