16 Facts About Patrick Devedjian

Patrick Devedjian was a French politician of the Union for a Popular Movement party.

Patrick Devedjian was the grandson of the Armenian zoologist and Ottoman bureaucrat Karekin Deveciyan.

Patrick Devedjian's father was born in Sivas, Ottoman Empire and arrived in France after the First World War.

Patrick Devedjian joined the far-right group Occident in 1963, at the age of 17.

Patrick Devedjian was admitted to the Paris Bar in 1970.

Patrick Devedjian became a militant in the Gaullist movement in 1971 and took part in the foundation of the Rally for the Republic party in 1976.

In 1983, Patrick Devedjian was elected Mayor of Antony, a position he would hold until 2002 with re-elections in 1989,1995 and 2001.

Patrick Devedjian was a member of the Assembly Committee on Finance and was rapporteur of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade Committee.

Patrick Devedjian became a close adviser to Nicolas Sarkozy and came back into favour during the presidential campaign of 2002.

Patrick Devedjian was replaced in Parliament by his substitute Georges Siffredi.

When Nicolas Sarkozy became Minister of the Economy and Finance in 2004, Patrick Devedjian followed him as Deputy Minister for Industry.

When Nicolas Sarkozy resigned from Government and became President of the Union for a Popular Movement party, Patrick Devedjian became his political advisor.

That evening, Patrick Devedjian apologized in private, then issued a press release deploring the broadcast of "stolen images of a private conversation".

Patrick Devedjian said he regretted his "inappropriate exclamation about Mrs Anne-Marie Comparini" and said, "he sent her his regards and esteem".

Patrick Devedjian apologized again in public at a press conference the next day, but it was too late to forestall a storm of criticism.

The president of TLM said that Patrick Devedjian had asked for the interview not to be broadcast "but Mr Patrick Devedjian knew he was being filmed".