Philippe de Villiers

Philippe de Villiers
De Villiers in 2009
President of the Movement for France
In office 20 November 1994 – 28 June 2018
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Member of the European Parliament
In office 20 July 2004 – 30 June 2014
Constituency	West France
In office 20 July 1999 – 16 December 1999
Constituency	France
In office 19 July 1994 – 15 June 1997
Constituency	France
President of the General Council of Vendée
In office 3 October 1988 – 31 October 2010
Preceded by	Michel Crucis
Succeeded by	Bruno Retailleau
Member of the National Assembly for Vendée
In office 12 June 1997 – 19 July 2004
Preceded by	Bruno Retailleau
Succeeded by	Véronique Besse
Constituency	4th
In office 23 June 1988 – 24 October 1994
Preceded by	Proportional representation
Succeeded by	Bruno Retailleau
Constituency	4th
In office 2 June 1987 – 14 May 1988
Preceded by	Vincent Ansquer
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
Constituency	At-large
Secretary of State for Culture
In office 20 March 1986 – 25 June 1987
Prime Minister	Jacques Chirac
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Personal details
Born	(1949-03-25) 25 March 1949 (age 75) Boulogne, France
Political party	Reconquête (2021–present)[1]
Other political affiliations	Republican Party (1985–1994) Movement for France (1994–2018)
Spouse	Dominique du Buor de Villeneuve
Children	7
Relatives	Pierre de Villiers (brother)
Alma mater	University of Nantes Sciences Po École nationale d'administration

Philippe Marie Jean Joseph Le Jolis de Villiers de Saintignon, known as Philippe de Villiers (French: [filip də vilje]; born 25 March 1949), is a French entrepreneur, politician and novelist.^[2] He is the founder of the Puy du Fou theme park in Vendée, which is centred around the history of France. Appointed Secretary of State for Culture in 1986 by President François Mitterrand, de Villiers entered the National Assembly the following year and the European Parliament in 1994.

After leaving the Republican Party (PR) to found the Movement for France (MPF), he was its nominee in the 1995 and 2007 presidential elections.^[3] He received 4.74% of the vote the first time, placing seventh; he won 2.23% of the vote twelve years later, putting him in sixth place. De Villiers has been internationally notable for his criticism of mass immigration and Islam in France, as well as his ardent support of the French way of life. His brother, General Pierre de Villiers, served as Chief of the Defence Staff from 2014 to 2017.