Happy birthday ! Arlette Laguiller celebrates her 83rd birthday on March 18. But what becomes of the former Lutte Ouvrière spokesperson, who was the first woman to run for president? Here's what you need to know...

Arlette Laguiller famous his 83rd birthday on March 18 . The first woman to run for president in France never managed to reach the highest office, but certainly marked the history of our country's politics. You may have known that the determined octogenarian had been spokesperson for Lutte Ouvrière from 1973 to 2008, but do you really know Arlette Laguiller? What becomes of her?

Where was Arlette Laguiller born?

Arlette Laguiller was born in 1940, in the 14th arrondissement of Paris, but it was in Les Lilas, in Seine-Saint-Denis, that she grew up , raised by a insurance employee father who was then long unemployed and an mother first secretary then housewife . His family manages to live largely on social benefits. His father defines himself as an anarchist and is an activist in the Republican Association of Veterans, close to the French Communist Party. He transmits to his daughter his ideology, the taste for political combat and knowledge.

Due to her parents' numerous health problems, she is the one who finds himself caring for his two little brothers . Very early on, she acquired important responsibilities in her family, which forged her character.

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How did his political career start?

She starts working at Credit Lyonnais , very young, and ended up getting the job of typist in the mortgage department. She founded a trade union section there and was elected staff representative on several occasions. In the 1960s, in the context of the Algerian war, it began to engage politically . Its first militant action took place on October 27, 1960. It was an anti-war demonstration in Algeria organized in Paris by the UNEF and the Unified Socialist Party. Then, she takes command of the Lilas section of the PSU.

In May 1968, with twenty other employees, Arlette Laguiller leads the strike in its Crédit Lyonnais establishment , which ends successfully with the acceptance of several demands from employees, including an increase in the minimum wage. A little later, she joined the union labor force . Her first steps in the political world which took more concrete shape in 1971 when she became head of the 'Paris to workers' list at the municipal elections , where she won 2.5% of the vote.

Arlette Laguiller, first woman to run for the presidential election

In 1974, Arlette Laguiller created a national surprise by running for president . While she is little known to the general public, the far-left activist becomes the first lady to run for the highest office in France. Without forgetting to mention the need to leave more room for the fairer sex in society, she denounces the demagogism of the parties... and collects 2.33% of the vote expressed. A score that allows him to arrive in fifth position out of twelve candidates! That year, it was Valéry Giscard d'Estaing who won the second round against François Mitterrand.

Does Arlette Laguiller have children?

Arlette Laguiller has always assured it: she has never been married . ' Personally, I never wanted to get married, you can be in love without getting married, everyone lives as they want. Of course, having a family life with children is a bit of an obstacle to being an activist, unless you are rich, have maids or nannies. , but, in this case, there is little chance that you will be active in Lutte Ouvrière “, she had first confided to the Point .

As for children, she never felt the desire to bring them into the world: ' I didn't have a child by choice . I had raised my brothers a little and supplemented my mother who was ill, I know what it is to raise children, I know the time it takes, the concerns it creates and I chose knowingly cause to live my life differently '.

What becomes of Arlette Laguiller?

During his political career, Arlette Laguiller ran six times in the presidential election ... A record not yet equaled! If she left her function as spokesperson in 2008, to let Nathalie Arthaud succeed her, she continues to be actively involved in the life of the Lutte Ouvrière party.

' I come regularly to the premises of Lutte Ouvrière where I have shared this office with Nathalie Arthaud since 2012 (...) At the same time, I still take care of the party newspaper. So I'm still here, even if given my age (...), I no longer sell the newspaper in the streets and I no longer distribute leaflets at the doors of businesses “, she had explained in 2021 to West France . Politics to the end, the fight of his life.

Source journaldesfemmes.fr