List of Prime Ministers of France

France

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of France

Republic Fifth Republic Constitution Constitutional Council Declaration President Nicolas Sarkozy List of Presidents Elections Last Presidential Government Council of State Prime Minister François Fillon List Cabinet Parliament Congress National Assembly President of the National Assembly Senate President of the Senate Political Parties Elections in France Last General Judiciary Court of Assize Court of Audit Court of Pleas Supreme Court Cour de Justice de la République Subdivisions Regions Departments Foreign Policy Politics of the European Union Foreign relations Asia-Americas-Africa Foreign alliances Minister of Foreign Affairs Other Human rights Political scandals France Portal

Other countries · Atlas Politics portal

The Prime Minister of France (Premier ministre français) in the Fifth Republic is the head of government and of the Council of Ministers of France. The head of state is the President of the French Republic.

During earlier periods of French history, the French head of government was known by different titles. Most recently, during the Second, Third and Fourth Republics, the Head of Government was called President of the Council of Ministers (Président du Conseil des Ministres), generally shortened to President of the Council (Président du Conseil).

Ancien Régime

Under the Ancien Régime, there was no official title for the leader of the government. The ministers of certain Kings of France nonetheless led the government de facto.

Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	King
	Maximilien de Béthune, duc de Sully	1589	1610	Henry IV
	Concino Concini	1610	24 April 1617 (died)	Louis XIII
	Armand-Jean du Plessis, Cardinal Richelieu	1624	4 December 1642 (died)
	Jules Cardinal Mazarin	1643	9 March 1661 (died)	Louis XIV
	Jean-Baptiste Colbert	1661	6 September 1683 (died)
—	Position vacant (absolute rule by Louis XIV)	1683	1715
	Guillaume Cardinal Dubois	1715	10 August 1723 (died)	Louis XV
	Philippe II, Duc d'Orléans	August 1723	2 December 1723 (died)
	Louis Henri, Duc de Bourbon	December 1723	1726
	André-Hercule Cardinal de Fleury	1726	1743
—	Position vacant (absolute rule by Louis XV)	1743	1758
	Étienne François, duc de Choiseul	1758	1770
	Emmanuel-Armand de Richelieu, duc d'Aiguillon	1771	1774
	Jean-Frédéric Phélypeaux, comte de Maurepas	1774	1781	Louis XVI
	Charles Gravier, comte de Vergennes	1781	1787
	Étienne Charles de Loménie de Brienne	1787	1788
	Jacques Necker	1788	1789
	Louis Auguste Le Tonnelier de Breteuil	1789
	Jacques Necker	1789	1790
	Armand Marc, comte de Montmorin	1790	1791

French First 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

Political Party:       Constitutionalist       Ultra-royalist

Portrait		Name		Took office	Left office	Political Party	Legislature (Election)	King (Reign)
		Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, Prince de Benevente		9 July 1815	26 September 1815		I (1815)	Louis XVIII (1815–1824)
		Armand-Emmanuel du Plessis, duc de Richelieu (1st time)		26 September 1815	29 December 1818
							II (1816)
		Jean-Joseph, Marquis Dessolles		29 December 1818	19 November 1819
		Élie, comte Decazes		19 November 1819	20 February 1820	Constitutionalist
		Armand-Emmanuel du Plessis, duc de Richelieu (2nd time)		20 February 1820	14 December 1821
							III (1820)
		Jean-Baptiste de Villèle		14 December 1821	4 January 1828	Ultra-royalist
								Charles X (1824–1830)
		Jean Baptiste Gay, vicomte de Martignac		4 January 1828	8 August 1829	Ultra-royalist	IV (1827)
		Jules, Prince de Polignac		8 August 1829	29 July 1830	Ultra-royalist

July Monarchy (1830–1848)

Presidents of the Council of Ministers

Political Party:       Orléanist

Portrait		Name		Took office	Left office	Political Party	Legislature (Election)	King (Reign)
	—	Position vacant		29 July 1830	13 August 1830		I (1830)	Louis-Philippe I (1830–1848)
		Victor, duc de Broglie	1	13 August 1830	2 November 1830	Orléanist
		Jacques Laffitte		2 November 1830	13 March 1831	Orléanist
		Casimir Pierre Périer		13 March 1831	16 May 1832	Orléanist	II (1831)
	—	Position vacant		16 May 1832	11 October 1832
		Jean-de-Dieu Soult, duc de Dalmatie	1	11 October 1832	18 July 1834
		Étienne Maurice, comte Gérard		18 July 1834	10 November 1834
		Hugues-Bernard Maret, duc de Bassano		10 November 1834	18 November 1834
		Édouard Mortier, duc de Treviso		18 November 1834	12 March 1835		III (1834)
		Victor, duc de Broglie	2	12 March 1835	22 February 1836	Orléanist
		Adolphe Thiers	1	22 February 1836	6 September 1836	Orléanist/Parti du Mouvement
		Louis-Mathieu Molé	1	6 September 1836	31 March 1839	Orléanist
			2				IV (1837)
	—	Position vacant		31 March 1839	12 May 1839
		Jean-de-Dieu Soult, duc de Dalmatie	2	12 May 1839	1 March 1840		V (1839)
		Adolphe Thiers	2	1 March 1840	29 October 1840	Orléanist/Parti du Mouvement
		Jean-de-Dieu Soult, duc de Dalmatie	3	29 October 1840	19 September 1847
							VI (1842)
		François Guizot		19 September 1847	23 February 1848	Orléanist	VII (1846)
		Louis-Mathieu Molé	3	23 February 1848	24 February 1848	Orléanist

French Second Republic (1848–1852)

Leaders of Provisional Governments

Political Party:       Republican

Portrait		Name		Took office	Left office	Political Party	Legislature (Election)
		Jacques-Charles Dupont de l'Eure	•	24 February 1848	9 May 1848	Republican	Constituent (1848)
		François Arago	•	10 May 1848	24 June 1848	Republican
		Louis-Eugène Cavaignac	•	28 June 1848	20 December 1848	Republican

Presidents of the Council of Ministers

Political Party:       Bonapartist

Portrait		Name		Took office	Left office	Political Party	Legislature (Election)	President (Term)
		Odilon Barrot	1	20 December 1848	31 October 1849	Parti de l'Ordre	Constituent (1848)	Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte (1848–1852)
			2				Legislative (1849)
		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 (government led by Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte)	0	26 October 1851	2 December 1852	(Bonapartist)
			1
			2

Second French Empire (1852–1870)

Cabinet Chiefs

Political Party:       Bonapartist

Portrait		Name		Took office	Left office	Political Party	Legislature (Election)	Emperor (Reign)
	—	Position vacant (absolute rule by Napoleon III)	3	2 December 1852	27 December 1869	(Bonapartist)	I (1852)	Napoleon III (1852–1870)
							II (1857)
							III (1863)
			4				IV (1869)
		Émile Ollivier	•	2 January 1870	9 August 1870	Independent Republican, but serving under Napoleon III
		Charles Cousin-Montauban, comte de Palikao	•	9 August 1870	4 September 1870	Military

French Third Republic (1870–1940)

President of the Government of National Defense

Portrait		Name	Took office	Left office	Political Party	Legislature
		Louis Jules Trochu	4 September 1870	22 January 1871	Military	Government of National Defense

Presidents of the Council of Ministers

Political Party:       Socialist (SFIO)       Republican-Socialist (PRS)       Radical (Rad-Soc)       Independent       Independent; moderate       Republican; centre-right (AD)       Monarchist; Conservative       Vichy

Portrait		Name		Took office	Left office	Political Party (Coalition)	Legislature (Election)	President (Term)
		Jules Armand Dufaure	1	19 February 1871	24 May 1873	Independent (moderate Republican)	National Assembly (1871)	Adolphe Thiers (1871–1873)
			2
		Albert, duc de Broglie	1	25 May 1873	22 May 1874	Monarchist		Patrice de Mac-Mahon (1873–1879)
			2
		Ernest Courtot de Cissey	•	22 May 1874	10 March 1875	Independent
		Louis Buffet	•	10 March 1875	23 February 1876	Monarchist
		Jules Armand Dufaure	3	23 February 1876	12 December 1876	Independent (moderate Republican)
			4
		Jules Simon	•	12 December 1876	17 May 1877	Left Republican	I (1876)
		Albert, duc de Broglie	3	17 May 1877	23 November 1877	Monarchist
		Gaëtan de Rochebouët	•	23 November 1877	13 December 1877	Conservative	II (1877)
		Jules Armand Dufaure	5	13 December 1877	4 February 1879	Independent (moderate Republican)
		William Henry Waddington	•	4 February 1879	28 December 1879	Independent (moderate Republican)		Jules Grévy (1879–1887)
		Charles de Freycinet	1	28 December 1879	23 September 1880	Opportunist Republican
		Jules Ferry	1	23 September 1880	14 November 1881	Left Republican
		Léon Gambetta	•	14 November 1881	30 January 1882	Opportunist Republican	III (1881)
		Charles de Freycinet	2	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	2	21 February 1883	6 April 1885	Left Republican
		Henri Brisson	1	6 April 1885	7 January 1886	Radical Republican
		Charles de Freycinet	3	7 January 1886	16 December 1886	Opportunist Republican	IV (1885)
		René Goblet	•	16 December 1886	30 May 1887	Independent
		Maurice Rouvier	1	30 May 1887	12 December 1887	Opportunist Republican
		Pierre Tirard	1	12 December 1887	3 April 1888	Independent		Marie François Sadi Carnot (1887–1894)
		Charles Floquet	•	3 April 1888	22 February 1889	Radical Republican
		Pierre Tirard	2	22 February 1889	17 March 1890	Independent
		Charles de Freycinet	4	17 March 1890	27 February 1892	Left Republican	V (1889)
		Émile Loubet	•	27 February 1892	6 December 1892	Left Republican
		Alexandre Ribot	1	6 December 1892	4 April 1893	Left Republican
			2
		Charles Dupuy	1	4 April 1893	3 December 1893	Left Republican
		Jean Casimir-Perier	•	3 December 1893	30 May 1894	Left Republican	VI (1893)
		Charles Dupuy	2	30 May 1894	26 January 1895	Left Republican
			3					Jean Casimir-Perier (1894–1895)
		Alexandre Ribot	3	26 January 1895	1 November 1895	Left Republican		Félix Faure (1895–1899)
		Léon Bourgeois	•	1 November 1895	29 April 1896	Radical Republican
		Jules Méline	•	29 April 1896	28 June 1898	Independent (centre-right)
		Henri Brisson	2	28 June 1898	1 November 1898	Radical Republican	VII (1898)
		Charles Dupuy	4	1 November 1898	22 June 1899	Left Republican
			5					Émile Loubet (1899–1906)
		Pierre Waldeck-Rousseau	•	22 June 1899	7 June 1902	Democratic Republican Alliance
		Émile Combes	•	7 June 1902	24 January 1905	Radical Socialist Party (Bloc des gauches)	VIII (1902)
		Maurice Rouvier	2	24 January 1905	12 March 1906	Democratic Republican Alliance
			3					Armand Fallières (1906–1913)
		Ferdinand Sarrien	•	12 March 1906	25 October 1906	Radical Socialist Party
		Georges Clemenceau	1	25 October 1906	24 July 1909	Radical Socialist Party	IX (1906)
		Aristide Briand	1	24 July 1909	2 March 1911	Republican-Socialist Party
			2
		Ernest Monis	•	2 March 1911	27 June 1911	Radical Socialist Party	X (1910)
		Joseph Caillaux	•	27 June 1911	21 January 1912	Radical Socialist Party
		Raymond Poincaré	1	21 January 1912	21 January 1913	Democratic Republican Party
		Aristide Briand	3	21 January 1913	22 March 1913	Republican-Socialist Party
			4					Raymond Poincaré (1913–1920)
		Louis Barthou	•	22 March 1913	9 December 1913	Democratic Republican Party
		Gaston Doumergue	1	9 December 1913	9 June 1914	Radical Socialist Party
		Alexandre Ribot	4	9 June 1914	13 June 1914	Democratic Republican Party	XI (1914)
		René Viviani	1	13 June 1914	29 October 1915	Republican-Socialist Party
			2
		Aristide Briand	5	29 October 1915	20 March 1917	Republican-Socialist Party
			6
		Alexandre Ribot	5	20 March 1917	12 September 1917	Democratic Republican Party
		Paul Painlevé	1	12 September 1917	16 November 1917	Republican-Socialist Party
		Georges Clemenceau	2	16 November 1917	20 January 1920	Radical Socialist Party
		Alexandre Millerand	1	20 January 1920	24 September 1920	Independent (moderate) (National Bloc)	XII (1919)
			2					Paul Deschanel (1920)
		Georges Leygues	•	24 September 1920	16 January 1921	Democratic Republican Party (National Bloc)		Alexandre Millerand (1920–1924)
		Aristide Briand	7	16 January 1921	15 January 1922	Republican-Socialist Party
		Raymond Poincaré	2	15 January 1922	8 June 1924	Democratic Alliance (National Bloc)
			3
		Frédéric François-Marsal	•	8 June 1924	15 June 1924	Republican Federation (National Bloc)
		Édouard Herriot	1	15 June 1924	17 April 1925	Radical Socialist Party (Cartel des Gauches)	XIII (1924)	Gaston Doumergue (1924–1931)
		Paul Painlevé	2	17 April 1925	28 November 1925	Republican-Socialist Party (Cartel des Gauches)
			3
		Aristide Briand	8	28 November 1925	20 July 1926	Republican-Socialist Party (Cartel des Gauches)
			9
			10
		Édouard Herriot	2	20 July 1926	23 July 1926	Radical Socialist Party (Cartel des Gauches)
		Raymond Poincaré	4	23 July 1926	29 July 1929	Democratic Alliance (National Union)
			5
		Aristide Briand	11	29 July 1929	2 November 1929	Republican-Socialist Party	XIV (1928)
		André Tardieu	1	2 November 1929	21 February 1930	Democratic Alliance
		Camille Chautemps	1	21 February 1930	2 March 1930	Radical Socialist Party
		André Tardieu	2	2 March 1930	13 December 1930	Democratic Alliance
		Théodore Steeg	•	13 December 1930	27 January 1931	Radical Socialist Party
		Pierre Laval	1	27 January 1931	20 February 1932	Independent (conservative)
			2					Paul Doumer (1931–1932)
			3
		André Tardieu	3	20 February 1932	3 June 1932	Democratic Alliance
		Édouard Herriot	3	3 June 1932	18 December 1932	Radical Socialist Party (Cartel des Gauches)	XV (1932)	Albert Lebrun (1932–1940)
		Joseph Paul-Boncour	•	18 December 1932	31 January 1933	Republican-Socialist Party (Cartel des Gauches)
		Édouard Daladier	1	31 January 1933	26 October 1933	Radical Socialist Party (Cartel des Gauches)
		Albert Sarraut	1	26 October 1933	26 November 1933	Radical Socialist Party (Cartel des Gauches)
		Camille Chautemps	2	26 November 1933	30 January 1934	Radical Socialist Party (Cartel des Gauches)
		Édouard Daladier	2	30 January 1934	9 February 1934	Radical Socialist Party (Cartel des Gauches)
		Gaston Doumergue	2	9 February 1934	8 November 1934	Radical Socialist Party (Government of National Union)
		Pierre-Étienne Flandin	1	8 November 1934	1 June 1935	Democratic Alliance
		Fernand Bouisson	•	1 June 1935	7 June 1935	Republican-Socialist Party
		Pierre Laval	4	7 June 1935	24 January 1936	Independent (conservative)
		Albert Sarraut	2	24 January 1936	4 June 1936	Radical Socialist Party
		Léon Blum	1	4 June 1936	22 June 1937	French Section of the Workers' International (Popular Front)	XVI (1936)
		Camille Chautemps	3	22 June 1937	13 March 1938	Radical Socialist Party (Popular Front)
			4
		Léon Blum	2	13 March 1938	10 April 1938	French Section of the Workers' International (Popular Front)
		Édouard Daladier	3	10 April 1938	21 March 1940	Radical Socialist Party
			4
			5
		Paul Reynaud	•	21 March 1940	16 June 1940	Democratic Alliance
		Philippe Pétain	•	16 June 1940	11 July 1940	Military

Vichy France (1940–1944)

Presidents and Vice-Presidents of the Council of Ministers

Political Party:       Vichy

Portrait		President	Vice-President	Govt.	Took office	Left office
		Philippe Pétain	Pierre Laval	5	11 July 1940	13 December 1940
			Pierre-Étienne Flandin	2	13 December 1940	9 February 1941
			François Darlan	•	9 February 1941	18 April 1942
		Pierre Laval	position abolished	6	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 (July–December 1940), Pierre-Étienne Flandin (1940–1941) and François Darlan (1941–1942) served successively as Vice-President of the Council. 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

Political Party:       Independent       Socialist (SFIO)       Republican (MRP)

Portrait		Name		Took office	Left office	Political Party	Legislature (Election)
		Charles de Gaulle	1	20 August 1944	26 January 1946	Independent	Provisional
			2				I (1945)
		Félix Gouin	•	26 January 1946	24 June 1946	French Section of the Workers' International
		Georges Bidault	1	24 June 1946	28 November 1946	Popular Republican Movement	II (June 1946)
		Vincent Auriol (interim)	–	28 November 1946	16 December 1946	French Section of the Workers' International	IV Rep. I (Nov. 1946)
		Léon Blum	3	16 December 1946	22 January 1947	French Section of the Workers' International

French Fourth Republic (1947–1958)

Presidents of the Council of Ministers

Political Party:       Socialist (SFIO)       Radical (Rad-Soc)       Liberal (UDSR)       Republican (MRP)       Centre-right (CNIP)       Gaullist (UNR)

Portrait		Name		Took office	Left office	Political Party (Coalition)	Legislature (Election)	President (Term)
		Paul Ramadier	1	22 January 1947	24 November 1947	French Section of the Workers' International (Tripartism)	I (Nov. 1946)	Vincent Auriol (1947–1954)
			2
		Robert Schuman	1	24 November 1947	24 July 1948	Popular Republican Movement (Third Force)
		André Marie	•	24 July 1948	2 September 1948	Radical Socialist Party (Third Force)
		Robert Schuman	2	2 September 1948	11 September 1948	Popular Republican Movement (Third Force)
		Henri Queuille	1	11 September 1948	28 October 1949	Radical Socialist Party (Third Force)
		Georges Bidault	2	28 October 1949	2 July 1950	Popular Republican Movement (Third Force)
			3
		Henri Queuille	2	2 July 1950	12 July 1950	Radical Socialist Party (Third Force)
		René Pleven	1	12 July 1950	10 March 1951	Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance (Third Force)
		Henri Queuille	3	10 March 1951	11 August 1951	Radical Socialist Party (Third Force)
		René Pleven	2	11 August 1951	20 January 1952	Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance	II (1951)
		Edgar Faure	1	20 January 1952	8 March 1952	Radical Socialist Party
		Antoine Pinay	•	8 March 1952	8 January 1953	National Centre of Independents and Peasants
		René Mayer	•	8 January 1953	28 June 1953	Radical Socialist Party
		Joseph Laniel	1	28 June 1953	19 June 1954	National Centre of Independents and Peasants
			2					René Coty (1954–1959)
		Pierre Mendès France	•	19 June 1954	17 February 1955	Radical Socialist Party
		Christian Pineau (acting)		17 February 1955	23 February 1955	French Section of the Workers International
		Edgar Faure	2	23 February 1955	1 February 1956	Radical Socialist Party
		Guy Mollet	•	1 February 1956	13 June 1957	French Section of the Workers' International	III (1956)
		Maurice Bourgès-Maunoury	•	13 June 1957	6 November 1957	Radical Socialist Party
		Félix Gaillard	•	6 November 1957	14 May 1958	Radical Socialist Party
		Pierre Pflimlin	•	14 May 1958	1 June 1958	Popular Republican Movement
		Charles de Gaulle	3	1 June 1958	8 January 1959	Union for the New Republic

French Fifth 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

Political Party:       Gaullist (UNR; UDR; RPR); UMP       Republican (UDF)       Socialist (PS)

Portrait		Name		Took office	Left office	Political Party	Legislature (Election)	President (Term)
		Michel Debré	•	8 January 1959	14 April 1962	Union for the New Republic	I (1958)	Charles de Gaulle (1959–1969)
		Georges Pompidou	1	14 April 1962	7 Dec. 1962	Union for the New Republic
			2	7 Dec. 1962	8 Jan. 1966		II (1962)
			3	8 Jan. 1966	1 Apr. 1967
			4	5 Apr. 1967	10 July 1968		III (1967)
		Maurice Couve de Murville	•	10 July 1968	20 June 1969	Union for the Defence of the Republic	IV (1968)
		Jacques Chaban-Delmas	•	20 June 1969	6 July 1972	Union for the Defence of the Republic; Union of Democrats for the Republic		Georges Pompidou (1969–1974)
		Pierre Messmer	1	6 July 1972	5 Apr. 1973	Union of Democrats for the Republic
			2	5 Apr. 1973	1 Mar. 1974		V (1973)
			3	1 Mar. 1974	27 May 1974
		Jacques Chirac	1	27 May 1974	26 Aug. 1976	Union of Democrats for the Republic		Valéry Giscard d'Estaing (1974–1981)
		Raymond Barre	1	26 August 1976	29 Mar. 1977	Independent (attached to Union for French Democracy)
			2	29 Mar. 1977	31 Mar. 1978
			3	31 Mar. 1978	21 May 1981		VI (1978)
		Pierre Mauroy	1	21 May 1981	23 June 1981	Socialist Party		François Mitterrand (1981–1995)
			2	23 June 1981	23 Mar. 1983		VII (1981)
			3	23 Mar. 1983	17 July 1984
		Laurent Fabius	•	17 July 1984	20 March 1986	Socialist Party
		Jacques Chirac	2	20 March 1986	10 May 1988	Rally for the Republic	VIII (1986)
		Michel Rocard	1	10 May 1988	22 June 1988	Socialist Party
			2	23 June 1988	15 May 1991		IX (1988)
		Édith Cresson	•	15 May 1991	2 April 1992	Socialist Party
		Pierre Bérégovoy	•	2 April 1992	29 March 1993	Socialist Party
		Édouard Balladur	•	29 March 1993	18 May 1995	Rally for the Republic	X (1993)
		Alain Juppé	1	18 May 1995	7 Nov. 1995	Rally for the Republic		Jacques Chirac (1995–2007)
			2	7 Nov. 1995	3 June 1997
		Lionel Jospin	•	3 June 1997	6 May 2002	Socialist Party	XI (1997)
		Jean-Pierre Raffarin	1	7 May 2002	17 June 2002	Union for a Popular Movement
			2	17 June 2002	30 Mar. 2004		XII (2002)
			3	31 Mar. 2004	31 May 2005
		Dominique de Villepin	•	31 May 2005	17 May 2007	Union for a Popular Movement
		François Fillon	1	17 May 2007	18 June 2007	Union for a Popular Movement		Nicolas Sarkozy (2007– )
			2	19 June 2007	13 Nov. 2010		XIII (2007)
			3	14 Nov. 2010	Incumbent

See also

• History of France
• List of Foreign Ministers of France
• Politics of France
• President of the French Republic

External links

• List on the website of the French Prime Minister (in French)