Bruno Gilles (French pronunciation: [bʁy.no ʒil]; born 26 December 1960) is a French politician who represented the Bouches-du-Rhône department in the Senate from 2008 to 2020. A former member of The Republicans, he joined Horizons in 2021. Gilles previously served as the member of the National Assembly for the 5th constituency of Bouches-du-Rhône from 2002 to 2007.

Bruno Gilles
Senator for Bouches-du-Rhône
In office
1 October 2008 – 30 September 2020
Member of the National Assembly
for Bouches-du-Rhône's 5th constituency
In office
19 July 2002 – 19 June 2007
Preceded byRenaud Muselier
Succeeded byRenaud Muselier
Personal details
Born26 December 1960 (1960-12-26) (age 63)
Marseille, France
Political partyRally for the Republic (1979–2002)
Union for a Popular Movement (2002–2015)
The Republicans (2015–2019)
Horizons (2021–present)

Political career

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Gilles held the mayorship of the 3rd sector of Marseille, which encompasses the 4th and 5th arrondissements, from 1995 to 2017. He was first elected to the municipal council of Marseille in 1995. In 2020, he was named 3rd sector honorary mayor by the prefect of Bouches-du-Rhône.[1]

Gilles entered Parliament in 2002 as Renaud Muselier's substitute. He finished his term in the 12th National Assembly. In 2008, he was elected to the Senate on the Union for a Popular Movement list led by Marseille Mayor Jean-Claude Gaudin.

From 2016 to 2020, Gilles served as chair of The Republicans in Bouches-du-Rhône.[2] Ahead of The Republicans 2016 presidential primary, he endorsed Nicolas Sarkozy as the party's candidate for the 2017 French presidential election.[3] Amid the Fillon affair, in March 2017, he publicly called on François Fillon to withdraw as the party's candidate in the election.[4]

In the party's 2017 leadership election, Gilles later endorsed Laurent Wauquiez.[5] He left the party in 2019.

Since 2022, Gilles has been leading Édouard Philippe's Horizons party in Marseille.[6]

Personal life

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Gilles received a heart transplant in 2017.

References

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  1. ^ "RECUEIL DES ACTES ADMINISTRATIFS SPÉCIAL N°13-2017-225" (in French), p. 58.
  2. ^ Jean-Francois Rosnoblet (4 February 2017), "Regional party chief urges Fillon to drop French presidential bid", Reuters.
  3. ^ Mathieu Lehot (28 October 2016), "À Marseille, Nicolas Sarkozy galvanise ses fidèles", Le Point (in French).
  4. ^ Jean-Francois Rosnoblet (4 February 2017), "Regional party chief urges Fillon to drop French presidential bid", Reuters.
  5. ^ Ludovic Vigogne (11 October 2017), "La liste des 136 parrains de Laurent Wauquiez", L’Opinion (in French).
  6. ^ Gilles Rof (11 February 2022), "Le retour du dissident LR Bruno Gilles à Marseille", Le Monde (in French).
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