The IPU regrets to announce that André Chandernagor, former President of the IPU and a distinguished personality in French politics, died on 19 November 2025 aged 104 years old.
Born in 1921 in Vienne, France, André Chandernagor was a lawyer by profession and a dedicated public servant whose career spanned over half a century.
In 1953, he became mayor of Mortroux in the Creuse region of France, a position he held for 30 years. In 1958, he was elected to the French National Assembly, representing the Creuse region. He was reelected seven times and served in the Assembly for 23 years. Over the years, he was a Vice-President of the Assembly, President of the Departmental Council of Creuse, and President of the Limousin Regional Council.
During his tenure as IPU President from 1968-1973, he was a steadfast supporter of human rights and promoted the importance of inter-parliamentary dialogue. Notably, he was behind the creation of the IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians, the only international complaints mechanism with the specific mandate to defend the human rights of persecuted parliamentarians around the world. The Committee will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2026.
A committed socialist, he later beame European Affairs Minister under President Francois Mitterrand in the 1980s where he championed individual access to the European Court of Human Rights and advocated for a European passport.
From 1983, as the first President of the French Court of Auditors (Cour des Comptes), André Chandernagor modernized the institution, extending its reach internationally and regionally, and reinforcing public accountability and transparency.
The IPU extends its condolences to his family, his political colleagues and the people of the Creuse region of France.
Impact
The IPU facilitates parliamentary diplomacy and empowers parliaments and parliamentarians to promote peace, democracy and sustainable development around the world.
