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Picture Name Born-Died Presidency Start Presidency End Party Notes
Lebrun
Charles-Francois Lebrun March 19, 1739 - June 16, 1824 November 10, 1799 February 30, 1806 Reformist (Republican from 1803) Became President after the Paris coup (November 9, 1799) without holding election. Formed Reformist party to bring order to France's unorganized government. Held first elections (February 1, 1803) of which 100,000 people voted. Defeated in 1806 by former ally Paul Barras.
Paul barras
Paul Barras June 30, 1755 - June 18, 1817 February 30, 1806 March 1, 1815 Socialist France's 2nd President, very popular with the people (1806 - 1813) but after losing all of Franc's remaining colonies in 1813 he quickly fell out of favor. But rather than resigning to make way for another member of his party Barras decided to hold an election which was won by Brune by a landslide. This was to haunt the Socialist party so much so that they didn't win an election for 50 years.
Brune
Guillaume Marie Anne Brune March 13, 1763 - July 15, 1815 March 1, 1815 July 15, 1815 Conservative The first serving army officer to become President. Highly popular after defeating an attempted Prusso - Dutch invasion (1810) and heroicly to the last at the Battle of Metz. His main policy was the promise of an expansion of France's borders but he was unable to fulfill this dream when he was shot while attending a military parade after being president for only 4 months.
Daunou
Pierre Claude Francois Daunou August 18, 1761 - June 20, 1840 July 15, 1815 July 20, 1821 Conservative Brune's trusted friend, although opposing Brune's policy of conquest he did support a larger and better organized and supplied army. In 1819 he entered France into the 4th coalition against the Latinians along with Britain and the Prusso - Dutch.
Talleyrand
Charles Maurice Talleyrand February 2, 1754 - May 17, 1838 July 20, 1821 June 31, 1830 Republican Talleyrand was the first President to openly suggest the return of the monarchy (1829) after which he fell out of favor.
Jourdan
Jean-Baptiste Jourdan April 29, 1762 - November 23 1833 June 31, 1830 July 29, 1833 Conservative A highly distinguished officer who had been appointed Marshal of the Republic in 1815 and commander in chief of the army in 1821. He wasn't a very good politician but seemed good compared with the rest at the time. The most he did for France was to erect a huge statue of Brune in Paris to celebrate the man who made him Marshal. When Murat came along in 1833 though France finally got a decent President.
Achille Murat
Achille Murat January 21, 1801 - April 15, 1847 July 29, 1833 April 15, 1847 Republican Murat was said to be such a wonderful President that only his death voted him out. He fought some wars against Spain and in doing so won control of the Azores and Canary islands. But when he died in 1847 rather than a member of his party taking power Etienne Gerard seized control of the Presidency.
Etienne Maurice Gerard
Etienne Maurice Gerard April 4, 1773 - April 17, 1852 April 15, 1847 March 20, 1850 Monarchist Gerard's political coup of April 15, 1847 swiftly made him president but right from the start his Authoritarian regime was loathed by all other French politicians. He had formed his party on April 1st and when he came to power it had only 11 members. Several attempted revolutions were mercilessly crushed by the army and the only partially successful coup was launched by the republican guard, the presidents own bodyguard. This resulted in many of his pro monarchy laws being banned and thwarted his plans to restore the monarchy in 1849. He knew that he would lose an election so when the time came on March 20, 1850 he disbanded the Monarchist party.
Barrot
Odilon Barrot July 19, 1791 - August 6, 1871 March 20, 1850 April 1, 1859 Conservative Odilon Barrot is the most successful French conservative politician to date. During his first time as President (1850 - 59) he gave the French people more trust in their government and made parliament bigger. He also rebuilt France's economy and tried to get rid of corruption in France's army. It came as a shock to Barrot when in 1859 he was defeated (although only marginally) by Ex army officer Mac-Mahon.
PatriceMacMahon
Patrice de Mac-Mahon July 13, 1808 - January 30, 1890 April 1, 1859 March 25, 1862 Republican France's 10th President and 4th Republican one Patrice Mac-Mahon had a lot to live up to. And he did. In 1860 he passed The Liberte agreement with Luxembourg which gave a 50 year military alliance and increased trade routes between the 2 countries. He gave increased support to the Union side in the American Civil war. But then again in 1862 there was a marginal victory for Barrot.
Barrot
Odilon Barrot ' ' ' March 25, 1862 February 5, 1865 Conservative Barrot's government ceased to give any support to the Unionists in American which was to be their downfall and by the time Jacques Randon became president the war was all but over. Barrot's isolationist policy also came into play and when he tried to destroy the Liberte agreement in early 1865 parliament voted him out of power and instead replaced him with a Parliamentarily elected president.
Randon
Jacques Louis Randon March 25, 1795 - June 3, 1867 February 5, 1865 June 3, 1867 Socialist Randon was a very easy president he was hated by few but liked by fewer. The only policy he had was to send arms to help the Unionists but when the ceasefire was signed in 1866 he had a mental breakdown. But although confined to his bed he remained president until he died in 1867.
PatriceMacMahon
Patrice de Mac-Mahon ' ' ' June 3, 1867 June 15, 1879 Republican Took control in a similar style to Gerard but this time without the discontent. He signed a non aggression pact with the empire of the Latins in 1869 and when Spain was occupied by the Latinians in 1873 he took control of the Canary islands for France. In 1874 he defeated the Tunisians and annexed all of the Morocco and Algerian regions. He also extended the voting age so that in 1876 88% of all men aged 20+ voted.
Buffet
Louis Buffet October 26, 1818 - December 7, 1913 June 15, 1879 March 3, 1882 Conservative Buffet's rule was only 3 years and he should have been President for much longer than that. He was very capable and organised local governments therefore giving people more power to govern there own regions.
Jules Simon
Jules Simon December 31, 1814 - March 12, 1897 March 3, 1882 June 20, 1882 Socialist Jules Simon was only France's 3rd Socialist president. His main policy was to disband large parts of the army but on June 20 1882 this policy was shattered after a military coup removed Simon from power and replaced him with Marshal Billot.
Jean-Baptiste Billot
Jean-Baptiste Billot August 15, 1828 - May 10, 1886 June 20, 1882 May 5, 1886 Military Dictatorship Billot was a very distinguished General. In 1865 Odilon Barrot had made him a Marshal of the republic and in 1876 he was appointed governor-General of morocco. Then in 1881 he was appointed chief of staff of the French army. But when Simon came to power he was dismayed at the fact he wanted to disband one third of the army. On June 15 the army mutinyed and on 20 they arrested Simon and Clemenceau, secretary of the Socialist party. A military Junta then ruled france for 4 years. But in 1886 Mac-Mahon's position in the army gave him enough power to dissolve the Junta and restore democracy.
PatriceMacMahon
Patrice de Mac-Mahon ' ' ' May 5, 1886 May 7, 1889 Republican His last time as president was no to be as glorious as his first 2. His main achievement being the establishment of French colonies in South America. Mac-Mahon resigned in favour of Simon at the time of election.
Jules Simon
Jules Simon ' ' ' May 7, 1889 March 12, 1897 Socialist
Clemenceau
Georges Clemenceau September 28, 1841 - May 3, 1912 March 12, 1897 April 1, 1900 Socialist
Pierre Waldeck-Rousseau
Pierre Waldeck Rousseau December 2, 1846 - August 14, 1916 April 1, 1900 April 3, 1906 Republican
Clemenceau
Georges Clemenceau ' ' ' April 3, 1906 May 3, 1912 Socialist
Aristide Briand
Aristide Briand March 28, 1862 - April 19, 1935 May 3, 1912 September 14, 1913 Socialist
Joseph-Simon Gallieni
Joseph Gallieni April 24, 1849 - March 27, 1915 September, 1913 March 27, 1915 Military
Michel-Joseph Maunoury
Michel-Joseph Maunoury December 17, 1847 - November 13, 1920 March 27, 1915 June 28, 1916 Military
Joseph Joffre
Joseph Joffre January 12, 1852 - April 23, 1939 June 28, 1916 January 1, 1919 Military
Aristide Briand ' ' ' January 1, 1919 January 12, 1922 Socialist
Raymond Poincare August 20, 1860 - October 15, 1934 January 12, 1922 March 3, 1927 Conservative
Andre Maginot February 17, 1877 - July 25, 1946 March 3, 1927 August 16, 1930 Conservative
Georges Leygues October 26, 1857 - November 1, 1934 August 16, 1930 July 3, 1933 Republican
Joseph Joffre ' ' ' July 3, 1933 May 8, 1935 Conservative
Paul Doumer March 27, 1857 - April 13, 1940 May 8, 1935 September 1, 1935 Socialist
Gaston Doumergue August 1, 1863 - June 4, 1937 September 1, 1935 June 4, 1937 Conservative
Pierre Laval June 28, 1883 - October 20, 1942 June 4, 1937 October 20, 1942 Conservative
Pierre-Etienne Fladin April 12, 1889 - December 9, 1958 October 20, 1942 November 28, 1942 Conservative
Albert Lebrun August 29, 1871 - March 6, 1950 November 28, 1942 December 1, 1945 Republican
Edouard Herriot July 5, 1872 - May 26, 1957 December 1, 1945 December 31, 1951 Socialist
Alphonse Juin December 16, 1888 - June 7, 1970 December 31, 1951 February 8, 1964 Republican
Joseph Laniel October 12, 1889 - April 8, 1975 February 8, 1964 March 12, 1966 Republican
Antoine Pinay December 30, 1891 - December 13, 1994 March 12, 1966 April 5, 1969 Conservative
Francois Mitterrand October 26, 1916 - January 8, 1996 April 5, 1969 March 8, 1981 Socialist
Jean-Marie Le Pen June 20, 1928 - August 15, 2006 March 8, 1981 February 31, 1990 Conservative Far Right President,
Pierre Mauroy July 5, 1928 - February 31, 1990 January 1, 2002 Socialist
Francois Fillon March 4, 1954 - January 1, 2002 January 19, 2008 Conservative
Francois Bayrou May 25, 1951 - January 19, 2008 Incumbent Republican
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