Patrick Buisson is a conservative French historian, journalist and political advisor. He was a journalist for Minute, Valeurs Actuelles and Le Crapouillot as well as La Chaîne Info. He has written several books about Vichy France, the Algerian War and the Indochina War. The founder and co-owner of Publifact, a polling agency, he was a key advisor to former President Nicolas Sarkozy from 2006 to 2012, during which time he surreptitiously recorded private conversations he had with the president. He is the co-presenter of Historiquement show, a television program on Histoire, a subsidiary of the TF1 Group, which he chairs.
Buisson started his career as a history teacher. In 1981, he started writing for Minute. He later wrote for Valeurs Actuelles. He also wrote for Le Crapouillot. Buisson has written several books. One of his earliest books were about the Organisation armée secrète and Jean-Marie Le Pen. He also expressed his enthusiasm for order and hierarchies. Additionally, he wrote a book about Sacha Guitry and co-wrote a book about Léo Ferré. Later, he wrote history books about the Algerian War, the Indochina War and Vichy France. His book about eroticism during Vichy France, which suggests many French women had sexual intercourse with German invaders during World War II, was adapted as a film entitled Love and Sex under Nazi Occupation in 2011. Buisson served as a political advisor to Philippe de Villiers in the 1990s and early 2000s. He served as a political advisor to President Nicolas Sarkozy from 2006 to 2012. He played a key role in Sarkozy's victory during the 2007 presidential election. He suggested renegotiating the Évian Accords, which gives special visas to Algerians when they visit France, but Sarkozy turned down the idea. He has been described by Le Monde as "one of the Fifth Republic's most influential advisors." Buisson founded Publifact, a polling firm, in Lyon in 1982. He owns 58%. In 2008, the firm received 1,082,400 Euros from the Élysée for various polls and reports. In 2009, Buisson received 10,000 Euros each month as a consultant. In February 2014, Le Point revealed that Buisson had surreptitiously recorded private conversations he had with President Sarkozy. A month later, in March 2014, Le Canard enchaîné published the transcripts. Buisson's son, Georges, denied being the one who leaked them. Buisson was a TV journalist for La Chaîne Info. He was also the co-creator of 100% Politique, a TV program, with David Pujadas, and Politiquement Show, another TV program, with Michel Field. He has served as the Chairman of Histoire, a TV channel which is a subsidiary of the TF1 Group, since 2007. His contract was renewed in 2015. He presents Historiquement show, a history TV program, with Michel Field. Buisson received the Legion of Honour on September 24, 2007.
Personal life
Buisson is a Roman Catholic "by tradition," and attends the Latin Mass. He has a son, Georges Buisson, who is co-owner of Publifact and works for the Histoire TV channel with his father. In June 2015, he published a book about his father, entitled L'Ennemi.
