{{Short description|French politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Mathieu Klein | image = Portrait de Mathieu Klein en 2019 (cropped).jpg | caption = Mathieu Klein in 2019 | order = | office = Mayor of Nancy | status = <!--If this is specified, overrides Incumbent.--> | term_start = 5 July 2020 | term_end = <!-- Add data only when the actual term has ended, not for terms which will end in the future. (Per usage guideline.) --> | predecessor = Laurent Hénart | successor = | order2 = | office2 = Municipal Councillor of Nancy | term_start2 = 16 March 2008 | term_end2 = | order3 = | office3 = President of the Departmental Council of Meurthe-et-Moselle | term_start3 = 22 April 2014 | term_end3 = 13 July 2020 | predecessor3 = Michel Dinet | successor3 = Valérie Beausert-Leick | order4 = | office4 = Departmental Councillor of Meurthe-et-Moselle | term_start4 = 28 March 2004 | term_end4 = | constituency4 = {{plainlist| * ''Canton de Nancy-Nord'' (2006–2009) * ''Canton de Nancy-2'' (2009–2016) }} | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|01|20|df=y}} | birth_place = Phalsbourg, France | party = Socialist Party (1992–present) }}
'''Mathieu Klein''' (born 20 January 1976) is a French politician serving as Mayor of Nancy since 2020.
A member of the Socialist Party since 1992, he is also President of the Departmental Council of Meurthe-et-Moselle. After the 2020 French municipal elections, he became the first socialist Mayor of Nancy since the end of the second World War.
== Early life and education == Mathieu Klein was born into a family of teachers in Phalsbourg, Moselle.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.meurthe-et-moselle.fr/fr/conseil-departemental/le-conseil-departemental/le-president.html|accessdate=2015-12-09|title=Le président - Département de Meurthe-et-Moselle|publisher=www.meurthe-et-moselle.fr|language=fr|archive-date=2016-11-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161101222222/http://www.meurthe-et-moselle.fr/fr/conseil-departemental/le-conseil-departemental/le-president.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Alongside his two brothers, he was brought up in Holving, before pursuing his secondary education at Sarreguemines. He moved to Nancy, France in 1993 to study history and sociology.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mirabelle.tv/emission6-de-vous-a-moi-video549-mathieu-klein.html|accessdate=2015-12-09|title=Mathieu Klein|publisher=MIRABELLE TV|language=fr }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lasemaine.fr/mathieu-klein-il-est-pret/|accessdate=2013-06-14|title=Mathieu Klein : il est prêt|date=14 June 2013 |publisher=lasemaine.fr|language=fr}}</ref> He then continued his university studies in Paris.
== Political career == Mathieu Klein is a member of the Socialist Party since 1992, and has his support in favour of a positive result in the French referendum on the Maastricht Treaty.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/politique/article/2020/07/02/delafosse-hanotin-klein-les-trois-m-ou-la-nouvelle-generation-du-ps_6044985_823448.html|accessdate=2020-06-02|title=Delafosse, Hanotin, Klein : les " trois M ", ou la nouvelle génération du Parti socialiste|publisher=lemonde.fr|language=fr}}</ref> He then became a student member of the National Union of Students of France in Nancy, and then in Paris, he became a member of its national bureau in charge of health matters.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lepoint.fr/elections-departementales/departementales-2015-meurthe-et-moselle-mathieu-klein-l-espoir-socialiste-09-02-2015-1903374_2471.php#|accessdate=2015-02-09|title=Départementales 2015 - Meurthe-et-Moselle : Mathieu Klein, l'espoir socialiste|date=9 February 2015 |publisher=lepoint.fr|language=fr}}</ref>
In 1994, in Nancy, he founded an LGBT association, dedicated to the promotion of equality and fighting against homophobia.
Mathieu Klein pursued his political career within the Socialist Party, ascending to become the Departmental President of the Young Socialist Movement, Secretary of the Nancy branch of the Socialist Party, and then, in 2008, assuming the role of First Secretary of the Meurthe-et-Moselle branch of the party, alongside being a member of its national bureau.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/grand-est/meurthe-et-moselle/nancy/portrait-municipales-2020-mathieu-klein-entre-histoire-il-fait-basculer-nancy-gauche-1847798.html|accessdate=2020-06-29|title=PORTRAIT Municipales 2020 : Mathieu Klein entre dans l'histoire, il fait basculer Nancy à gauche|date=29 June 2020 |publisher=france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr|language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/idees/article/2009/07/29/mille-jours-pour-rassembler-la-gauche-par-gwenegan-bui-mathieu-klein-et-marylise-lebranchu_1223803_3232.html|accessdate=2015-12-22|title=Mille jours pour rassembler la gauche, par Gwenegan Bui, Mathieu Klein et Marylise Lebranchu|newspaper=Le Monde.fr |date=29 July 2009 |publisher=lemonde.fr|language=fr}}</ref>
In 2000, he worked under Michel Dinet who was the then President of the Departmental Council of the Meurthe-et-Moselle and also the socialist, who would go on to become his political mentor.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lasemaine.fr/mathieu-klein-il-est-pret/|accessdate=2013-06-14|title=Mathieu Klein : il est prêt|date=14 June 2013 |publisher=lasemaine.fr|language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lesechos.fr/2004/09/mathieu-klein-1063022|accessdate=2019-09-15|title=Portrait : Mathieu Klein|work=Les Echos |date=15 September 2004 |publisher=lesechos.fr|language=fr}}</ref> In the 2004 French departmental elections, Klein was elected as the Departmental Councillor of the Meurthe-et-Moselle in the Nancy North constituency, winning against Senator Philippe Nachbar, a member of the UMP, in the Second round with 60.7% of the vote. In the 2011 elections, Klein was re-elected with 61.66% of the vote in the Second round.
Following the 2002 French presidential election, he joined the New Socialist Party. In 2009, he joined the team of Martine Aubry, the then First Secretary of the Socialist Party,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lepoint.fr/departementales-2015/departementales-2015-meurthe-et-moselle-mathieu-klein-l-espoir-socialiste-09-02-2015-1903374_2471.php|title=Départementales 2015 - Meurthe-et-Moselle : Mathieu Klein, l'espoir socialiste|date=9 February 2015 |publisher=lepoint.fr|language=fr}}</ref> accompanying her candidacy in the 2011 French Socialist Party presidential primary.
In 2005, Klein contested a by-election in Meurthe-et-Moselle's 1st constituency, but was defeated by 399 votes by the incumbent Laurent Hénart.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2005/09/05/legislative-partielle-second-tour-pour-m-henart-ump_685645_3224.html|accessdate=2020-06-30|title=Législative partielle : second tour pour M. Hénart (UMP)|newspaper=Le Monde.fr |date=5 September 2005 |publisher=lemonde.fr|language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2005/09/12/legislatives-partielles-l-ump-s-en-sort-plutot-bien_688044_3224.html|accessdate=2020-06-30|title=Législative partielle : l'UMP s'en sort plutôt bien|newspaper=Le Monde.fr |date=12 September 2005 |publisher=lemonde.fr|language=fr}}</ref> In the 2007 French legislative election, Klein stood as a candidate again and lost, obtaining 49.2% of the vote in the Second round.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rue89.nouvelobs.com/node/872|accessdate=2015-12-31|title=A Nancy, Klein l'amant idéal contre Hénart le gendre idéal|publisher=lemonde.fr|language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/data/1ere-circonscription-de-meurthe-et-moselle-05401/elections/legislatives-2007/|accessdate=2020-03-30|title=1ere circonscription de meurthe-et-moselle|publisher=lemonde.fr|language=fr}}</ref> In the 2014 French municipal elections in Nancy, Klein's list was defeated by Laurent Hénart.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lepoint.fr/villes/henart-klein-premieres-salves-12-09-2013-1734656_27.php|accessdate=2016-01-02|title=Hénart - Klein : premières salves|date=12 September 2013 |publisher=lepoint.fr|language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lci.fr/elections/sondage-municipales-2014-klein-lhomme-qui-pourrait-faire-basculer-nancy-a-gauche-1545500.html|accessdate=2014-03-16|title=Sondage Municipales 2014 : Klein, l'homme qui pourrait faire basculer Nancy à gauche|date=16 March 2014 |publisher=lci.fr|language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lasemaine.fr/2014/01/16/mathieu-klein-s-installe-rue-stanislas|accessdate=2015-12-22|title=Mathieu Klein s'installe rue Stanislas|date=23 January 2014 |publisher=lesemaine.fr|language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rtl.fr/actualites/info/article/resultats-municipales-2014-a-nancy-laurent-henart-udi-l-emporte-face-a-mathieu-klein-ps-7770798642|accessdate=2014-03-30|title=Résultats municipales 2014 à Nancy : Laurent Hénart (UDI) l'emporte face à Mathieu Klein (PS)|publisher=rtl.fr|language=fr|archive-date=2014-04-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140426201940/http://www.rtl.fr/actualites/info/article/resultats-municipales-2014-a-nancy-laurent-henart-udi-l-emporte-face-a-mathieu-klein-ps-7770798642|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Following the accidental death of his mentor Michel Dinet, he replaced him as President of the Departmental Assembly of Meurthe-et-Moselle in 2014, leaving his position as Departmental Vice-President for education and civic innovation on the Departmental Council.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/2014/04/22/97001-20140422FILWWW00108-54-mathieu-klein-nouveau-president-du-cg.php|accessdate=2015-12-09|title=54: Mathieu Klein nouveau président du CG|date=22 April 2014 |publisher=lefigaro.fr|language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.estrepublicain.fr/actualite/2014/04/23/mathieu-klein-elu-president|accessdate=2015-12-09|title=Mathieu Klein élu président|date=23 April 2014 |publisher=estrepublicain.fr|language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://lorraine.france3.fr/2014/04/22/mathieu-klein-elu-president-du-conseil-general-de-meuthe-et-moselle-463851.html|accessdate=2014-05-22|title=Mathieu Klein élu président du conseil général de Meurthe-et-Moselle|publisher=lorraine.france3.fr|language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bfmtv.com/politique/mathieu-klein-succede-a-michel-dinet-a-tete-departement-meurthe-et-moselle-759837.html|accessdate=2015-12-09|title=Mathieu Klein succède à Michel Dinet à la tête du département Meurthe-et-Moselle|date=22 April 2014 |publisher=www.bfmtv.com|language=fr}}</ref> In the 2015 French departmental elections, Klein was elected in the Nancy 2 canton, receiving 56.7% of the vote, and returned as President of the Departmental Council.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nancy.fr/documents/elections-departementales-2015/2ndtour-index.html|accessdate=2020-05-22|title=Résultats des cantons de Nancy (élection départementale 2015)|publisher=nancy.fr|language=fr|archive-date=2015-04-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403050047/http://www.nancy.fr/documents/elections-departementales-2015/2ndtour-index.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bfmtv.com/politique/mathieu-klein-succede-a-michel-dinet-a-tete-departement-meurthe-et-moselle-759837.html|accessdate=2015-12-09|title=Mathieu Klein succède à Michel Dinet à la tête du département Meurthe-et-Moselle|date=22 April 2014 |publisher=www.bfmtv.com|language=fr}}</ref>
In 2016, Klein announced his support for Manuel Valls and became one of his spokespersons during the 2017 French Socialist Party presidential primary campaign.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lesechos.fr/elections/primaire-a-gauche/0211594669161-primaire-a-gauche-valls-presente-son-qg-et-son-etat-major-de-campagne-2050495.php|accessdate=2016-12-14|title=Primaire à gauche : Valls présente son QG et son état-major de campagne|date=14 December 2016|publisher=lesechos.fr|language=fr|archive-date=2016-12-14|archive-url=https://archive.today/20161214231620/http://www.lesechos.fr/elections/primaire-a-gauche/0211594669161-primaire-a-gauche-valls-presente-son-qg-et-son-etat-major-de-campagne-2050495.php|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Following the proposal of French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe in 2018, Mathieu Klein was made responsible for a project on the professional integration of beneficiaries of the French welfare benefit Revenu de solidarité active with Claire Pitollat.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.caissedesdepotsdesterritoires.fr/cs/ContentServer?pagename=Territoires/Articles/Articles&cid=1250281297698|accessdate=2018-07-24|title=Edouard Philippe missionne une députée et un président de conseil départemental pour repenser le RSA|publisher=caissedesdepotsdesterritoires.fr|language=fr|archive-date=2018-07-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180724123537/https://www.caissedesdepotsdesterritoires.fr/cs/ContentServer?pagename=Territoires/Articles/Articles&cid=1250281297698|url-status=dead}}</ref> In October 2018, Klein refused a ministerial position in Second Philippe government.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bfmtv.com/politique/gouvernement/en-direct-remaniement-semaine-cruciale-pour-emmanuel-macron/|accessdate=2019-11-27|title=Mathieu Klein refuse un poste de ministre|publisher=www.bfmtv.com|language=fr|archive-date=2019-11-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191127204548/https://www.bfmtv.com/politique/gouvernement/en-direct-remaniement-semaine-cruciale-pour-emmanuel-macron/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In the 2020 French municipal elections in Nancy, Klein headed the ''Nancy en grand'' list of the Socialist Party, which took its First place in the First round on 15 March 2020, with 37.9% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://elections.interieur.gouv.fr/municipales-2020/054/054395.html|accessdate=2019-11-27|title=Élections municipales et communautaires 2020, résultats par communes, Nancy|publisher=Ministère de l’Intérieur|language=fr}}</ref> Following this result, Klein merged his list with that of Europe Ecology – The Greens. In the Second round, held on 28 June 2020, Klein prevailed with 54.5% of the vote. He was confirmed as Mayor on 15 July 2020 by 43 votes in the municipal council of Nancy, becoming the first left-wing person to exercise this mandate since the end of the Second World War. He is seconded by twenty ''adjoints au maire''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.estrepublicain.fr/politique/2020/07/05/en-direct-mathieu-klein-est-elu-maire-de-nancy-ce-dimanche-matin|accessdate=2020-07-05|title=Mathieu Klein a été élu maire de Nancy ce dimanche matin|date=5 July 2020 |publisher=estrepublicain.fr|language=fr}}</ref>
== Personal life == Mathieu Klein is a gay man<ref>{{cite web|url=http://yagg.com/?post_type=post&p=74407|accessdate=2015-12-09|title=Nancy: le maire répond aux associations, Mathieu Klein devient président du Conseil général|publisher=yagg.com|language=fr}}</ref> and is involved with associations which are engaged in the fight against homophobia. He is married to a general practitioner and the couple has three children.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mathieuklein.fr/me-connaitre/|accessdate=2020-07-05|title=Mathieu Klein : me connaitre|publisher=mathieuklein.fr|language=fr}}</ref>
== Honours == 45px Knight, National Order of Merit (2017)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do;jsessionid=B9F3DD7626B1075321EE4923FD9EB836.tpdila09v_3?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000034539587&dateTexte=&oldAction=rechJO&categorieLien=id&idJO=JORFCONT000034539581|accessdate=2020-07-05|title=Décret du 2 mai 2017|publisher=legifrance.gouv.fr|language=fr}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist|2}}
== External links == *[http://mathieuklein.fr/ Official website (French)]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Klein, Mathieu}} Category:1976 births Category:21st-century mayors of places in France Category:French people of German descent Category:French gay politicians Category:Knights of the Ordre national du Mérite Category:LGBTQ mayors of places in France Category:21st-century French LGBTQ people Category:Living people Category:Mayors of Nancy, France Category:People from Moselle (department) Category:Socialist Party (France) politicians