Former Île-de-France council president dies at 80 from cancer
Former Île-de-France council president Jean-Paul Huchon has died at 80 from cancer, closing a long regional and national political career.
Event / Politics
Jean-Paul Huchon Death
Jean-Paul Huchon, former Socialist Party president of the Île-de-France regional council from 1998 to 2015, died at age 80 from cancer on 23 October 2026. He had also served as chief of staff to Prime Minister Michel Rocard. Valérie Pécresse publicly expressed grief at his death.
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2026-10-23 to 2026-10-26 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 23 Oct, 10:52 UTC
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What happened
Huchon graduated from ENA and worked at the French budget directorate until 1981
After graduating from the École nationale d'administration (ENA), Jean-Paul Huchon was assigned in 1971 to the budget directorate, where he remained until 1981.
Huchon presided over the Île-de-France regional council from 1998 to 2015
Jean-Paul Huchon served as president of the Île-de-France regional council from 1998 until 2015.
Huchon served as chief of staff to Prime Minister Michel Rocard
Jean-Paul Huchon served as directeur de cabinet (chief of staff) to Socialist Prime Minister Michel Rocard.
Huchon supported Valérie Pécresse in 2021 instead of joining a left alliance
In 2021, Jean-Paul Huchon gave his support to Valérie Pécresse for the Île-de-France regional election rather than joining a left-wing alliance.
Huchon lost the 2015 Île-de-France regional election to Valérie Pécresse
In the 2015 Île-de-France regional election, Jean-Paul Huchon lost the regional presidency to Valérie Pécresse of Les Républicains, who had previously been defeated by Huchon in the 2010 election.
Jean-Paul Huchon dies at age 80 from cancer
Jean-Paul Huchon, former Socialist Party president of the Île-de-France regional council, died at age 80 from cancer in the night of Thursday 22 to Friday 23 October 2026.
Huchon was second in command of the Socialist Party under Michel Rocard
Jean-Paul Huchon served as number two of the Socialist Party while Michel Rocard was its first secretary.
Valérie Pécresse publicly expressed grief over Huchon's death on X
Valérie Pécresse, president of the Île-de-France regional council, posted a message on X expressing her great sadness at Jean-Paul Huchon's death and describing him as a former political opponent who had become her friend.
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