National Assembly for the first constituency of Indre-et-Loire, from the UDF center-right party. In 1999, he voted against the PACS, a domestic partnership law aimed at enabling homosexuals to form legal couples. During the 2002 presidential election, he distanced himself from the UDF leader François Bayrou and supported Jacques Chirac's reelection bid. At the ensuing legislative election, he was reelected deputy. On 7 May 2002, he was appointed delegate minister for European affairs in the government of Jean-Pierre Raffarin, a position that he quit in the 16 June cabinet reshuffle as a result of the announcement of the aforementioned criminal investigation in the financial affairs of the Republican Party. He became deputy secretary general of the UMP party, the party supporting Jacques Chirac, then spokesperson in 2003. Despite his 16 February 2004, conviction, he was, on 31 March, appointed Minister of Culture and communication in the third cabinet of prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, and was kept at this position on 2 June 2005, for the government of Dominique de Villepin. In 2005, he rose to fame by defending the controversial DADVSI copyright bill before the French parliament, resulting in a variety of criticism against him from both the opposition and members of his own party. On this occasion, president of the National Assembly Jean-Louis Debré, a fellow UMP member, is reported to have declared that Donnedieu de Vabres was "a zero who put us in the shit and, from the start, dragged us into an adventure". Because of his staunch support for the law, he is the target of a campaign of Google bombing mapping ministre blanchisseur ("laundering minister") to a press article about his conviction. Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres ran unsuccessfully in the 2007 legislative elections. Governmental functions Minister for European affairs : May–June 2002. Minister of Culture and Communication : 2004-2007. Electoral mandates National Assembly of France Member of the National Assembly of France for Indre-et-Loire : 1997-2002 (Became minister in 2002) / 2002-2004 (Became minister in 2004). Elected in 1997, reelected in 2002. Regional Council Vice-president of the Regional Council of Centre : 1992-1998. Regional councillor of Centre : 1986-2001 (Resignation) : Reelected in 1992, 1998. Municipal Council Municipal councillor of Tours : Since 2001. Reelected in 2008. References External links Personal site Page at the Ministry of Culture Page on the directory of the National Assembly 1954 births Living people People from Neuilly-sur-Seine Politicians of the