Huguette Bello

Bello was chosen to lead the left-wing electoral alliance in Réunion into the 2015 regional election, but was defeated by incumbent Didier Robert.[1] After turning 18, Bello became a substitute teacher to support her family financially, and later worked as a preschool principal in Saint-Leu, Saint-Louis, and Le Port in the 1980s.[1] In 1981, she attended the Women's International Democratic Federation in Czechoslovakia, where she met former First Lady of Chile Hortensia Bussi, the first female astronaut Valentina Tereshkova, and the South African activist Dulcie September, which influenced her to pursue politics on her own.After taking her seat in parliament, Bello joined the left-wing Radical, Citizen, and Green parliamentary group, before sitting as a non-attached member in her second term.[22] In March 2018, Bello visited the Cimendef Media Library in Saint-Paul with Ericka Bareigts, which was recently purchased by the regional government of Réunion.[23] The Réunion regional government subsequently filed a trespassing complaint against Bello and Bareigts, which the media referred to as the Cimendef affair.[25][26] In 2020, Bello resigned her seat in the National Assembly following her election as mayor of Saint-Paul, due to new legislation regarding the accumulation of dual mandates.The victim's family criticized Bello for her response to the attack, which led to widespread discussion and controversy regarding discrimination against Zoreilles in Réunion.[43][44][45] Upon taking office as mayor for a second term, Bello supported a reduction in the salaries of municipal councillors, which the previous administration had increased.[56] In the second round runoff, Bello negotiated a united left electoral alliance with Bareigts, and went on to defeat Robert after receiving 51.9% of the final vote.[67][68] Following the victory of the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) in the 2024 legislative election, Bello was cited by members of the coalition as a potential future candidate for prime minister of France.She was proposed as the coalition's candidate for prime minister by Fabien Roussel of the French Communist Party, which was later supported by LFI and The Ecologists as well.[69][70] Bello's suggested nomination received some criticism for her past abstention from the vote on the legalization of same-sex marriage in 2013, and the Socialist Party later announced that they would not endorse her candidacy.
Bello in 2011
Bello (right) with Elisa Ferreira in 2023
PresidentRegional Council of RéunionIncumbentDidier RobertFor RéunionSaint-PaulMemberNational AssemblyRéunion's 2nd constituencyOlivier HoarauRegional CouncillorRéunionDepartmental CouncillorCanton of Saint-Pierre-3Saint-Pierre, RéunionCommunist Party of RéunionSaint-PierreLa PossessionDepartmental Council of Réunion1988 election1997 legislative election2017 elections2008 municipal elections2015 regional election2021 regional election2024 legislative electionNew Popular Frontprime minister of FranceSocialist Partyoverseas regionRoman CatholicLe TamponSaint-LeuSaint-LouisLe PortWomen's International Democratic FederationFirst Lady of ChileHortensia BussiValentina TereshkovaDulcie September1995 municipal elections2007 legislative electionsUnion for a Popular Movementnon-attached memberDemocratic and Republican Left groupprofessional developmentlycée professionnel2012 presidential electionFrançois Hollande2012 legislative electionRéunion's 7th constituencyLeft Frontsame-sex marriagemotion of no confidenceEl Khomri lawJean-Luc Mélenchon2017 presidential election2017 legislative electionRézistans Égalité 974La France Insoumiseprime ministerÉdouard Philippehis governmentBenalla affairEricka BareigtstrespassingSaint-DenisKarine Lebon2008 municipal electionMarie-Thérèse de ChateauvieuxConseil d'Étatprefect of Réunionshark attacksZoreilles2014 municipal election2020 municipal electionThe EcologistsLeft PartyThe Republicansschool mealsElisa FerreiraThierry RobertDemocratic MovementPatrick LebretonMargie Sudresupervisory board2022 French presidential electionNew Ecological and Social People's Union2022 legislative electionminister2024 European Parliament election in FranceFabien RousselFrench Communist Partylegalization of same-sex marriageLes EchosRFO RéunionLibérationLa 1èreFrance InterLe MondeL'ExpressOuest-FranceMinistry of the InteriorLe TempsThe Huffington Post FranceLe ParisienFrance 24YouTube