He had been Secretary of State, Minister Delegate for Employment under François Mitterrand and deputy on several occasions. The PS du Nord federation announced this Sunday the death of Jean Le Garrec. Local socialist figures paid tribute to him without delay.
Former minister and former socialist deputy Jean Le Garrec died at the age of 92, the PS federation announced on Sunday in a press release, hailing a “man of values” with “tremendous political contributions”.
Jean Le Garrec successively occupied several posts of Secretary of State and one of minister, within the governments of Pierre Mauroy and Laurent Fabius, between 1981 and 1986, recall the socialists of the North. He was notably responsible for implementing the policy of nationalization following the victory of François Mitterrand, but also for planning, employment and even the civil service.
He was also regional councilor for Nord Pas-de-Calais and deputy for the Nord from 1981 to 1993 in Cambraisis, then from 1997 to 2007 on the coast; serving as Chairman of the Finance and Cultural, Family and Social Affairs Committee at the National Assembly.
A “man of values” with “huge political contributions”
“We are losing a man of values whose political contributions are immense”. “In the North, he has worked tirelessly for the industrial restructuring of the territory and the protection of workers, in particular steelworkers”, declared in this press release the first federal secretary of the North Sarah Kerrich.
“One of his last commitments as a deputy was the care of asbestos victims. His role was decisive in the evolution of the status of contaminated employees,” she adds. “So many memories and fights shared with Jean for whom I had immense affection. Very sad day”, also regretted on Twitter the PS mayor of Lille Martine Aubry.
“Tribute to Jean Le Garrec. MP, minister … but always with the left as a compass. That of the workers he tirelessly defended. In their rights and their dignity”, still greeted, on Twitter, the PS deputy from Essonne Jerome Guedj.
