Louis Besson, the French politician and member of the Socialist Party, died on April 2, 2026, at the age of 88.
He was a leading figure in French housing policy and among the most influential housing ministers of recent times, best remembered for a law enshrining the broad right to housing and for reforms requiring municipalities to maintain a minimum level of social housing. Born in Barby in 1937, he served as mayor of the village from 1965 to 1989 and later as mayor of Chambéry from 1989 to 1997 and again from 2001 to 2007.
He also served five terms in the National Assembly and held ministerial posts in housing from 1989 to 1991 and again from 1997 to 2001.
Louis Besson (6 May 1937 – 2 April 2026) was a French politician who was a member of the French Socialist Party. He was a leading figure in French housing policy and one of the most influential housing ministers of recent times. He is most remembered for two particular policies, a law enshrining the broad right to housing, and for restructuring the rules to require municipalities a minimum level of social housing.