Bruno Gollnisch

Bruno Gollnisch ( born January 28, 1950 in Neuilly -sur -Seine ) is a French politician and senior member of the right-wing party Front National. From January to November 2007, he was Chairman of the Group Identity, Tradition, Sovereignty (ITS ) in the European Parliament.

• 2.1 criminal case on suspicion of Holocaust denial
• 2.2 succession issue Le Pen

Biography

Bruno Gollnisch family is from the east of France. His ancestors according to their own statements include the physiologist Marie Jean Pierre Flourens, former French Foreign Minister Émile Flourens and the politician Gustave Flourens.

Originally with the goal of becoming a diplomat, Gollnisch studied oriental languages ​​( Japanese and Malay ) at the Institut national des langues et civilizations orientales in Paris, Political Science at the Institut d' études politiques in Paris and Public Law. During his studies he learned the Chairman of the Front National (FN ) Jean -Marie Le Pen, know.

After a stay at the Japanese Kyoto University he obtained his doctorate in law in 1978 at the Paris Faculté de droit, and was admitted to the bar in 1980.

In 1981 he was appointed professor of Japanese language and culture at the Jean Moulin University in Lyon.

Political career

Party offices

In the spring of 1984 Gollnisch was secretary of the FN in the Rhône department and organized in the following years, campaigns for Europe, cantonal and parliamentary elections. Since 1986 Gollnisch is a member of the Central Committee and the Politburo of the Party. From 1994 to 1996 he held the position of Vice Chairman of the party, since 1996 has been General Secretary of the FN. On November 22, 1999, he was further appointed as the Commissioner-General ( délégué général ) of the FN. He stood in the party hierarchy at the second stage after the then chairman Jean -Marie Le Pen

Elective office

Bruno Gollnisch was elected to political office following:

In the European Parliament the Identity, Tradition, Sovereignty was Gollnisch to founding the Group Member, but over the previous three legislative periods in which he or she belongs to the European Parliament, member of numerous committees, including the Committee on Legal Affairs and Citizens' Rights, the Delegation for relations to Japan and the Committee on Rules of Procedure, the Verification of Credentials and Immunities.

In the period 2009-2014 Gollnisch is a member of the Delegation for relations with Japan and the Committee on Transport and Tourism. As deputy Gollnisch is in the Committee on Regional Development.

Perception by the public

From French and German media Gollnisch is regarded as the leading head of the extreme right and intellectuals.

In August 2005 Gollnisch excited at a party organized by the FN with his statement that the anti- racism " mental AIDS" is, attention.

Criminal case on suspicion of Holocaust denial

Due to right-wing extremist incidents at the Jean Moulin University in Lyon, at the Gollnisch also taught, put the French government in 2004 a commission of inquiry, headed by the historian Henry Rousso, which investigated these incidents. Soon after the release of the investigation report Gollnisch attacked in October this year at a press conference Rousso sharply by he doubted its neutrality because of its " Jewish personality ".

Shortly thereafter, he claimed, among other things:

"I do not deny the existence of the concentration camps, but in terms of the number of dead, historians could discuss it. As for the existence of gas chambers, so historians must decide. "

These remarks aroused protests in public, and it has been a criminal conviction for Holocaust denial against Gollnisch initiated. Gollnisch then claimed that that these statements had been falsified by the journalists. In fact, these statements were not recorded.

In March 2005, the Board decided that the University to exclude him for five years from the university. After December 13, had decided to waive the immunity Gollnisch the European Parliament, he was on 18 January 2007, a few days after the establishment of the Group of ITS in the European Parliament, to three months imprisonment, suspended on probation, and a fine of 5000 € and sentenced to 55,000 € compensation plus interest. The verdict was overturned by the Court of Cassation on 23 June 2009.

Question of succession Le Pen

Until the election of Le Pen's daughter Marine Gollnisch was considered as other prospective candidate to succeed Jean -Marie Le Pen in the FN. The choice Gollnisch was primarily supported by quite Catholic and anti-Semitic circles, where Le Pen appeared not radical enough while choosing the daughter of party founder, which distanced itself from Gollnisch positions, was considered a signal of openness and renewal.