Éric Ciotti
Éric Ciotti (French pronunciation: [eʁik sjɔti] ⓘ, Italian: [ˈtʃɔtti]; born 28 September 1965) is a French politician who has led the Gaullist The Republicans (LR) party since 2022. He has represented the 1st constituency of the Alpes-Maritimes department in the National Assembly since the 2007 legislative election. He is a member of his party's right-wing, seeking to distance it from Emmanuel Macron's presidency.
Éric Ciotti | |
|---|---|
Ciotti in 2023 | |
| President of The Republicans | |
| Assumed office 11 December 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Christian Jacob |
| Member of the National Assembly for Alpes-Maritimes's 1st constituency | |
| Assumed office 20 June 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Jérôme Rivière |
| President of the Departmental Council of Alpes-Maritimes | |
| In office 18 December 2008 – 15 September 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Christian Estrosi |
| Succeeded by | Charles Ange Ginésy |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 28 September 1965 Nice, France |
| Political party | The Republicans (2015–present) |
| Other political affiliations | Rally for the Republic (1981–2002) Union for a Popular Movement (2002–2015) |
| Alma mater | Sciences Po |
Ciotti briefly served as First Deputy Mayor of Nice under Mayor Christian Estrosi in 2008, before he assumed the presidency of the Departmental Council of Alpes-Maritimes from 2008 to 2017. He sought the party's nomination for the 2022 presidential election at its 2021 congress; he unexpectedly placed first in the first round of voting, but was defeated by centre-right candidate Valérie Pécresse in the second round. In December 2022, following Pécresse's historic loss in the presidential election, he was elected president of The Republicans, placing first in the first round and winning the second round against Senator Bruno Retailleau, with whom he has worked closely with since he took office as leader.