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Christian Vanneste

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Christian Vanneste
Member of the National Assembly
for Nord's 10th constituency
In office
2002–2012
Preceded byJean-Pierre Balduyck
Succeeded byGérald Darmanin
Personal details
Born (1947-07-14) 14 July 1947 (age 77)
Tourcoing, France
Political partyUMP

Christian Vanneste (born 14 July 1947) is a French politician. He served two terms as a deputy in the French Parliament (2002-2012), representing the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP).

Career

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A member of the French Parliament, he was elected in the 10th constituency of Nord. He sat with the parliamentary group of the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP).

In 2005/2006, he reported on the controversial DADVSI copyright bill.

He was beaten in the first round of the June 2012 legislative elections.

Controversy

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In January 2006, Vanneste became the first French citizen to be fined €3,000 (in the first instance, but later relaxed) for his homophobic remarks. During a debate in the National Assembly of France, and afterwards in the media, he declared homosexual behavior a threat to the survival of humanity, and "morally inferior" to heterosexuality.[1] The judgement, after a refused appeal, was eventually cancelled by the Cour de cassation on 12 November 2008.[2]

In 2012, Vanneste again encountered controversy after referring to the deportation from France of homosexuals in the Holocaust as a "famous legend", though he acknowledges that they were persecuted in other parts of the Reich.[3] Vanneste may or may not face Holocaust denial charges for the comment. He nevertheless received the support of Serge Klarsfeld the famous French "nazi-hunter".[4] Dominique de Villepin, the former French Prime Minister also admitted that "on historical grounds", his comments were true.[5]

He belongs to the Club de l'horloge (today Carrefour de l'horloge).[6]

References

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  1. ^ Têtu, July–August 2007 issue, page 4
  2. ^ Chambre criminelle de la Cour de cassation française [fr]. 12 novembre 2008, pourvoi n° 07-83398
  3. ^ "French MP Under Fire for Antigay Comments | News | the Advocate". Archived from the original on 2012-02-20. Retrieved 2012-02-17.
  4. ^ "EXCLUSIF ! Klarsfeld défend Vanneste : " en France, il n'y a pas eu de déportation d'homosexuels "". 15 February 2012.
  5. ^ "Éric Zemmour et Dominique de Villepin au secours de Christian Vanneste (Et de la vérité historique)". 6 March 2012.
  6. ^ See Philippe Lamy's thesis: http://www.theses.fr/2016PA080034/document.
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