Franco-Moroccan Lawyer Naïma Moutchou Elected Vice President of French National Assembly

Becoming at this age and with the political career that is hers, vice-president of such a great institution is something unprecedented for this daughter of immigrants. Her father, Lahcen Moutchou, left Morocco in 1955 to work in the mines of northern France out of love for his children. Naïma Moutchou evokes the memory of a man whose life remains for her, an example of fierce struggle, sacrifice and self-denial. "He is one of those personalities who never tried to please, the same in all circumstances. Powerfully secretive, with a somewhat hard gaze and an invariable silhouette in a three-piece suit worn permanently (even in summer), he was impressive," she writes in the "Faces" section of the Horizons magazine.

After obtaining her degree in corporate legal counsel, she joined the firm of Christian Charrière-Bournazel, former chairman of the Paris Bar Association, in 2010. These were years of collaboration appreciated by this great lawyer, who allowed himself to pay compliments when learning of this former’s intention to embark on a political career. He mentioned a "extremely harmonious" lawyer, always "of great calm, even in difficult times", endowed with a "very clear mind and a sense of service". Under the colors of La République en Marche (LREM), she won the election with 59.37% of the votes against the candidate of the Republicans, Claude Bodin, reports Le Point.

As if it were yesterday, Naima Moutchou remembers her first impressions when she first entered the Palace. "I was obviously very moved to have the opportunity to give back to France what it had given me, but I must admit that I took a little time to get used to this idea," she confides. She was still trying to get used to the idea of serving France in one of the finest ways when she meets the man who will become her mentor, one of her intellectual guides: Édouard Philippe. "In times of crisis, Édouard had to steer the ship and make sure the deputies clung to the mast. The storms that Édouard and Naïma weathered have certainly brought them closer together," says an adviser to the former Prime Minister. But very early on, they discovered common points, similar tastes in reading, cultural references.

Naïma Moutchou had time to learn alongside Édouard Philippe. In 2021, the young woman decides to get more seriously involved. She will be responsible for leading, with the mayor of Melun, Louis Vogel, the Ideas pole of the movement. "What more central role than to lead such a pole when ideas constitute the DNA of Horizons? This shows, if need be, that Édouard believes a lot in her," decodes a party executive. In June 2022, Édouard Philippe propels without any constraint and with the blessing of the thirty elected members of the party, her candidacy for the vice-presidency of the Assembly, indicates Le Point.

"It was the natural choice. We needed a hardworking, determined and offensive elected official and Naïma has these three qualities," summarizes the group president, Laurent Marcangeli. "Naïma Moutchou has another extremely valuable quality in this context of instability: she is very consensual. She represents a real asset for the institution," adds Agnès Firmin-Le Bodo, spokesperson for Horizons. All those who have rubbed shoulders with Naïma Moutchou agree that she has all the indicated qualities. "She never gives up and doesn’t get discouraged. She is destined to play a very important role. All doors are open to her," estimates a long-time friend. The latter is tempted to dream that after being exposed to the judicial and legislative powers, Naïma may have the opportunity to discover the third power in 2027... who knows.