# Rachel Keke

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French politician (born 1974)

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Rachel Keke Keke in 2021 Member of the National Assembly for Val-de-Marne's 7th constituency In office 22 June 2022 – 9 June 2024 Preceded by Jean-Jacques Bridey Succeeded by Vincent Jeanbrun Personal details Born Rachel Keke Raïssa (1974-05-30) 30 May 1974 (age 52) Abobo, Ivory Coast Party La France Insoumise Spouse Bobby Yodé ​ (m. 2016)​ Children 5 Profession Housekeeper

**Rachel Keke Raïssa** (French pronunciation: [\[ʁaʃɛl keke ʁaisa\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/French); born 30 May 1974) is an [Ivorian](/source/Ivory_Coast)-born French politician and former chambermaid. A member of the [National Assembly](/source/National_Assembly_(France)) from 2022 to 2024, she represents the [7th constituency](/source/Val-de-Marne's_7th_constituency) of the [Val-de-Marne](/source/Val-de-Marne) [department](/source/Departments_of_France).[1] She is a member of [La France Insoumise](/source/La_France_Insoumise) (LFI).

## Early life

Keke was born on 30 May 1974 in [Abobo](/source/Abobo), [Ivory Coast](/source/Ivory_Coast).[2][3] Her father was a bus driver and her mother sold clothing, until her death when Keke was 12. Her grandfather fought with the French forces during [World War II](/source/World_War_II).[3] At the age of 16, she began working as a hairdresser and other odd jobs.[4]

Keke moved to France in 2000 (following the [1999 Ivorian coup d'état](/source/1999_Ivorian_coup_d'%C3%A9tat) that overthrew [Henri Konan Bédié](/source/Henri_Konan_B%C3%A9di%C3%A9)), taking up a job as a hairdresser in the hair salon of a relative, also finding work as a chambermaid and housekeeper.[5] She was [naturalised](/source/Naturalization) as a French citizen in 2015.[6]

## Career

### Union leader

A [CGT trade union](/source/General_Confederation_of_Labour_(France)) representative[2] between 2019 and 2021, she was one of the leaders of a successful [strike by housekeepers](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Strike_by_housekeepers&action=edit&redlink=1) [[fr](https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobilisation_des_femmes_de_chambre_de_l%27h%C3%B4tel_Ibis_Batignolles)] at the [Ibis](/source/Ibis_(hotel)) hotel in [Batignolles](/source/Batignolles), Paris.[7] Twenty workers, employed as subcontractors, struck for better pay and improved working conditions beginning in July 2019, and signed an agreement winning the majority of their demands in May 2021.[8]

Keke began working as a chambermaid at the Ibis Batignolles hotel in April 2003, employed by a series of subcontractors. A part-time worker, until 2017 she was unsuccessful in seeking a full-time role.[9] She became a housekeeper in 2019. Her health was affected by her working conditions, and she went out sick in February 2019.[10] Her net monthly salary rose from 1,300 to 1,700 euros thanks to the success of the 2019-2021 strike.[11] She said that the job "destroys the body. There are carpal tunnel syndromes, tendonitis, back pain...".[12] In the course of her work, she also confronted racism and several attempted sexual assaults.[13][14][9]

### Member of Parliament, 2022-2024

In the first round of the [2022 French legislative election](/source/2022_French_legislative_election), Keke was a candidate for [La France Insoumise](/source/La_France_Insoumise) (LFI) on the [New Ecological and Social People's Union](/source/New_Ecological_and_Social_People's_Union) (NUPES) slate, the left-wing alliance of political parties. Running for the [7th constituency](/source/Val-de-Marne's_7th_constituency) of the [Val-de-Marne](/source/Val-de-Marne) [department](/source/Departments_of_France), Keke finished first with 37.22% of the vote; [Roxana Maracineanu](/source/Roxana_Maracineanu), former Sports Minister and Olympic silver medalist swimmer, came in second, making the runoff with 23.77%.[5][15] Keke's campaign focused on outreach to non-voters, while Maracineanu called for a "republican front against the far left"; this drew criticism from the NUPES who saw this as equating them with France's extreme right.[6] In the second and final round, Keke won by 177 votes, scoring 51.38% of the vote against 48.62% for Maracineanu.[16] A profile by *[France24](/source/France24)* noted that Keke's election (along with other newly elected deputies such as [Rassemblement national](/source/National_Rally)'s [Katiana Levavasseur](/source/Katiana_Levavasseur)) indicated a growing trend of elected politicians from lower economic backgrounds taking up office.[17]

She stood out during her first steps in the National French Assembly, denouncing the refusal of the members of the presidential majority to increase the minimum wage to extend the "[prime Macron](https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_de_partage_de_la_valeur)". She accuses them of not knowing what it is to receive only 800 euros a month, of despising essential professions and not knowing their suffering.[18]

In the [2024 election](/source/2024_French_legislative_election), she lost her seat in the second round to [Republican](/source/The_Republicans_(France))'s [Vincent Jeanbrun](/source/Vincent_Jeanbrun).

## Personal life

Keke has five children.[3] In 2016, she married Bobby Yodé, a [zouglou](/source/Zouglou) musician.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Législatives. Rachel Keke (Nupes) élue dans la 7e circonscription du Val-de-Marne"](https://actu.fr/politique/elections-legislatives/legislatives-rachel-keke-nupes-elue-dans-la-7e-circonscription-du-val-de-marne_51733612.html). *actu.fr* (in French). 19 June 2022. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220620054825/https://actu.fr/politique/elections-legislatives/legislatives-rachel-keke-nupes-elue-dans-la-7e-circonscription-du-val-de-marne_51733612.html) from the original on 2022-06-20. Retrieved 2022-06-19.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Hermann_2022_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Hermann_2022_2-1) Hermann, Oswald (2022-06-21). ["Actualités France :: Législatives 2022, Rachel Kéké: voici l'ivoirienne qui a battu un ex-ministre :: France news"](https://www.camer.be/91314/34:31/france-legislatives-2022-rachel-keke-voici-livoirienne-qui-a-battu-un-ex-ministre.html). *camer.be* (in French).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:3_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:3_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:3_3-2) ["Législatives 2022. Qui est Rachel Keke, ex-femme de chambre élue à l'Assemblée nationale ?"](https://www.ouest-france.fr/elections/legislatives/legislatives-2022-qui-est-rachel-keke-ex-femme-de-chambre-elue-a-l-assemblee-nationale-3f9a1530-f011-11ec-a133-f9eee55ea51f). *Ouest-France*. June 19, 2022.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Média_2022_4-0)** Média, Prisma (2022-06-21). ["Rachel Keke"](https://www.gala.fr/stars_et_gotha/rachel_keke). *Gala.fr* (in French).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_5-1) ["Rachel Keke, la femme de chambre de l'Ibis Batignolles, débarque à l'Assemblée"](https://www.nouvelobs.com/elections-legislatives-2022/20220619.OBS59908/rachel-keke-la-femme-de-chambre-de-l-ibis-batignolles-debarque-a-l-assemblee.html). *L'Obs* (in French). 2022-06-19. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220620054827/https://www.nouvelobs.com/elections-legislatives-2022/20220619.OBS59908/rachel-keke-la-femme-de-chambre-de-l-ibis-batignolles-debarque-a-l-assemblee.html) from the original on 2022-06-20. Retrieved 2022-06-19.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:2_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:2_6-1) ["French legislative elections: Naturalized chambermaid beats ex-sports minister to Parliament"](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/politics/article/2022/06/19/french-legislative-elections-naturalized-chambermaid-beats-ex-sports-minister-to-parliament_5987393_5.html). *Le Monde.fr*. 2022-06-19. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220620054825/https://www.lemonde.fr/en/politics/article/2022/06/19/french-legislative-elections-naturalized-chambermaid-beats-ex-sports-minister-to-parliament_5987393_5.html) from the original on 2022-06-20. Retrieved 2022-06-20.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["'Something magnetic about her': French ex-chambermaid Rachel Keke runs for MP after labour battle"](https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20220531-something-magnetic-about-her-french-ex-chambermaid-runs-for-mp-after-labour-battle). *France 24*. 2022-05-31. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220616051638/https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20220531-something-magnetic-about-her-french-ex-chambermaid-runs-for-mp-after-labour-battle) from the original on 2022-06-16. Retrieved 2022-06-19.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Paris hotel cleaners claim landmark win after 22-month 'battle for dignity'"](https://www.france24.com/en/france/20210526-paris-hotel-cleaners-claim-landmark-win-after-22-month-battle-for-dignity). *France 24*. 2021-05-26. Retrieved 2022-06-20.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-20minutes.fr_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-20minutes.fr_9-1) ["Rachel Keke, " guerrière " et femme de chambre, bientôt à l'Assemblée ?"](https://www.20minutes.fr/paris/3292043-20220517-legislatives-2022-rachel-keke-guerriere-femme-chambre-bientot-assemblee-sous-etiquette-nupes). *www.20minutes.fr* (in French). 2022-05-17. Retrieved 2023-11-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["VIDÉO. En France, la révolte des femmes de chambre africaines | TV5MONDE - Informations"](https://information.tv5monde.com/international/en-france-la-revolte-des-femmes-de-chambre-africaines-31915). *information.tv5monde.com* (in French). 2019-08-14. Retrieved 2023-11-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Législatives : Rachel Keke, la femme de chambre prête à faire "trembler l'Assemblée nationale""](https://www.francetvinfo.fr/politique/nupes/legislatives-rachel-keke-la-femme-de-chambre-prete-a-faire-trembler-l-assemblee-nationale_5141674.html). *Franceinfo* (in French). 2022-05-29. Retrieved 2023-11-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Rachel Kéké, une femme de chambre à l'assaut de l'Assemblée nationale"](https://www.lepoint.fr/politique/rachel-keke-une-femme-de-chambre-a-l-assaut-de-l-assemblee-nationale-25-05-2022-2477002_20.php). *Le Point* (in French). 2022-05-25. Retrieved 2023-11-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["PORTRAIT. Législatives 2022 : Rachel Kéké, élue à l'Assemblée nationale"](https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/paris-ile-de-france/paris/portrait-legislatives-2022-rachel-keke-la-lutte-en-cadence-2549288.html). *France 3 Paris Ile-de-France* (in French). 2022-05-26. Retrieved 2023-11-28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["La gauche tente de nouveaux visages"](https://www.lexpression.dz/internationale/la-gauche-tente-de-nouveaux-visages-356780).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-:0_15-0)** ["Cleaner who led pay strike faces former minister in Paris election"](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/17/cleaner-who-led-pay-strike-runs-to-be-mp-in-french-elections-rachel-keke). *the Guardian*. 2022-06-17. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220617171133/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/17/cleaner-who-led-pay-strike-runs-to-be-mp-in-french-elections-rachel-keke) from the original on 2022-06-17. Retrieved 2022-06-19.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Résultats législatives: Rachel Keke s'impose dans le Val-de-Marne, face à l'ancienne ministre des Sports Roxana Maracineanu"](https://www.bfmtv.com/paris/resultats-legislatives-rachel-keke-s-impose-dans-le-val-de-marne-face-a-l-ancienne-ministre-des-sports-roxana-maracineanu_AN-202206190428.html). *BFMTV* (in French). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220620054829/https://www.bfmtv.com/paris/resultats-legislatives-rachel-keke-s-impose-dans-le-val-de-marne-face-a-l-ancienne-ministre-des-sports-roxana-maracineanu_AN-202206190428.html) from the original on 2022-06-20. Retrieved 2022-06-19.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["Cleaner, piano tuner: French parliament's fresh faces"](https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220622-cleaner-piano-tuner-french-parliament-s-fresh-faces). 22 June 2022. Retrieved 2022-06-22.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ["" Qui a déjà touché 800 euros par mois ? Personne " : Rachel Keke interpelle la majorité sur les salaires"](https://www.lejdd.fr/Politique/qui-a-deja-touche-800-par-mois-personne-rachel-keke-interpelle-la-majorite-sur-les-salaires-4124472). *lejdd.fr* (in French). 2022-07-21. Retrieved 2023-11-28.

Authority control databases International VIAF People Sycomore Other IdRef

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Rachel Keke](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Keke) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Keke?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.