Fajon, Étienne

Born Sept. 11, 1906, in Jonquières, department of Hérault. Figure in the French labor movement.

The son of a peasant, Fajon became a teacher. He joined the French Communist Party (FCP) in 1929 and has been involved in party work since 1930. From 1932 to 1945 he was a candidate member of the central committee of the FCP. From 1936 to 1940 he served as a deputy to Parliament. From 1943 to 1945 he was a member of the central directorate of the FCP in North Africa and a deputy to the Consultative Assembly of France.

In 1945 and 1946, Fajon was a deputy to the Constituent Assembly; from 1946 to 1958 and from 1962 to 1978 he served as a deputy to the National Assembly. Since 1945 he has been a member of the central committee of the FCP. From 1945 to 1947 he was a candidate member and from 1947 to 1979 a full member of the politburo of the FCP. From 1948 to 1950 he was editor in chief, from 1952 to 1958 director, and from 1958 to 1974 political director of L’Humanité, the central organ of the FCP. From 1953 to 1956 and from 1970 to 1976, Fajon was a member of the secretariat of the central committee of the FCP.