PROFILES

“I was lucky to be born in Nice and have parents who gave a lot for their children. We practised watersports in summer and went skiing in winter,” remembers Marine Brenier, member of parliament for the N°5 Alpes-Maritimes constituency. Born in 1986, she has step by step moved up the political hierarchy to now take her seat in our National Assembly. What drove her commitment? “Going up to [the ski resort of] Auron as a little girl, I used to think it was wonderful that getting there was easier each year, what politicians were able to do. Then there was the 2002 presidential election, when I was shocked to learn that [far-right leader] Le Pen was in the run-off vote.” So four years later, when a law student, Marine threw herself body and soul into Nicolas Sarkozy’s presidential campaign. “No one in my family had ever been politically active before,” she says. Swept along by her enthusiasm, at 21 the energetic brunette became the youngest Nice City councillor. “Christian Estrosi had faith in me, so I started as subdelegate for sports.” She then took on the role of deputy mayor for West Nice – where she had grown up – and went on to be elected a departmental councillor. Today, as a member of parliament, Marine divides her time
between Nice, Paris and the Alpes-Maritimes back country. “In local terms I’ve never had the feeling that being a woman, and young, might be a disadvantage. But it took me several weeks to adjust to the national parliament up in Paris! The issues I’m most interested in are health and safety, and I had people advising me to concern myself with more “feminine” ones!” Amidst all this Marine recently found the time to get married: “My husband is politically active too, so it’s easier for him to accept my packed schedule,” smiles this workaholic who detests being idle. “I’m totally hands-on, and if you’re fighting for your convictions, getting out and meeting people helps your thought processes mature.”

Par Tanja Stojanov/Photo Jean-Michel Sordello