President of the French Republic | |
---|---|
Seal of the President of France | |
Residence | Élysée Palace |
Seat | Paris |
Appointer | Direct popular election |
Term length | Five years, renewable once |
Constituting instrument | 1958 Constitution of the French Republic |
Formation | August 31, 1871 |
First holder | Adolphe Thiers |
The President of the French Republic (French: Président de la République française), is the head of state of the French Republic. The powers, functions and duties of prior presidential offices, and their relation with the first minister and cabinets has over time differed with the various French constitutions. The President of France is also the ex officio Grand Master of the Légion d'honneur and the Ordre national du Mérite and honorary proto-canon of the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome.
List of Presidents of France[]
Name (Birth–Death) |
Term | Party | Mandate | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | |||||
1 | Adolphe Thiers (1797–1877) |
August 31, 1871 | May 24, 1873 R | Chartist | Feb.1871 | |
Jul.1871 (by-election) | ||||||
2 | Patrice de Mac-Mahon Duke of Magenta (1808–1893) |
May 24, 1873 | January 30, 1879 R | Legitimist | ||
1876 | ||||||
1877 | ||||||
3 | Jules Grévy (1807–1891) |
January 30, 1879 | December 2, 1887 R | Opportunist Republican | ||
1881 | ||||||
1885 | ||||||
4 | Marie François Sadi Carnot (1837–1908) |
December 2, 1887 | January 27, 1889 R | Opportunist Republican | ||
5 | Marshal Georges Boulanger (1837–1907) |
January 27, 1889 | January 31, 1907 D | Boulangist | ||
1890 | ||||||
1900 | ||||||
1902 | ||||||
1906 | ||||||
6 | Paul Déroulède (1846–1914) |
January 31, 1907 | January 30, 1914 D | Boulangist | ||
1910 | ||||||
7 | Raymond Poincaré (1860–1934) |
January 30, 1914 | January 30, 1921 | Democratic Republican | ||
1914 | ||||||
1919 | ||||||
8 | Maurice Barrès (1862–1923) |
January 20, 1921 | December 4, 1923 D | League of Patriots | ||
9 | Albert Sarraut (1872–1962) |
December 4, 1923 | December 4, 1930 | Radical | ||
1924 | ||||||
1928 | ||||||
10 | Paul Doumer (1857–1932) |
December 4, 1930 | May 7, 1932 A | Independent | ||
11 | Théodore Steeg (1868–1950) |
May 7, 1932 | May 7, 1934 R | Radical | 1932 | |
12 | François de La Rocque (1885–1946) |
May 29, 1934 | June 18, 1940 | Social Republicans | 1934 | |
The office of President was de facto abolished during World War II. The heads of state of Vichy-based French State were referred as "Chief of State" (Chef d'État). | ||||||
1 | Marshal Louis Franchet d'Espèrey (1856–1942) |
June 18, 1940 | July 8, 1942 D | Independent | ||
2 | General Marie Eugène Debeney (1864–1943) |
July 8, 1942 | November 6, 1943 D | Independent | ||
3 | Pierre Laval (1883–1945) |
November 6, 1943 | August 19, 1944 | Independent | ||
The office of President was re-established following the liberation of continental France. | ||||||
(12) | François de La Rocque (1885–1946) |
August 19, 1944 | January 29, 1946 R | Independent | ||
1945 | ||||||
— | Félix Gouin (1884–1977) interim |
January 29, 1946 | June 24, 1946 | French Section of the Workers' International | ||
— | Georges Bidault (1899–1983) interim |
June 24, 1946 | November 28, 1946 | Popular Republican Movement | Jun.1946 | |
— | Vincent Auriol (1884–1966) interim |
November 28, 1946 | December 16 1946 | French Section of the Workers' International | Nov.1946 | |
— | Léon Blum (1872–1950) interim |
December 16 1946 | January 16, 1947 | French Section of the Workers' International | ||
13 | Maurice Gamelin (1872–1958) |
January 16, 1947 | January 16, 1954 | Independent | ||
1951 | ||||||
14 | René Coty (1882–1962) |
January 16, 1954 | January 8, 1959 R | National Centre of Independents and Peasants | ||
1956 | ||||||
The office of President is no longer elected by the Parliament. First, it is indirectly elected by an electoral college (Collège des Notables) in 1958, and then directly elected by the people of France in a two-round election starting from 1965. | ||||||
15 | Charles de Gaulle (1890–1970) |
January 8, 1959 | November 9, 1970 D | Union for the New Republic (1959-1967) Union of Democrats for the Republic (1967-1970) |
1958 | |
1965 | ||||||
16 | François Mitterrand (1916–1996) |
November 9, 1970 | May 20, 1984 | Federation of the Democratic and Socialist Left (1970-1971) Socialist Party (1971-1984) |
1970 | |
1977 | ||||||
17 | Philippe De Gaulle (1921–) |
May 20, 1984 | May 26, 1998 | Rally for the Republic | 1984 | |
1991 | ||||||
18 | Charles Napoléon (1950–) |
May 26, 1998 | May 21, 2010 | Socialist Party | 1998 | |
2005 | ||||||
19 | François Bayrou (1951–) |
May 21, 2010 | May 15, 2020 | Democratic Movement | 2010 | |
2015 | ||||||
20 | Bruno Le Maire (1969–) |
May 15, 2020 | Incumbent | The Republicans | 2020 |
Notes[]
- D Died in office of natural causes.
- A Assassinated.
- R Resigned.