Michel Roussin


Michel Roussin was the chief of staff of Alexandre de Marenches, who directed the SDECE French secret service until the May 1981 election of François Mitterrand as President of France. Michel Roussin has also been chief of staff of Jacques Chirac when he was mayor of Paris and also when he was prime minister.
Roussin then became minister of cooperation under Edouard Balladur's government. However, he had to resign, in accordance with the so-called Balladur jurisprudence because of suspected involvement in various affairs concerning the illegal funding of Chirac's Rally for the Republic party. Jailed for a time, Roussin was afterwards acquitted. However, on October 26, 2005, he was condemned to four years of prison on probation and a 50,000 EUR fine for his role in the corruption affair concerning high schools in the Paris region.
Named to the direction of SAE International, a construction firm linked to Paribas bank, Roussin in 1997 followed this function with his presidency of the Africa committee of the MEDEF, the French employers organization; the francophonie delegation at Paris's municipal hall. He also presented himself as candidate to the presidency of the Elf Aquitaine oil company. Roussin is also allegedly a member of the masonic lodge Grande Loge Nationale Française.

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