Michel Vauzelle

Michel Vauzelle
President of the Regional Council
of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
In office
23 March 1998 – 18 December 2015
Preceded by Jean-Claude Gaudin
Succeeded by Christian Estrosi
Mayor of Arles
In office
18 June 1995 – 15 March 1998
Preceded by Jean-Paul Camoin
Succeeded by Paolo Toeschi
Minister of Justice
In office
2 April 1992 – 29 March 1993
Prime Minister Pierre Bérégovoy
Preceded by Henri Nallet
Succeeded by Pierre Méhaignerie
Member of the National Assembly
for Bouches-du-Rhône
In office
20 June 2007 – 20 June 2017
Preceded by Roland Chassain
Succeeded by Monica Michel
Constituency 16th
In office
12 June 1997 – 19 June 2002
Preceded by Thérèse Aillaud
Succeeded by Roland Chassain
Constituency 16th
In office
2 April 1986 – 2 May 1992
Preceded by Proportional representation
Succeeded by François Bernardini
Constituency At-large (1986–1988)
16th (1988–1992)
Personal details
Born 15 August 1944
Montélimar, France
Political party Socialist Party
Alma mater Sciences Po
Profession Lawyer, politician

Michel Vauzelle (born 15 August 1944) is a French politician who served as Keeper of the Seals of France, Minister of Justice under Prime Minister Pierre Bérégovoy from 1992 to 1993. A member of the Socialist Party (PS), he also served as Mayor of Arles from 1995 to 1998 and President of the Regional Council of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur from 1998 until 2015.

A native of Montélimar, Vauzelle was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Bouches-du-Rhône from 1986 to 1992 and again from 1997 to 2002 and 2007 to 2017. He was first elected at-large (1986–1988), before representing the department's 16th constituency. In 2007, he defeated Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) incumbent Roland Chassain who had previously defeated him in 2002. Vauzelle, who had a narrower victory against a National Front (FN) candidate in 2012, did not contest the 2017 legislative election, in which the seat was won by Monica Michel of La République En Marche! (LREM), a first-time candidate.

Honours