Jeanne-Lucille Desmarais

  

Her Excellency Jeanne-Lucille Desmarais
Desmarais in 2019
President of Tournesol
Incumbent
Assumed office 10 August 2012
Premier	Christophe Armand
Preceded by	Jean-Guy Mercier
Vice President of Tournesol
In office 8 October 2009 – 10 August 2012
Preceded by	Paul Bacon
Succeeded by	Nathalie Dupuis
First Secretary of the Secretariat
Incumbent
Assumed office 5 March 2012
District Party Secretary of the Cansezville Committee
In office 1 December 2005 – 1 October 2009
Preceded by	Pauline Courchesne
Succeeded by	Marc-André Laporte
Deputy Chair of the Fédération des femmes de Tournesol
In office 13 April 2003 – 20 November 2005
Preceded by	Agnès Papineau
Succeeded by	Jocelyn Proulx
Personal details
Born	(1963-02-22) 22 February 1963 Ouichite, Arcansa
Political party	Continentalist Party of Labor (1989–present)
Spouse(s)	Marc Sirois-Cosette (m. 1995)
Children	2
Residence	Maison de cèdre
Alma mater	Université de Tournesol à Topèque (Dipl.Ing)
Occupation	Politician
Profession	Engineer
Religion	Atheist
Signature
Scientific career
Thesis	Conception et développement de méthodes de tension de transistors radiofréquence (English: Design and Development of Voltage Methods for RF Transistors) (1968)
Doctoral advisor	James Bowser

Jeanne-Lucille Desmarais (born 22 February 1963), also known by her initials JLD, is a Tourneser politician and engineer who has served as the current President of Tournesol since 2012. She served as Vice President of Tournesol from October 2009 until her election to the presidency in August 2012. As the First Secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Continentalist Party of Labor (the second highest-ranking party position after the General Secretary), she is also a standing member of the Central Military Committee and the chair of the National Security Council.

Desmarais studied at the Université de Tournesol à Topèque in electrical engineering between 1981 and 1986, and worked for the Ouichite Public Utilities as a principal engineer. She became involved in party affairs once she was promoted into the public utilities middle management, and Desmarais formaly became a member of the Continentalist Party of Labor (French: PCT, Parti continentaliste du travail) in 1989. She rose to power through the Continentalist Party, notably as Deputy Chair of the Fédération des femmes de Tournesol (Tournesol Women's Federation) and as the District Party Secretary of the Cansezville District. Her ascension to the Secretariat and the Vice Presidency was made possible through sponsorships of senior party officials, including General Secretary Gaston Rousseau.

Desmarais ran for president in 2012, and was considered the frontrunner as the favored candidate by the party establishment. After successfully winning the presidency, Desmarais adopted a hardliner approach against corruption within the Tourneser government and Continentalist Party, and reaffirmed her commitment to André Dubois Thought and Continentalism. Desmarais has been re-elected as president twice (2017 and 2022). She promoted a more "internationally-facing" Tournesol, fostering closer ties with the United Commonwealth and other countries of the Eastern Bloc, while adopting a more measured, cautious approach towards Western nations. Under her leadership, Tournesol underwent a decade of steady, reliable economic growth and development, with a particular focus and emphasis on green energy and technology. She was widely praised for her leadership and response during the COVID-19 pandemic. As president, she is also a full member of the National Assembly of Tournesol and the Council of State. In 2024, concerns of General Secretary Rousseau's declining health and advanced health led to widespread speculation that Desmarais would be selected as Rousseau's successor.

Early life, education, and career

Desmarais was born on 22 February 1963 in Ouichite, Arcansa, to Katrianne Breau, an office secretary, and Lanus Desmarais, a lineworker. She was the second eldest child of five children, and both of her parents were of Cajun French descent, tracing their ancestry to the Acadians who were expelled from modern-day Quebec, and ultimately to French ancestors from the region of Aquitaine. Her maternal grandfather Henri Breau served as a lieutenant in the Tourneser People's Army during the Great War, and was distinguished in battle. After her father was severely injured on the job and was left on disability leave, Desmarais helped her family financially by working at a local factory plant as a receptionist. On two separate occasions, Desmarais ran away from her home due to the emotional abuse she received from her father, who suffered from alcohol abuse and depression. Although Desmarais was baptized and raised as a Roman Catholic, she lapsed during her adolescence and has self-identified as an atheist since young adulthood.

She was educated at the Jesuit institute Lycée de Saint-Joseph-d'Ouichite and graduated third in her class. Desmarais was active as a member of the Mouvement Jeuenes de Continentalistes de Tournesol (MJCT; Young Continentalists Movement of Tournesol). Desmarais spent the summer between secondary school and undergraduate studies in Chicago where she participated in a foreign exchange program at the MEL Institute. In September 1981, on her return flight home from Chicago with Tourneser Airlines, her plane made an international emergency landing near the Superian city of Davenport, Iowa due to low oil pressure. The pilot intended to land in the friendly Continental Quad Cities International Airport in Moline, Illinois, but was forced to divert course and ditch onto the international Mississippi River which divided Superior and the United Commonwealth due to the plane's relative position to the airport and low altitude. The plane skirted into Superian waters and Desmarais and the others on board the plane were rescued by the Superian Royal Navy Coastal Guard. The incident garnered significant media attention as it occurred during a period of heightened tensions between the Western and Eastern Blocs during the Cold War. Desmarais sustained minor injuries and was treated at a Superian hospital, and was issued an emergency visa by the Superian government during her time there. Her experience with the ordeal influenced her later views and approach towards relations with Western powers, particularly with Superior.

Desmarais studied electrical engineering at the Université de Tournesol à Topèque Faculty of Sciences, graduating with a licence, and then obtaining a professional master degree. She wrote her dissertation on research and development of voltage methods for radio frequency transistors. Upon receiving her professional degree, Desmarais gained employment at the Ouichite Public Utilities initially as an engineering technician intern in 1986. She was then promoted to an associate engineer and performed on-the-field work for the city's power grid. In 1987, she was promoted to engineer. In 1989, Desmarais received an early promotion to senior engineer, a year ahead of the city's usual schedule, and assumed supervisory responsibilities. She became associated with the local party professional cadre and was formally accepted as a member of the Continentalist Party of Labor that same year.

Vice Presidency

Official vice presidential photograph, 2009

Presidency

Elections

2012

Main article: 2012 Tourneser presidential election

2017

Main article: 2017 Tourneser presidential election

2022

Main article: 2022 Tourneser presidential election

Political positions

Main articles: Ideology of the Continentalist Party of Labor and Political positions of Jeanne-Lucille Desmarais

Honors

• Egypt: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Republic
• Libya: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Arab Libyan Jamahiriya
• North Vietnam: Grand Cross Medal of Friendship
• United People's Committees: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Liberator

See also

Political offices
Preceded by Paul Bacon	Vice President of Tournesol 2009−2012	Succeeded by Nathalie Dupuis
Preceded by Jean-Guy Mercier	President of Tournesol 2012−present	Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by Pauline Courchesne	District Party Secretary of the Cansezville Committee 2005−2009	Succeeded by Pauline Courchesne
Preceded by Jaures Sullenberger	First Secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Continentalist Party of Labor 2012–present	Incumbent