Genevieve Chevallier
Genevieve Chevallier | |
---|---|
13th Premier of Sainte-Chloé | |
Assumed office 21 April 2021 | |
President | Michel Thiele |
Deputy | Philippe Lambert |
Preceded by | Henri Montas |
Leader of the Opposition | |
In office 14 June 2020 – 20 April 2021 | |
President | Michel Thiele |
Prime Minister | Henri Montas |
Preceded by | Bernard Blanc |
Succeeded by | Henri Montas |
Leader of the Catholic Labour Party | |
Assumed office 14 June 2020 | |
Deputy | Philippe Lambert |
Preceded by | Bernard Blanc |
Minister of Education | |
In office 10 June 2012 – 9 June 2020 | |
Leader | Bernard Blanc |
Preceded by | Anne Richard |
Succeeded by | Jean-Claude Laurent |
Senator of Sainte-Chloé | |
Assumed office 5 August 2008 | |
Preceded by | Claude Montebanc |
Personal details | |
Born | Genevieve Stéphanie Tremblay October 13, 1983 Port de la Sainte, Sainte-Chloé |
Citizenship | Sainte-Chloé |
Political party | PCT |
Spouse | Charles Chevallier (m. 2005) |
Children | 6 |
Parents |
|
Alma mater | University of Sainte-Chloé |
Genevieve Stéphanie Tremblay Chevallier (born October 13, 1983) is a Chloéois teacher and politician who has been serving as Premier of Sainte-Chloé since April 21st 2021, and leader of the Catholic Labour Party since June of 2020.
Born into an middle-class Gallois family in Port de la Sainte, Chevallier worked as a teacher after graduating from the University of Sainte-Chloé with a bachelor and masters degree in philosophy. Taking advantage of the economic crisis which triggered the 2008 snap elections, Chevallier was able to enter into politics and secure a Senate seat against the incumbent Social Democrat Claude Montebanc in 2008. Serving as a Senator for her first term, she was re-elected and was appointed to serve as Minister of Education by Premier Bernard Blanc in 2012, a position she held for eight years.
Shortly following the electoral victory of the PSD in the 2020 elections, Chevallier was elected as the new leader of the Catholic Labour Party following a leadership challenge of Bernard Blanc. Serving as the leader of the opposition for just under a year and following the collapse of the PSD government, Chevallier led the PCT to a sweeping victory in the 2021 snap elections, with the largest margin of victory since the 1993 elections. President Michel Thiele appointed her as Premier. Chevallier is the first Gallois Premier since the formation of Sainte-Chloé from the United Provinces, and the youngest person since Raymond Rivière to hold the office, becoming Premier at age 38.
Chevallier is genenrally regarded as more social conservative and corporatist than her PCT predecessor, and is considered as part of the right-wing of the Catholic Labour Party, whereas Blanc was part of the moderate wing. In addition, she has espoused monarchist views and is supportive of a Montecarde restoration.
Early life
Genevieve Stéphanie Tremblay was born on October 13th in 1983 in Saint Blaise Hospital in the capital city of Port de la Sainte, and was baptised on October 24th. Her father, Claude Tremblay, was 23 at the time and a teacher at a local private school known as Saint Peter and Paul's Academy, while her mother, Ange, was 22 and a housewife and volunteer Catechist at their local parish. The family lived in the largely lower middle class Gallois neighborhood of Ensoleillé. Genevieve was the eldest child of the family, and would be followed by four brothers and three sisters- Madeleine (born 1984), Claude (born 1985), Jacques (born 1987), Jean-Marie (born 1988), Suzanne (born 1990), Marie (born 1992), and Antoine (born 1994). Of Genevieve's seven siblings, three would enter into a religous vocation- Jacques would go on to join the Roderican Friars, Jean-Marie would become a Canon at the Cathedral of Notre Dame Étoile de la Mer, and Marie would join the Poor Clares and become a nun.
Chevallier has described her family as "very Catholic and very traditional", and credits them for her upbringing, and has cited on multiple occasions the benefits of growing up in a larger family. The Tremblay family was very religious, and brought their children regularly to Mass. In addition to homeschooling lessons, she recieved Catechesis from the local parish where she attended Mass. Genevieve, along with the rest of her siblings, was homeschooled for her primary education by her parents. Chevallier has also said that the example of her father and mother first gave her a desire to become a teacher. As a child, she was known for being an avid reader, and has cited one of her favorite childhood memories being reading books from her father's shelf.
Education
After being homeschooled for the duration of her primary education, she showed academic promise and was admitted to the single-sex boarding school Sainte Gloriane's Girls College on a scholarship for her secondary education. This marked the first time she had lived away from home, and has said that at first she struggled to fit in, and was bullied on account of her lower economic standing. However, she recieved good grades, and quickly progressed to the top of the class. In addition to academic work, she took up several hobbies and activities, such as playing horn in the school band and founding the school's philosophy club, where she was able to first form a friend group. Chevallier recounted that reading the beginning of Xenagoras' Metaphysics first inspired her to pursue philosophy. Eventually, she earned the félicitations du jury on her baccalauréat and graduated as major de promotion in 2001.
Due to her strong academic performance, Chevallier recieved a full tution scholarship to the University of Sainte-Chloé, where she decided to study philosophy. During her time in University, she first encountered the student wing of the Catholic Labour Party, and became increasingly involved in the University's group, eventually becoming the leader of the group. This was her first foray into politics, and due to the University's location and importance was able to form connexions with the political leadership of the time. She recieved a Licence with honors from the University in 2004, and was selected to continue graduate studies at the University in philosophy, planning to eventually earn a doctorate in Teleological philosophy at the University of Lenovo. In 2005, Chevallier married fellow graduate student and future canon lawyer Charles Chevallier. After completing her magisterial degree in 2006, she decided to enter into local teaching for the time before entering into politics in an official capacity instead of pursuing a doctorate.
Political Career
Between 2006 and 2008, Chevallier worked as a teacher.
Senator (2008-2012)
Minister of Education (2012-2020)
Leader of Opposition (2020-2021)
Premier
Personal Life
Genevieve married Charles Chevallier (born 1981), a graduate student of canon law at the University of Sainte-Chloé, in July of 2005, shortly after completing her undergraduate degree. Although he was a canon lawyer after he completed his JCL, in 2010 he dropped his position to care for the children full-time. The couple has six children, three sons and three daughters: Véronique (born 2006), Charles (born 2007), Marguerite (born 2009), Barbe (born 2010), Camille (born 2012), and Christian-Marie (born 2015).
Chevallier identifies as a devout Traditional Catholic, and her family regularly attends the Roderican Rite at Saint Thomas Aquinas Church in Port de la Sainte.
One of Chevallier's pastimes is collecting and enjoying various kinds of tea, a hobby which she picked up during her time at St. Gloriane's. She also plays the Gaullican horn on the side. Her favorite musical composer is Phillipp Günzburg. In addition, Chevallier is self described "avid reader", and regularly reads in her free time.