Olivier Marlex, a deputy of the National Assembly (lower house of parliament) of France from the right-wing Republicans party, will be found dead, AFP reports with reference to Prosecutor Frederic Chevalier. The body was found in the constituency of the deputy — the commune of Anet (department of Air and Loire in the central part of France).
According to preliminary data, the parliamentarian committed suicide.Marlex was 54 years old, he was an associate of former French Prime Minister Michel Barnier.
The body was found by gendarmes on the evening of July 8 in the house where the deputy lived. According to AFP, law enforcement officers were called by the mayor of the commune.
The Republicans Party confirmed the death of Marlex. French President Emmanuel Macron, in his post on X, described him as an "experienced politician" who "defended his ideas with conviction."
"I also respected our differences, as they were viewed in the light of our love for the country," he wrote.
Condolences were also expressed by other politicians, including Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi and the leader of the parliamentary faction of the French National Union party Marine Le Pen.
The National Assembly of France, in connection with the death of Marlex, briefly interrupted the meeting on the evening of July 7: a minute of silence was announced.
Marlex was first elected a parliamentarian in 2012. Prior to that, he was an adviser to Nicolas Sarkozy during his presidency (2007-2012). Marlex was an active critic of Macron's course. He headed the parliamentary commission, which studied the circumstances of the sale of the French energy company Alstom to the American concern General Electric.
The deputy admitted that part of the funds received from the deal could have been used to finance Macron's presidential campaign in 2017.