Roger Karoutchi (born August 26, 1951) is the Secretary of State to the French Prime Minister, with responsibility for Relations with Parliament.

 

 Early life

 

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

 

 Career

 

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 was gay. As such, he was the first French Secretary to come out while in office.

 

 Political career

 

Governmental function

 

Secretary of State for Relations with Parliament : Since 2007

 

Electoral mandates

 

Senator of Hauts-de-Seine : 1999-2007 (Became senator of Hauts-de-Seine)

 

Member of European Parliament : 1997-1999 (Became senator of Hauts-de-Seine in 1999)

 

Regional councillor of Ile-de-France : 1992-1994 / And since 1998

 

Vice-president of the Ragional Council of Ile-de-France : 1994-1998

 

Deputy-mayor of Villeneuve-la-Garenne : Since 2008

 

Municipal councillor of Nanterre : 1989-1995

 

Municipal councillor of Boulogne-Billancourt : 1995-2001