(b. Paris, 17 Apr. 1909; d. 9 Dec. 1996) French; President of the Senate 1968 – 92, Presidential candidate 1969 Born in the Paris region, Poher studied engineering and law and entered politics after the Second World War as a supporter of the Christian Democratic movement and in particular of Robert Schuman, the architect of France's participation in the European Coal and Steel Community. He held a number of minor posts in the governments of the Fourth Republic but devoted most of his career to the causes of the French Senate and European integration. A fixture in the Senate from 1952, he also sat in the European Parliament and was its President from 1966 to 1969. His unthreatening anti-Gaullism was the reason for his election as Senate President in 1968 after the resignation of his predecessor, who had violently opposed de Gaulle's exercise of power. His new position as second person in the state explains the one important intervention in French politics for which Poher is remembered. He opposed the 1969 referendum proposal to reform the Senate, and after its defeat and the resignation of de Gaulle, found himself acting President of the Republic. He moved into the Élysée Palace, made some changes in the presidential staff, and chaired a series of tense meetings of the Gaullist dominated Council of Ministers. The change in presidential style was dramatic and Poher's comfortable ordinariness made an initial appeal to a public grown weary of de Gaulle's authoritarianism. Urged on by party leaders of the centre and left, who saw him as a means of subverting Fifth Republic presidentialism, he decided to stand for the presidency against the obvious candidate Pompidou. After initial successes, however, his campaign ran into the ground. The fragmented nature of his supporters, who were united only in their hostility to Gaullism, meant that he lacked a coherent programme. He failed to win the support of the most influential non-Gaullist Conservative Giscard d'Estaing (who correctly regarded Pompidou as a more substantial figure) and of others who had no desire to return to the shambolic politics of the Fourth Republic. Although the 23 per cent of the vote Poher gained in the first round enabled him to go forward to the second, he was easily defeated by Pompidou and returned to his Senate presidency, which he held until 1992. When Pompidou died in 1974, he was once again acting President, but this time made no attempt to make the Élysée Palace his permanent residence. He was much better suited to the charms of regime dignitary than to the rigours of political leadership.
Alain Poher
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| Alain Poher | |
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| In office 1968 – 1992 |
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| Preceded by | Gaston Monnerville |
| Succeeded by | René Monory |
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Interim President of the French Republic
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| In office 29 April 1969 – 20 June 1969 |
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| Prime Minister | Maurice Couve de Murville |
| Preceded by | Charles de Gaulle |
| Succeeded by | Georges Pompidou |
| In office 2 April 1974 – 27 May 1974 |
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| Prime Minister | Pierre Messmer |
| Preceded by | Georges Pompidou |
| Succeeded by | Valéry Giscard d'Estaing |
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| In office 1966 – 1969 |
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| Preceded by | Victor Leemans |
| Succeeded by | Mario Scelba |
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| Born | April 17, 1909 Ablon-sur-Seine |
| Died | December 9, 1996 (aged 87) Paris |
| Political party | Democratic Centre |
| Occupation | Civil Servant |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Alain Émile Louis Marie Poher (17 April 1909 – 9 December 1996) was a French centrist politician, affiliated first with the Popular Republican Movement and later with the Democratic Centre. He served as a Senator for Val-de-Marne from 1946 to 1995. He was President of the Senate from 3 October 1968 to 1 October 1992 and, in that capacity, served twice as the country's interim president. Candidate in the 1969 presidential election, he was defeated by Georges Pompidou in the second round.
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Biography and political career
Poher was born in Ablon-sur-Seine, Val-de-Marne.
He graduated from Lycée Louis-le-Grand et Lycée Saint-Louis in Paris and later studied law. On 19 August 1938 he married Henriette Tugler, with whom he had one daughter, Marie-Agnès.
His political career began in 1938, when he became a junior executive officer in the Ministry of Finance.
Later he served on several positions before entering Senate:
- Chairman, Ministry of Finance Liberation Committee (from 20 July 1944)
- Head of Social Services, Ministry of Finance (from 1 January 1945)
- Mayor of Ablon-sur-Seine (from 1 January 1946)
- Sec. of State for Finance and Economic Affairs (Govt. of Robert Schuman)
- Sec. of State for the Budget (Govt. of Henri Queuille)
A longtime ally and political protege of Schumann, Poher was elected to the Senate in 1952, where he remained for over 40 years (until 1995). As Senator he continued to serve in some governments and his home town mayor.
As Schuman, he was known for strongly pro-European integration positions, having served as President of the European Parliament (1968-1969).
Interim Presidency of the Republic
According to the order of succession established by the Constitution of the Fifth Republic, the president of the senate assumes the nation's presidential powers and duties following the president's death or resignation, and becomes interim Head of State until the next election.
Poher's first stint as interim president came on 29 April 1969, when Charles de Gaulle resigned. Previously he was one of de Gaulle's most notable political opponents and played a key role in the "no" success in de Gaulle's final referendum.
During his interim Presidency Poher continued to serve as Senate President. However, he resided during this time in the Élysée Palace
Initially Poher tried to recruit General Marie Pierre Kœnig as a candidate for the Presidency and offered him his full support. Kœnig, however, declined to run, citing his poor health and stating that one general should not replace another general as the head of state.
After Kœnig refusal, Poher himself announced his candidacy. Due to favourable polls he was viewed as the strongest opponent of Georges Pompidou and the only non-Gaullist candidate who had a real opportunity to win the election. Lack of a longstanding party machine, however, hurt his chances.
During his short term in office Poher's main task was overseeing the incoming election, which he himself participated in. However during his tenure he took some major initiatives; for example, he fired longtime de Gaulle confidant Jacques Foccart, a Secretary-General for African Affairs and, unofficially, chief of the Gaullist secret services (he returned to the Élysée after Pompidou's election).
Poher also ordered the directors of France's state-controlled radio and television networks that public media must be politically neutral and not act in interest of any particular party. His successors followed this precedent. He also ordered the redeployment of a large police force in Paris, staying after the May 1968 events.
During his tenure Poher served with a Gaullist Government of Prime Minister Maurice Couve de Murville, de Gaulle's close ally. Some even referred to this period as the first cohabitation. Despite sharp political differences Poher was widely credited for model cooperation with the Government.
Despite defeat in the election, due to his accomplishment Poher, previously largely unknown to the public, developed a large popularity during Interim Presidency.
He served again as Interim President in 1974 after Pompidou died in office. This time, however, he did not run for his own term and stepped down after Valéry Giscard d'Estaing was elected.
Political career
Interim President of the French Republic : April-June 1968 / April-May : 1974
Governmental functions
Secretary of State for Budget : September-November 1948
Secretary of State for Marine : 1957-1958
Electoral mandates
President of the Senate of France : 1968-1992
Senator of Val-de-Marne : 1946-1995
Mayor of Ablon-sur-Seine : 1946-1983
President of the European Parliament : 1966-1969
Trivia
- His favourite author was Lamartine
- During his 1969 Presidential bid he was often compared by the U.S. press to Harry Truman, due to his folksy style and succession
- He was considered by some to have been the Merovingian pretender to the French throne.
References
- Jean-Raymond Tournoux, Le tourmend et la fatalite, 1974
- A Caretaker Who Cares (article in TIME)
- Alain Poher - Présidence de la République
- Embassy of France in the US - Alain Poher
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by Gaston Monnerville |
President of the French Senate 1968-1992 |
Succeeded by René Monory |
| Preceded by Charles de Gaulle |
Interim President of France 1969 |
Succeeded by Georges Pompidou |
| Preceded by Georges Pompidou |
Interim President of France 1974 |
Succeeded by Valéry Giscard d'Estaing |
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