Biography
Poncelet was born in Blaise (now part of Vouziers) in the Ardennes. He was elected to the National Assembly in the November 1962 parliamentary election from the Third Constituency of Vosges and was re-elected from the same constituency in the March 1967 parliamentary election and the June 1968 parliamentary election. He served as a deputy until August 1972, when he left his seat following his nomination as a member of the government. He was first elected to the Senate in September 1977, and he was re-elected in September 1986, September 1995, and September 2004, representing Vosges.
On 2 October 1998, Poncelet was elected by the Senate as its President in a third round of voting. The previous President of the Senate, Rene Monory, had withdrawn after the first round of voting. In the third round, Poncelet received 189 votes against 93 for Socialist candidate Claude Estier and one vote for the withdrawn Communist candidate Hélène Luc.
In 2000, Poncelet was awarde the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit.
Following the September 2008 Senate election, it was announced on 24 September that Poncelet would not seek another term as President of the Senate, although he would continue to serve as a Senator. He was succeeded by Gérard Larcher, also from the UMP, on 1 October.
Read more about this topic: Christian Poncelet
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