French Senator François Patriat, leader of President Emmanuel Macron's parliamentary group in the Senate, has died aged 83 at a hospital in Dijon.
The senator for Côte-d'Or passed away on Wednesday 19 August from complications following a serious bicycle accident on 17 July, his parliamentary group confirmed to AFP.
Patriat had been hospitalized after being found unconscious during a bicycle ride in Pouilly-en-Auxois, a commune in the Côte-d'Or department of eastern France where he spent much of his public life.
Tributes from Emmanuel Macron and government ministers
French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute on the social media platform X to the veteran politician who supported him from the launch of his political movement. Macron wrote that he had lost a dear friend, adding that Côte-d'Or and Burgundy had lost one of their most faithful servants and the Republic one of its most indefatigable artisans.
Aurore Bergé, the minister for gender equality, said on X that Patriat had spent his entire life serving the French public with dedication, kindness, and intelligence. Benjamin Haddad, the minister delegate for Europe, praised him as a warm and loyal figure who was deeply attached to his native Burgundy region.
Mathieu Lefèvre, the government official responsible for ecological transition, described his passing as an immense loss for public debate. Industry Minister Sébastien Martin, a fellow Burgundian, recalled Patriat's deep love for their territory, which he said was expressed with passion and unmatched enthusiasm.
Former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal wrote on X that Patriat dedicated his life to the public interest while defending his convictions without giving up his independence or frankness. Attal noted that Patriat guided their Senate group with determination and constancy, establishing himself as an essential figure in the upper chamber.
A five-decade career in French politics
A veterinarian by profession, Patriat spent fifty years in public office before announcing his intention to step down earlier this summer. His career in local governance began in 1976 when he was elected as a general councillor for Côte-d'Or. He later held office as a mayor, a member of the National Assembly, and a regional councillor for Burgundy, where he eventually served as regional president.
In 2000, Prime Minister Lionel Jospin appointed Patriat to government as Secretary of State for Small and Medium Enterprises, Trade, and Craft Industry. Jospin subsequently promoted him to full cabinet rank as Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, a post he held during the final years of Jospin's administration.
Patriat was elected to the Senate, the upper house of the French Parliament sitting at the Luxembourg Palace, in 2008 to represent Côte-d'Or. He was an early supporter of Macron, attending the launch of the En Marche movement in 2016, and created the macronist parliamentary group, the Rassemblement des démocrates, progressistes et indépendants (RDPI), in 2017.
Decision not to seek re-election
In July, shortly before his fatal bicycle accident, the veteran politician announced that he would not stand for re-election in the upcoming senatorial elections, marking the final chapter of a political trajectory that spanned half a century.
