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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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
' ' '
May 7, 1889
March 12, 1897
Socialist
Georges Clemenceau
September 28, 1841 - May 3, 1912
March 12, 1897
April 1, 1900
Socialist
Pierre Waldeck Rousseau
December 2, 1846 - August 14, 1916
April 1, 1900
April 3, 1906
Republican
Georges Clemenceau
' ' '
April 3, 1906
May 3, 1912
Socialist
Aristide Briand
March 28, 1862 - April 19, 1935
May 3, 1912
September 14, 1913
Socialist
Joseph Gallieni
April 24, 1849 - March 27, 1915
September, 1913
March 27, 1915
Military
Michel-Joseph Maunoury
December 17, 1847 - November 13, 1920
March 27, 1915
June 28, 1916
Military
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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