Former French minister Patrick Devedjian, 75, becomes the highest politician in Europe to die from the corona virus
A French former cabinet minister and former president of the Parisian Haut-de-Seine administrative district has become one of the first high-profile politicians to die of COVID-19. Patrick Devedjian was 75.
Patrick Devedjian was the minister in charge of dealing with French recovery from the 2008 financial crisis. The 75-year-old first publicly announced he was suffering from symptoms of the novel coronavirus on Wednesday, Deutsche Welle reports.
Patrick Devedjian, 75-year-old president of the Hauts-de-Seine departmental council, succumbed to the virus early Sunday morning, three days after tweeting that he was “tired but stable.”
Devedjian, a married father of four, was in a Hospital, south of Paris, after being treated there since Wednesday. It was not known that he had an underlying medical condition.
“His condition worsened on Saturday,” said a family source. “Doctors decided to put him in an artificial coma, but he didn’t survive.”
‘Free spirit’
Fellow politicians immediately paid tribute to the politician on Twitter.
Former French Prime Minister Manuel Valls praised Devedjian’s “local roots.” “I liked Patrick Devedjian: his frank works, his humor, his local roots. He was affectionate and cultured,” he wrote on Twitter.
Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo tweeted her “great sadness.” “I extend my condolences to his wife and family. I think of our Armenian friends who have lost a brother today.”
“Great emotion at the announcement of the death of Patrick Devedjian, former minister, President of the Haut-de-Seine, committed republican, free spirit,” President of the National Assembly Richard Ferrand wrote. “My sincere condolences to his relatives and his family.”
“Great sadness at the death of Patrick Devedjian,” French Senate President Gerard Larcher wrote on Twitter. “Brave man and totally devoted to his city of Antony and to Haut-de-Seine. Condolences to his family and those close to him.”
The Armenian-French career politician held a number of ministerial positions since entering politics in 1983. He was also mayor of the town of Antony before becoming president of Haut-de-Seine, a department in western Paris.
Devedjian was a close adviser of Nicolas Sarkozy, he was Minister under the Prime Minister in charge of the Implementation of the Recovery Plan, a special ministerial post created for two years after the global financial crisis of 2008.
Devedjian was born in Fontainebleau, Seine-et-Marne. He is the grandson of the Armenian zoologist and bureaucrat Karekin Deveciyan. His father was born in Sivas, Ottoman Empire and arrived in France after escaping the Armenian Genocide. Devedjian received his early education in an Armenian school in Sèvres.
He dedicated his entire life to the defense of the Armenian Cause and made a tremendous contribution to France’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
PARIS, FRANCE – APRIL 21: Politician Patrick Devedjian and his wife Sophie attend the Concert in Memory of 100th Anniversary of Armenian Genocide at Theatre du Chatelet on April 21, 2015 in Paris, France. (Photo by Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images)
FRANCE – DECEMBER 01: Patrick Devedjian ,Deputy Mayor Of Antony On December 1St,1990 (Photo by Gilles BASSIGNAC/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
FRANCE – MAY 04: Minister For The Economy, Finance And Industry Nicolas Sarkozy Giving A Press Conference On May 4, 2004 In Paris, France. Minister Delegate For Industry, Patrick Devedjian (Photo by Jean-Luc LUYSSEN/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
FRANCE – JANUARY 07: Wishes ceremony of French President for Parliament members, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France on January 07th, 2009 – Patrick Devedjian, Minister in charge of Implementation of the Recovery Plan. (Photo by Thomas SAMSON/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)