Mermaz became an ally of
François Mitterrand in the late 1950s and in 1971 became a member of Mitterrand's staff in the
French Socialist Party. In 1967, he was elected Deputy of
Isère for the first time. In 1981, he was appointed
Minister of Transport in the first government of socialist
Pierre Mauroy, before his election to
Presidency of the National Assembly. He served in this office to 1986. He served as
Minister of Agriculture from 1990 to 1992, and Minister of Relations with Parliament in the
Bérégovoy government from 1992 to 1993. He was also
Government's spokesperson in the same cabinet. From 2001 to 2011, he was senator of Isère. Mermaz died in
Limours on 15 August 2024, at the age of 92. ==References==