Departmental delegate of the National Rally since July 2023, Luc-Étienne Gousseau, 62, is running for the first time in an election. Interview with an activist who took his time before becoming a candidate.
You are running for office for the first time. What state of mind are you in?
Joy and confidence, but also a sense of service and the seriousness of the situation. The latter requires taking responsibility.
Does this confidence come from the good results of the National Rally in the last European elections?
There is indeed an unprecedented push from the RN, which does not allow us to declare victory, but with which we can work calmly on the ground. Furthermore, I am confident because I am a combative person. It’s my temperament.
You are 62 years old. So you took political responsibilities late…
I was appointed departmental delegate of the RN on July 10, 2023. I have never lived in politics. I come from civil society. I am still active. The tenors are doing their thing. I bring something new. The political world needs people with experience. However, many parliamentarians have not been in contact with the world of work for too long. I think this is not normal.
“Revitalize the private economy”
Has your commitment had repercussions on your professional and personal life?
In thirty years of career, I have never put my political color forward. So some people may have been surprised. If I had joined at a younger age, this could undoubtedly have had consequences on my establishment. There is still in France, in a caricatured way, this idea which wants the left to be the camp of good and the right that of evil. My friends already knew my right-wing conservative values.
If you are elected, what will be your priorities for Lozère?
The first priority for Lozère is the medical file. It’s urgent. In addition, in the years to come, it will be necessary to revitalize the private economy, so that companies can recreate jobs. It depends on the demographics of the department. I am thinking in particular of the agri-food and wood sectors, working with sub-subcontractors. We can, without worrying the world of public service, activate levers to restore the private economy.
Organic express
Luc-Étienne Gousseau was born on June 7, 1962 in Saint-Germain-en-Laye (Yvelines). He studied law at the University of Paris-Panthéon-Assas. He moved to Lozère in 1995 where he works as a lawyer. Since July 10, 2023, he has been a departmental delegate of the National Rally. Married since 1989, he is the father of seven children. “Including André whom we lost very soon after his birth, he specifies. I don’t forget it. This is very important to my wife and her brothers and sisters. He has his small stele in the Mende cemetery. These are our Mendes roots.”
