Jean-Louis Debré, a Pillar of the French Fifth Republic, Dies at 80

Jean-Louis Debré, former President of the Constitutional Council and a key figure of the French right, has passed away at the age of 80. A longtime confidant of President Jacques Chirac, Debré held several major political positions, leaving an enduring mark on France’s institutions.

A Life Dedicated to Public Service

Debré’s political career spanned decades. He served as Minister of the Interior from 1995 to 1997, President of the National Assembly from 2002 to 2007, and President of the Constitutional Council from 2007 to 2016. A deputy for Eure for over 20 years, he was also mayor of Évreux from 2001 to 2007.

The son of Michel Debré — the architect of the Fifth Republic and its first Prime Minister — Jean-Louis Debré carried on his family’s legacy of public service. His twin brother, Bernard Debré, was also a former minister and deputy, who passed away in 2020.

Tributes to a Defender of Republican Values

Following the announcement of his death, tributes poured in. National Assembly President Yaël Braun-Pivet praised Debré’s lifelong commitment to defending the Republic and its institutions. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau hailed him as a “staunch Gaullist” and “a great servant of the state.”

A New Chapter in Retirement

After stepping back from political life, Debré devoted his final years to writing and the theater. In 2022, he took to the stage with his partner, Valérie Bochenek, performing their play These Women Who Awakened France.

His death marks the end of an era, closing the chapter on a statesman whose life was intimately intertwined with the history of modern France.