French lawmakers have approved right-wing senator François-Noël Buffet as the country’s next human rights ombudsman, despite widespread concern over his history of opposing LGBTQ+ equality.
The legal affairs committees of France’s National Assembly and Senate endorsed President Emmanuel Macron’s nominee on Tuesday, 21 July, by a combined vote of 43 to 39.
Buffet will succeed Claire Hédon as the Défenseur des droits for a six-year term.
What Is the Défenseur des droits?
The Défenseur des droits is an independent constitutional watchdog responsible for protecting people whose rights have been infringed.
Its duties include combating discrimination, promoting equality, defending children’s rights, addressing problems involving public services, monitoring police conduct and protecting whistleblowers.
That makes the institution an important source of support for LGBTQ+ people, migrants and other communities facing discrimination in France.
Buffet Previously Opposed LGBTQ+ Reforms
Buffet’s appointment has attracted criticism because of his previous positions on LGBTQ+ rights.
The conservative senator participated in demonstrations opposing marriage equality in 2013, the year France legalised same-sex marriage.
In 2021, he also voted against extending medically assisted reproduction to lesbian couples and single women.LGBTQ+ organisation Inter-LGBT said those positions, along with Buffet’s record on migration and reproductive rights, weakened the credibility of the watchdog.
The group described the Défenseur des droits as an essential safeguard for LGBTQ+ people and others experiencing discrimination.
LGBTQ+ Parents Voice Alarm
Nicolas Faget, a representative of the Association of Gay and Lesbian Parents and Future Parents, described Buffet’s appointment as “both absurd and scary”.
“One of the bulwarks shielding same-sex parents and their children from discrimination is at risk of being undermined by someone who does not believe in those rights,” he said.
Staff within the Défenseur des droits have also reportedly expressed “dismay” over the appointment.
According to Mediapart, one staff member questioned how a politician “whose recent views are so starkly at odds with the institution’s recommendations” could have been considered for the position.
Buffet Promises Independence
During parliamentary hearings, Buffet dismissed some of the criticism surrounding his nomination as exaggerated and promised to exercise “total independence” in the role.
However, rights organisations remain concerned that his political record conflicts with the institution’s responsibility to protect minority communities and challenge discrimination by public authorities.
More than 150,000 people signed a petition opposing Buffet’s appointment, while organisations including AIDES, Act Up-Paris and SOS Racisme demonstrated outside the Senate before the vote.
Despite that opposition, lawmakers did not reach the constitutional threshold required to block Macron’s nominee, clearing the way for Buffet to become France’s next Défenseur des droits.
