Born in 1872 in Plélan-le-Grand, Joly settled in the town of Bruz as a doctor prior to the First World War.[1][2] Mobilized to serve during the conflict, he returned home in 1918 and was elected mayor the following year.[2] During his tenure, he focused on electrification, causing Bruz to become one of the first municipalities in the area to become electrified.[2] In 1936, Joly ran in the elections for the position of Deputy representing the 2nd constituency of Ille-et-Vilaine, having unsuccessfully run four years earlier in the 1932 legislative election.[1][2] He won the 1936 election with 58% of the vote.[1][2] He was one of fifteen Breton politicians elected in 1936 to sign the, which aimed to create a parliamentary group composing of Bretons and to advance Breton interests in the National Assembly.[3]
Affiliated with the Independent and Social Action Republicans, Joly campaigned against Prime Minister of France Léon Blum.[1] He was a member of several government committees during his tenure.[1] He stated he was in favor of electoral reform ensuring proportional representation.[1] On 10 July 1940, Joly voted in favour of granting the cabinet presided by Marshal Philippe Pétain authority to draw up a new constitution, thereby effectively ending the French Third Republic and establishing Vichy France.[1] Having served as mayor of Bruz for twenty-five years, including during the German occupation of France, Joly and most of his family were killed in the Allied bombardment of Bruz on 8 May 1944.[1][2]
