Charles de Courson

Charles Amédée Simon du Buisson de Courson was born on 2 April 1952, in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. His father, Aymard de Courson, a Popular Republican Movement (MRP) politician, held the mayorship of Vanault-les-Dames from 1953 to 1985 and represented the canton of Heiltz-le-Maurupt in the General Council of Marne from 1958 to 1985, when he died. Through his father, Charles de Courson is a grandson of Captain Félix Marie Robert du Buisson de Courson of the 308th Infantry Regiment, Mort pour la France at the 1916 Battle of the Somme. His paternal grandmother, Germaine Charlotte Lhuillier, was deported to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany amid World War II, where she died in 1945. Through his mother, Charles de Courson is a grandson of politician Léonel de Moustier, who was also deported to Germany, where he died at Neuengamme concentration camp in 1945. He is also a descendant of politician Louis-Michel le Peletier and diplomat Elénor-François-Elie. ==Political career==

De Courson succeeded his father both as mayor and general councillor in 1986. In 1993, he was elected to the National Assembly in the 5th constituency of Marne. Following his reelection in 2022, he became the longest-serving deputy in the National Assembly. In 2024, he ran in the first two rounds of voting for President of the National Assembly, before removing his name ahead of the final round; the position eventually went to incumbent Yaël Braun-Pivet. ==Political positions==

De Courson opposed the 2013 legalisation of same-sex marriage in France, instead proposing a civil union pact. Ahead of the 2016 The Republicans presidential primary, he supported Alain Juppé. Following François Fillon winning the primary, he joined his campaign team. De Courson opposed the Socialist-led 2013 pension reform, instead co-signing an amendment providing for a gradual increase in the legal retirement age to 65. He supported the 2022 presidential candidacy of Valérie Pécresse, whose programme included a postponement of the retirement age to 65. However, in 2023, he opposed raising the legal retirement age to 64, In 2017, he proposed increasing the monthly compensation for deputies from €5,600 to €9,000 "to ensure them a decent living". He later added: "I have been earning 3,500 euros net after tax for 30 years and working more than 100 hours a week." ==See also==