1. Home
  2. Education
  3. European History
Leading Statesmen of France: From 1871 Until 2000


More of this Feature
France: Rulers
Related Resources
Reference Section

This is a chronological list of France's leading statesmen; the dates given are the periods of said rule. Although the title 'prime minister' was only officially introduced with the Fifth Republic, it can - and normally is - used to describe all of these individuals.

The Third Republic
1871 - 1873 Armand Dufaure
1873 - 1874 Albert de Broglie (2 terms)
1874 - 1875 Ernest Louis Octave Courtot de Cissey
1875 - 1876 Louis Joseph Buffet
1876 &nbspArmand Dufaure (2nd and 3rd terms)
1876 - 1877 Jules Simon
1877 &nbspAlbert Broglie (4th term)
1877 &nbspCaétan de Grimaudet de la Rochebouet
1877 - 1879 Armand Dufaure (3rd term)
1879 &nbspWilliam Henry Waddungton
1879 - 1880 Charles de Freycinet
1880 - 1881 Jules Ferry
1881 - 1882 Léon Gambetta
1882 &nbspCharles de Freycinet (2nd term)
1882 - 1883 Charles du Clerc
1883 &nbspArmand Falliéres
1883 - 1885 Jules Ferry (2nd term)
1885 &nbspHenri Brisson
1886 Charles de Freycinet (3rd term)
1886 - 1887 René Goblet
1887 Maurice Rouvier
1887 - 1888 Pierre Emmanuel Tirard
1888 - 1889 Charles Thomas Floquet
1889 - 1890 Pierre Emmanuel Tirard (2nd term)
1890 - 1892 Charles de Freycinet (4th term)
1892 Emile Loubet
1892 - 1893 Alexandre Joseph Ribot (2 terms)
1893 &nbspCharles du Puy
1893 - 1894 Jean Paul Casimir-Périer
1894 - 1895 Charles du Puy (2nd and 3rd terms)
1895 - 1895 Alexandre Joseph Ribot (3rd term)
1895 - 1896 L. Bourgeois
1896 - 1898 Jules Méline
1898 &nbspHenri Brisson (2nd term)
1989 - 1899 Charles du Puy (4th and 5th terms)
1899 - 1902 Pierre Waldeck-Rousseau
1902 - 1905 Emile Combes
1905 - 1906 Maurice Rouvier (2nd and 3rd terms)
1906 &nbspFerdinand Sarrien
1906 - 1909 Georges Clemenceau
1909 - 1911 Aristide Briand (2 terms)
1911 Antoine Emmanuel Ernest Monis
1911 - 1912 Joseph Caillaux
1912 - 1913 Raymond Poincaré
1913 &nbspAristide Briand (3rd and 4th terms)
1913 &nbspLouis Barthou
1913 - 1914 Gaston Doumerque
1914 &nbspAlexandre Joseph Ribot (4th term)
1914 - 1915 René Viviani (2 terms)
1915 - 1917 Aristide Briand (5th and 6th)
1917 &nbspAlexandre Félix Joseph Ribot (5th term)
1917 &nbspPaul Painlevé
1917 - 1920 Georges Clemenceau (2nd term)
1920 &nbspAlexandre Millerand (2 terms)
1920 - 1921 Georges Leygues
1921 - 1922 Aristide Briand (7th term)
1922 - 1924 Raymond Poincaré (2nd and 3rd terms)
1924 &nbspFrançois-Marsal
1924 - 1925 Edouard Hérriot
1925 &nbspPaul Painlevé (2nd and 3rd terms)
1925 - 1926 Aristide Briand (8th, 9th and 10th terms)
1926 &nbspEdouard Hérriot (2nd term)
1926 - 1929 Raymond Poincaré (4th and 5th term)
1929 &nbspAristide Briand (11th term)
1929 - 1930 André Tardieu
1930 &nbspCamille Chautemps
1930 &nbspAndré Tardieu (2nd term)
1930 - 1931 Théodore Steeg
1931 - 1932 Pierre Laval (3 terms)
1932 &nbspAndré Tardieu (3rd term)
1932 &nbspEdouard Hérriot (3rd term)
1932 - 1933 Joseph Paul-Boncourt
1933 &nbspEdouard Daladier
1933 &nbspAlbert Sarraut
1933 - 1934 Camille Chautemps (2nd term)
1934 &nbspEdouard Daladier (2nd term)
1934 &nbspGaston Doumerques (2nd term)
1934 - 1935 Pierre Etienne Flandin
1935 &nbspFernand Buisson
1935 - 1936 Pierre Laval (2nd term)
1936 &nbspAlbert Sarraut (2nd term)
1936 - 1937 Léon Blum
1937 - 1938 Camille Chautemps (3rd and 4th terms)
1938 &nbspLéon Blum (2nd term)
1938 - 1940 Edouard Daladier (3rd, 4th and 5th terms)
1940 &nbspPaul Reynaud
The Second World War
1940 - 1942 Henri Philippe Petain
1942 - 1944 Pierre Laval (3rd term)
1944 - 1946 Charles de Gaulle
1946 &nbspFelix Gouin
1946 &nbspGeorges Bidault
1946 - 1947 Léon Blum (3rd term)
The Fourth Republic
1947 &nbspPaul Ramadier (2 terms)
1947 - 1948 Robert Schuman
1948 &nbspAndré Marie
1948 &nbspRobert Schuman (3rd term)
1948 - 1949 Henri Queuille
1949 - 1950 Georges Bidault (2nd and 3rd term)
1950 &nbspHenri Queuille (2nd term)
1950 - 1951 René Pleven
1951 &nbspHenri Queuille (3rd term)
1951 - 1952 René Pleven (2nd term)
1952 &nbspEdgar Faure
1952 &nbspAntoine Pinay
1953 &nbspRené Mayer
1953 - 1954 Joseph Laniel (2 terms)
1954 - 1955 Pierre Mendés-France
1955 &nbspChristian Pineau
1955 - 1956 Edgar Faure (2nd time)
1956 - 1957 Guy Mollet
1957 &nbspMaurice Borgés-Maunory
1957 - 1958 Félix Gaillard
1958 &nbspPierre Pflimlin
1958 - 1959 Charles de Gaulle (2nd time)
The Fifth Republic
1959 - 1962 Michel Debré
1962 - 1968 Georges Pompidou
1968 - 1969 Maurice Couve de Murville
1969 - 1972 Jacques Chaban-Delmas
1972 - 1974 Pierre Messmer
1974 - 1976 Jacques Chirac
1976 - 1981 Raymond Barre (3 terms)
1981 - 1984 Pierre Mauroy (3 terms)
1984 - 1986 Laurent Fabius
1986 - 1988 Jacques Chirac (2nd time)
1998 - 1991 Michel Rocard
1991 - 1992 Edith Cresson
1992 - 1993 Pierre Bérégovoy
1993 - 1995 Edouard Balladur
1995 - 1997 Allain Juppé (2 terms)
1997 - Lionel Jospin

Back a page > France: Leading Statesmen > Page 1, 2

Explore European History

About.com Special Features

A Smarter Future

Tips that will help finance your education, excel in the classroom, and advance your career. More >

How to Ace the GRE

Being well prepared is the first step; here are more essential suggestions. More >

  1. Home
  2. Education
  3. European History

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.