Christian Vanneste

Christian Vanneste' (born July 14, 1947 in Tourcoing, Nord) is a French politician, member of the UMP and RPR, he was twice elected as deputy.

Career

A member of the French Parliament, he was elected in the 10th constituency of Nord. He belongs to the parliamentary group of the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP).

In 2005/2006, he reported on the controversial DADVSI copyright bill.

He was beaten in the first round of the June 2012 legislative elections.

Controversy

On January 2006, Vanneste became the first French citizen, and the first French politician, to be fined €3,000 (in the first instance, but later relaxed) for his homophobic remarks. During a debate in the Assemblée Nationale, and afterwards in the media, he declared homosexual behavior a threat to the survival of humanity, and "morally inferior" to heterosexuality.[1] The judgement, after a refused appeal, was eventually cancelled by the Cour de cassation on November 12, 2008.[2]

In 2012, Vanneste again encountered controversy after referring to the deportation from France of homosexuals in the Holocaust as a "famous legend", though he acknowledges that they were persecuted in other parts of the Reich.[3] Vanneste may or may not face Holocaust denial charges for the comment. He nevertheless received the support of Serge Klarsfeld the famous French "nazi-hunter".[4] Dominique de Villepin, the former French Prime Minister also admitted that "on historical grounds", his comments were true.[5]

References


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