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Early Modern France
Chief Ministers of the French Kings
- Armand Jean du Plessis, Cardinal Richelieu 1624-1642
- Jules Cardinal Mazarin 1642-1661
Louis XIV ruled without a chief minister after Mazarin's death. After Louis' death, his nephew Philip II, Duke of Orléans, regent for Louis XV, directed the government in person before he appointed a prime minister in 1718.
- Guillaume Dubois 1718-1723
- Philippe II, Duc d'Orléans 1723, after his resignation as regent
- Louis Henri, Duc de Bourbon 1723-1726
- André-Hercule Cardinal de Fleury 1726-1743
With Fleury's death, Louis XV, like his great-grandfather, announced that he was taking control of policy into his own hands. Later in his reign, he would once again appoint ministers to direct affairs on his behalf, a practice which would continue under his successor:
- Étienne François, duc de Choiseul 1758-1770
- Emmanuel Armand de Vignerot du Plessis de Richelieu, duc d'Aiguillon 1771-1774
- Jean-Frédéric Phélypeaux, comte de Maurepas 1774-1781
- Charles Gravier, comte de Vergennes 1781-1787
- Étienne Charles de Loménie de Brienne 1787-1788
- Jacques Necker 1788-1789
- Louis Charles Auguste Le Tonnelier, baron de Breteuil 1789
- Jacques Necker 1789-1790
- Armand Marc, comte Montmorin-Saint-Hérem 1790-1791
First French Republic (1792-1804)
During the First French Republic periods the arrangements for the direction of the government of France changed frequently and there was no office of Prime Minister. See the relevant article for details.
First French Empire (1804-1815)
During the First French Empire periods the arrangements for the direction of the government of France changed frequently and there was no office of Prime Minister. See the relevant article for details.
Bourbon Restoration (1815-1830)
Presidents of the Council of Ministers
| Name | Term start | Term end | Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, Prince de Benevente |
9 July 1815 | 26 September 1815 | |
| Armand-Emmanuel du Plessis, Duc de Richelieu (1st time) | 26 September 1815 | 29 December 1818 | |
| Jean-Joseph, Marquis Dessolles | 29 December 1818 | 19 November 1819 | |
| Élie, Comte Decazes | 19 November 1819 | 20 February 1820 | Constitutionalists |
| Armand-Emmanuel du Plessis, Duc de Richelieu (2nd time) | 20 February 1820 | 14 December 1821 | |
| Jean-Baptiste de Villèle | 14 December 1821 | 4 January 1828 | Ultra-Royalists |
| Jean-Baptiste Gaye, Vicomte de Martignac | 4 January 1828 | 8 August 1829 | Ultra-Royalists |
| Jules, Prince de Polignac | 8 August 1829 | 29 July 1830 | Ultra-Royalists |
July Monarchy (1830-1848)
Presidents of the Council of Ministers
| Name | Term start | Term end | Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| Position vacant | 29 July 1830 | 13 August 1830 | |
| Victor, duc de Broglie (1st time) | 13 August 1830 | 2 November 1830 | Orléanist |
| Jacques Laffitte | 2 November 1830 | 13 March 1831 | Orléanist |
| Casimir Pierre Perier | 13 March 1831 | 16 May 1832 | Orléanist |
| Position vacant | 16 May 1832 | 11 October 1832 | |
| Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult, Duc de Dalmatie (1st time) | 11 October 1832 | 18 July 1834 | |
| Etienne-Maurice, Comte Gérard | 18 July 1834 | 10 November 1834 | |
| Hugues Maret, Duc de Bassano | 10 November 1834 | 18 November 1834 | |
| Edouard Mortier, Duc de Treviso | 18 November 1834 | 12 March 1835 | |
| Victor, duc de Broglie (2nd time) | 12 March 1835 | 22 February 1836 | Orléanist |
| Adolphe Thiers (1st time) | 22 February 1836 | 6 September 1836 | Orléanist/Parti du Mouvement |
| Louis, Comte Molé (1st time) | 6 September 1836 | 31 March 1839 | Orléanist |
| Position vacant | 31 March 1839 | 12 May 1839 | |
| Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult, Duc de Dalmatie (2nd time) | 12 May 1839 | 1 March 1840 | |
| Adolphe Thiers (2nd time) | 1 March 1840 | 29 October 1840 | Orléanist/Parti du Mouvement |
| Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult, Duc de Dalmatie (3rd time) | 29 October 1840 | 19 September 1847 | |
| François Guizot | 19 September 1847 | 23 February 1848 | Orléanist |
| Louis, Comte Molé (2nd time) | 23 February 1848 | 24 February 1848 | Orléanist |
Second French Republic (1848-1852)
Presidents of the Council of Ministers
| Name | Term start | Term end | Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacques-Charles Dupont de l'Eure | 24 February 1848 | 9 May 1848 | Republicans |
| François Arago | 10 May 1848 | 24 June 1848 | Republicans |
| Louis-Eugène Cavaignac | 28 June 1848 | 20 December 1848 | Republicans |
| Odilon Barrot | 20 December 1848 | 31 October 1849 | Parti de l'Ordre |
| Alphonse Henri, comte d'Hautpoul | 31 October 1849 | 10 April 1851 | Parti de l'Ordre |
| Léon Faucher | 10 April 1851 | 26 October 1851 | Parti de l'Ordre |
| Position vacant | 26 October 1851 | 2 December 1852 |
Second French Empire (1852-1870)
Cabinet Chiefs
| Name | Term start | Term end | Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| Position vacant | 2 December 1852 | 27 December 1869 | |
| Émile Ollivier | 27 December 1869 | 9 August 1870 | Bonapartist |
| Charles Cousin-Montauban, Comte de Palikao |
9 August 1870 | 4 September 1870 | Bonapartist |
Third French Republic (1870-1940)
President of the Government of National Defense
| Name | Term start | Term end | Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louis Jules Trochu | 4 September 1870 | 18 January 1871 | Military |
Presidents of the Council of Ministers
| Name | Term start | Term end | Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jules Dufaure (1st time) | 19 February 1871 | 24 May 1873 | Independent (ex-monarchist) |
| Albert, duc de Broglie (1st time) | 25 May 1873 | 22 May 1874 | Monarchist |
| Ernest Courtot de Cissey | 22 May 1874 | 10 March 1875 | Conservative |
| Louis Buffet | 10 March 1875 | 23 February 1876 | Monarchist |
| Jules Dufaure (2nd time) | 23 February 1876 | 12 December 1876 | Independent (ex-monarchist) |
| Jules Simon | 12 December 1876 | 17 May 1877 | Left Republican |
| Albert, duc de Broglie (2nd time) | 17 May 1877 | 23 November 1877 | Monarchist |
| Gaëtan de Rochebouët | 23 November 1877 | 13 December 1877 | Conservative |
| Jules Dufaure (3rd time) | 13 December 1877 | 4 February 1879 | Independent (ex-monarchist) |
| William Waddington | 4 February 1879 | 28 December 1879 | Independent (ex-monarchist) |
| Charles de Freycinet (1st time) | 28 December 1879 | 23 September 1880 | Opportunist Republican |
| Jules Ferry (1st time) | 23 September 1880 | 14 November 1881 | Left Republican |
| Léon Gambetta | 14 November 1881 | 30 January 1882 | Opportunist Republican |
| Charles de Freycinet (2nd time) | 30 January 1882 | 7 August 1882 | Opportunist Republican |
| Charles Duclerc | 7 August 1882 | 29 January 1883 | Left Republican |
| Armand Fallières | 29 January 1883 | 21 February 1883 | Left Republican |
| Jules Ferry (2nd time) | 21 February 1883 | 6 April 1885 | Left Republican |
| Henri Brisson (1st time) | 6 April 1885 | 7 January 1886 | Radical Republican |
| Charles de Freycinet (3rd time) | 7 January 1886 | 16 December 1886 | Opportunist Republican |
| René Goblet | 16 December 1886 | 30 May 1887 | Radical Republican |
| Maurice Rouvier (1st time) | 30 May 1887 | 12 December 1887 | Opportunist Republican |
| Pierre Tirard (1st time) | 12 December 1887 | 3 April 1888 | Left Republican |
| Charles Floquet | 3 April 1888 | 22 February 1889 | Radical Republican |
| Pierre Tirard (2nd time) | 22 February 1889 | 17 March 1890 | Left Republican |
| Charles de Freycinet (4th time) | 17 March 1890 | 27 February 1892 | Left Republican |
| Émile Loubet | 27 February 1892 | 6 December 1892 | Left Republican |
| Alexandre Ribot (1st time) | 6 December 1892 | 4 April 1893 | Left Republican |
| Charles Dupuy (1st time) | 4 April 1893 | 3 December 1893 | Left Republican |
| Jean Casimir-Perier | 3 December 1893 | 30 May 1894 | Left Republican |
| Charles Dupuy (2nd time) | 30 May 1894 | 26 January 1895 | Left Republican |
| Alexandre Ribot (2nd time) | 26 January 1895 | 1 November 1895 | Left Republican |
| Léon Bourgeois | 1 November 1895 | 29 April 1896 | Radical Republican |
| Jules Méline | 29 April 1896 | 28 June 1898 | Left Republican |
| Henri Brisson (2nd time) | 28 June 1898 | 1 November 1898 | Radical Republican |
| Charles Dupuy (3rd time) | 1 November 1898 | 22 June 1899 | Left Republican |
| Pierre Waldeck-Rousseau | 22 June 1899 | 7 June 1902 | Democratic Republican Alliance |
| Émile Combes | 7 June 1902 | 24 January 1905 | Radical Socialist Party |
| Maurice Rouvier (2nd time) | 24 January 1905 | 12 March 1906 | Democratic Republican Alliance |
| Ferdinand Sarrien | 12 March 1906 | 25 October 1906 | Radical Socialist Party |
| Georges Clemenceau (1st time) | 25 October 1906 | 24 July 1909 | Radical Socialist Party |
| Aristide Briand (1st time) | 24 July 1909 | 2 March 1911 | Republican-Socialist Party |
| Ernest Monis | 2 March 1911 | 27 June 1911 | Radical Socialist Party |
| Joseph Caillaux | 27 June 1911 | 21 January 1912 | Radical Socialist Party |
| Raymond Poincaré (1st time) | 21 January 1912 | 21 January 1913 | Democratic Republican Party |
| Aristide Briand (2nd time) | 21 January 1913 | 22 March 1913 | Republican-Socialist Party |
| Louis Barthou | 22 March 1913 | 9 December 1913 | Democratic Republican Party |
| Gaston Doumergue (1st time) | 9 December 1913 | 9 June 1914 | Radical Socialist Party |
| Alexandre Ribot (3rd time) | 9 June 1914 | 13 June 1914 | Democratic Republican Party |
| René Viviani | 13 June 1914 | 29 October 1915 | Republican-Socialist Party |
| Aristide Briand (3rd time) | 29 October 1915 | 20 March 1917 | Republican-Socialist Party |
| Alexandre Ribot (4th time) | 20 March 1917 | 12 September 1917 | Democratic Republican Party |
| Paul Painlevé (1st time) | 12 September 1917 | 16 November 1917 | Republican-Socialist Party |
| Georges Clemenceau (2nd time) | 16 November 1917 | 20 January 1920 | Radical Socialist Party |
| Alexandre Millerand | 20 January 1920 | 24 September 1920 | Independent (moderate) |
| Georges Leygues | 24 September 1920 | 16 January 1921 | Democratic Republican Party |
| Aristide Briand (4th time) | 16 January 1921 | 15 January 1922 | Republican-Socialist Party |
| Raymond Poincaré (2nd time) | 15 January 1922 | 8 June 1924 | Democratic Alliance |
| Frédéric François-Marsal | 8 June 1924 | 15 June 1924 | Republican Federation |
| Édouard Herriot (1st time) | 15 June 1924 | 17 April 1925 | Radical Socialist Party |
| Paul Painlevé (2nd time) | 17 April 1925 | 28 November 1925 | Republican-Socialist Party |
| Aristide Briand (5th time) | 28 November 1925 | 20 July 1926 | Republican-Socialist Party |
| Édouard Herriot (2nd time) | 20 July 1926 | 23 July 1926 | Radical Socialist Party |
| Raymond Poincaré (3rd time) | 23 July 1926 | 29 July 1929 | Democratic Alliance |
| Aristide Briand (6th time) | 29 July 1929 | 2 November 1929 | Republican-Socialist Party |
| André Tardieu (1st time) | 2 November 1929 | 21 February 1930 | Democratic Alliance |
| Camille Chautemps (1st time) | 21 February 1930 | 2 March 1930 | Radical Socialist Party |
| André Tardieu (2nd time) | 2 March 1930 | 13 December 1930 | Democratic Alliance |
| Théodore Steeg | 13 December 1930 | 27 January 1931 | Radical Socialist Party |
| Pierre Laval (1st time) | 27 January 1931 | 20 February 1932 | Independent (conservative) |
| André Tardieu (3rd time) | 20 February 1932 | 3 June 1932 | Democratic Alliance |
| Édouard Herriot (3rd time) | 3 June 1932 | 18 December 1932 | Radical Socialist Party |
| Joseph Paul-Boncour | 18 December 1932 | 31 January 1933 | Republican-Socialist Party |
| Édouard Daladier (1st time) | 31 January 1933 | 26 October 1933 | Radical Socialist Party |
| Albert Sarraut (1st time) | 26 October 1933 | 26 November 1933 | Radical Socialist Party |
| Camille Chautemps (2nd time) | 26 November 1933 | 30 January 1934 | Radical Socialist Party |
| Édouard Daladier (2nd time) | 30 January 1934 | 9 February 1934 | Radical Socialist Party |
| Gaston Doumergue (2nd time) | 9 February 1934 | 8 November 1934 | Radical Socialist Party |
| Pierre Étienne Flandin | 8 November 1934 | 1 June 1935 | Democratic Alliance |
| Fernand Bouisson | 1 June 1935 | 7 June 1935 | Republican-Socialist Party |
| Pierre Laval (2nd time) | 7 June 1935 | 24 January 1936 | Independent (conservative) |
| Albert Sarraut (2nd time) | 24 January 1936 | 4 June 1936 | Radical Socialist Party |
| Léon Blum (1st time) | 4 June 1936 | 22 June 1937 | French Section of the Workers' International (Popular Front) |
| Camille Chautemps (3rd time) | 22 June 1937 | 13 March 1938 | Radical Socialist Party (Popular Front) |
| Léon Blum (2nd time) | 13 March 1938 | 10 April 1938 | French Section of the Workers' International (Popular Front) |
| Édouard Daladier (3rd time) | 10 April 1938 | 21 March 1940 | Radical Socialist Party |
| Paul Reynaud | 21 March 1940 | 16 June 1940 | Democratic Alliance |
| Philippe Pétain | 16 June 1940 | 11 July 1940 | Military |
Vichy France (1940-1944)
Presidents of the Council of Ministers
| Name | Term start | Term end |
|---|---|---|
| Philippe Pétain | 11 July 1940 | 18 April 1942 |
| Pierre Laval (3rd time) | 18 April 1942 | 17 August 1944 |
As Pétain was both Head of State and nominal Head of Government between 1940 and 1942, the de facto Head of Government of Vichy France, between 1940 and 1942, was known as Vice-President of the Council. Pierre Laval was Vice-President of the Council (11 July 1940 – 13 December 1940), followed by Pierre-Étienne Flandin (13 December 1940 – 9 February 1941) and François Darlan (9 February 1941 – 18 April 1942). The post of Vice-President was abolished in 1942 when Laval returned to power, and assumed the nominal position of President of the Council.
Provisional Government of the French Republic (1944-1947)
Chairmen of the Provisional Government
| Name | Term start | Term end | Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charles de Gaulle | 3 June 1944 | 26 January 1946 | Independent |
| Félix Gouin | 26 January 1946 | 24 June 1946 | French Section of the Workers' International |
| Georges Bidault | 24 June 1946 | 28 November 1946 | Popular Republican Movement |
| Vincent Auriol (interim) | 28 November 1946 | 16 December 1946 | French Section of the Workers' International |
| Léon Blum | 16 December 1946 | 16 January 1947 | French Section of the Workers' International |
Fourth French Republic (1947-1958)
Presidents of the Council of Ministers
Fifth French Republic (1958-Present)
This was the first time when the term Prime Minister was used, rather than President of the Council of Ministers, reflecting the new power-sharing with the President of the Republic, who had before then been only head of state but not head of government.
Prime Ministers
See also
- President of the French Republic
- Politics of France
- History of France
- List of Foreign Ministers of France
External links
- List on the website of the French Prime Minister (in French)
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
