List of prime ministers of France explained

The head of the government of France has been called the prime minister of France (French: Premier ministre) since 1959, when Michel Debré became the first officeholder appointed under the Fifth Republic. During earlier periods of history, the head of government of France was known by different titles. As was common in European democracies of the 1815–1958 period (the Bourbon Restoration and July Monarchy, the Second, Third, and Fourth Republic, as well as the Vichy regime), the head of government was called President of the Council of Ministers (French: Président du Conseil des ministres), generally shortened to President of the council (French: Président du Conseil). This should not be confused with the elected office of president of the French Republic, who appoints the prime minister as head of state.

9th century – 18th century

Kingdom of France (843–1792)

See main article: Ancien Régime, Chief minister of France, Kingdom of France and Kingdom of France (1791–92). Under the Kingdom of France, there was no official title for the leader of the government. The chief ministers (principal ministres) of certain kings of France nonetheless led the government de facto.

Chief minister
Took officeLeft officeKing
Anne de Montmorency
1 January 151514 June 1541Francis I

Claude d'Annebault
154131 March 1547
Anne de Montmorency
1 April 154710 August 1557Henry II

Position vacant
(absolute rule by Henry II)
11 August 155710 July 1559
Francis, Duke of Guise
10 July 15595 December 1560Francis II

Michel de l'Hôpital
5 December 156013 March 1573
Charles IX

René de Birague
30 May 157424 November 1583
Henry III

Philippe Hurault de Cheverny
24 November 158312 May 1588
Position vacant
(absolute rule by Henry III)
12 May 15882 August 1589
Maximilien de Béthune, Duke of Sully
2 August 158929 January 1611Henry IV

Nicolas de Neufville, seigneur de Villeroy
30 January 16119 August 1616Louis XIII

Concino Concini
9 August 161624 April 1617
Charles d'Albert, duc de Luynes
24 April 161715 December 1621
Position vacant
(absolute rule by Louis XIII)
15 December 162112 August 1624
Cardinal Richelieu
12 August 16244 December 1642
Cardinal Mazarin
5 December 16429 March 1661
Louis XIV

Position vacant
(absolute rule by Louis XIV)
9 March 16611 September 1715
Guillaume Dubois
12 September 171510 August 1723
Louis XV

Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
10 August 17232 December 1723
Louis Henri, Duke of Bourbon
2 December 172311 June 1726
André-Hercule de Fleury
11 June 172629 January 1743
Position vacant
(absolute rule by Louis XV)
29 January 17433 December 1758
Étienne François de Choiseul, Duke of Choiseul
3 December 175824 December 1770
René Nicolas Charles Augustin de Maupeou
25 December 177023 August 1774
Jacques Turgot
24 August 177412 May 1776Louis XVI

Jean-Frédéric Phélypeaux, comte de Maurepas
14 May 177621 November 1781
Charles Gravier, comte de Vergennes
21 November 178113 February 1787
Étienne Charles de Loménie de Brienne
1 May 178725 August 1788
Jacques Necker
25 August 178811 July 1789
Louis Auguste Le Tonnelier de Breteuil
11 July 178916 July 1789
Jacques Necker
16 July 17893 September 1790
Armand Marc, comte de Montmorin
3 September 17903 September 1791
Constitutional cabinet
(supervisioned by Legislative Assembly)
3 September 179121 September 1792

18th century – 19th century

French First Republic (1792–1804)

See main article: French Revolution and First French Republic. During the First Republic, the arrangements for governance changed frequently:

There was no individual head of government.

French First Empire (1804–1815)

See main article: First French Empire. As Emperor, Napoleon was both head of state and head of government.

First Restoration (1814–1815)

See main article: First Restoration.

Chief ministerTerm of officePolitical partyKing
Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord
11 April 18142 May 1814IndependentLouis XVIII

Pierre Louis Jean Casimir de Blacas
22 May 18148 July 1815Independent

Hundred Days (1815)

See main article: Hundred Days. As Emperor, Napoleon was both head of state and head of government. Upon Napoleon's abdication, his son Napoleon II was named Emperor. This rule was nominal, and Napoleon II remained in Austria throughout his nominal reign.

Chief MinisterTerm of officePolitical partyEmperor
Position vacant
(absolute rule by Napoleon I)
220 March 181522 June 1815VacantNapoleon I

Joseph Fouché
22 June 18157 July 1815BonapartistNapoleon II

Bourbon Restoration (1815–1830)

See main article: Bourbon Restoration in France.

Presidents of the Council of Ministers

President of the Council of Ministers
Term of officePolitical partyLegislature
King
Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord
9 July 181526 September 1815IndependentI
(Chambre introuvable)
Louis XVIII

Armand-Emmanuel de Vignerot du Plessis, Duc de Richelieu
126 September 181529 December 1818Independent
Jean-Joseph, Marquis Dessolles
29 December 181819 November 1819DoctrinairesII
Élie Decazes, duc de Glücksbierg and Decazes
19 November 181920 February 1820Doctrinaires
Armand-Emmanuel de Vignerot du Plessis, Duc de Richelieu
220 February 182014 December 1821DoctrinairesIII
Jean-Baptiste de Villèle
14 December 18214 January 1828Ultra-royalist
IV
Charles X

Jean Baptiste Gay, vicomte de Martignac
4 January 18288 August 1829DoctrinairesV
Jules de Polignac, duc de Polignac
8 August 182929 July 1830Ultra-royalist
Casimir de Rochechouart, duc de Mortemart
29 July 1830Ultra-royalist

July Monarchy (1830–1848)

See main article: July Monarchy.

Presidents of the Council of Ministers

Political parties


President of the Council of Ministers
Term of officePolitical partyLegislature
King
Position vacant
(government led by
Louis Philippe I)
01 August 1830 2 November 1830(Orléanist)I
Louis Philippe I

1
Jacques Laffitte
2 November 183013 March 1831Orléanist
Casimir Pierre Périer
13 March 183116 May 1832Resistance PartyII
Jean-de-Dieu Soult
111 October 183218 July 1834Orléanist
Étienne Maurice Gérard
18 July 183410 November 1834IndependentIII
Hugues-Bernard Maret
10 November 183418 November 1834Independent
Édouard Mortier
18 November 183412 March 1835Resistance Party
Victor de Broglie
12 March 183522 February 1836Resistance Party
Adolphe Thiers
122 February 18366 September 1836Movement Party
Louis-Mathieu Molé
16 September 183631 March 1839Resistance Party
2IV
Position vacant
(government led by
Louis Philippe I)
231 March 183912 May 1839(Orléanist)
Jean-de-Dieu Soult
212 May 18391 March 1840Resistance PartyV
Adolphe Thiers
21 March 184029 October 1840Movement Party
Jean-de-Dieu Soult
329 October 184019 September 1847Resistance PartyVI
François Guizot
19 September 184723 February 1848Resistance PartyVII
Louis-Mathieu Molé
23 February 184824 February 1848Resistance Party

Second French Republic (1848–1852)

See main article: Second French Republic.

Presidents of the Council of Ministers

President of the Council of Ministers
Term of officePolitical partyLegislature
President
1Jacques-Charles Dupont de l'Eure
24 February 18489 May 1848Moderate RepublicanConst.
Himself
2François Arago
10 May 184824 June 1848Moderate RepublicanExecutive Commission
3Louis-Eugène Cavaignac
28 June 184820 December 1848Moderate RepublicanHimself
4Odilon Barrot
120 December 184831 October 1849Party of Order1Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte

2Leg.
5Alphonse Henri, comte d'Hautpoul
31 October 184924 January 1851Party of Order
Position vacant
(government led by
Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte)
24 January 185110 April 1851Vacant
6Léon Faucher
10 April 185126 October 1851Party of Order
Position vacant
(government led by
Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte)
026 October 18512 December 1852Vacant
1
2

Second French Empire (1852–1870)

See main article: Second French Empire.

Cabinet Chiefs

Cabinet Chief
Term of officePolitical partyLegislature
Emperor
Position vacant
(absolute rule by Napoleon III)
32 December 185227 December 1869VacantI
Napoleon III

II
III
4IV
Émile Ollivier
2 January 18709 August 1870Bonapartist
Charles Cousin-Montauban
9 August 18704 September 1870Independent

19th century – 20th century

French Third Republic (1870–1940)

See main article: Government of National Defense.

Presidents of the Council of Ministers

President of the Council of Ministers
Term of officePolitical party
Legislature
President
6Jules Armand Dufaure
119 February 187124 May 1873Opportunist Republicans2Adolphe Thiers

2
7Albert, duc de Broglie
125 May 187322 May 1874Monarchist3Patrice de MacMahon

2
8Ernest Courtot de Cissey
22 May 187410 March 1875Monarchist
9Louis Buffet
10 March 187523 February 1876Monarchist
6Jules Armand Dufaure
323 February 187612 December 1876Opportunist Republicans
4
10Jules Simon
12 December 187617 May 1877Opportunist RepublicansI
7Albert, duc de Broglie
317 May 187723 November 1877Monarchist
11Gaëtan de Rochebouët
23 November 187713 December 1877MonarchistII
6Jules Armand Dufaure
513 December 18774 February 1879Opportunist Republicans
12William Waddington
4 February 187928 December 1879Opportunist Republicans4Jules Grévy

13Charles de Freycinet
128 December 187923 September 1880Opportunist Republicans
14Jules Ferry
123 September 188014 November 1881Opportunist Republicans
15Léon Gambetta
14 November 188130 January 1882Opportunist RepublicansIII
13Charles de Freycinet
230 January 18827 August 1882Opportunist Republicans
16Charles Duclerc
7 August 188229 January 1883Opportunist Republicans
17Armand Fallières
29 January 188321 February 1883Opportunist Republicans
14Jules Ferry
221 February 18836 April 1885Opportunist Republicans
18Henri Brisson
16 April 18857 January 1886Radical Republicans
13Charles de Freycinet
37 January 188616 December 1886Opportunist RepublicansIV
19René Goblet
16 December 188630 May 1887Radical Republicans
20Maurice Rouvier
130 May 188712 December 1887Opportunist Republicans
21Pierre Tirard
112 December 18873 April 1888Opportunist Republicans5Sadi Carnot

22Charles Floquet
3 April 188822 February 1889Opportunist Republicans
21Pierre Tirard
222 February 188917 March 1890Opportunist Republicans
13Charles de Freycinet
417 March 189027 February 1892Opportunist RepublicansV
23Émile Loubet
27 February 18926 December 1892Opportunist Republicans
24Alexandre Ribot
16 December 18924 April 1893Opportunist Republicans
2
25Charles Dupuy
14 April 18933 December 1893Opportunist Republicans
26Jean Casimir-Perier
3 December 189330 May 1894Opportunist RepublicansVI
25Charles Dupuy
230 May 189426 January 1895Opportunist Republicans
36Jean Casimir-Perier

24Alexandre Ribot
326 January 18951 November 1895Opportunist Republicans7Félix Faure

27Léon Bourgeois
1 November 189529 April 1896Radical Republicans
28Jules Méline
29 April 189628 June 1898Opportunist Republicans
18Henri Brisson
228 June 18981 November 1898Radical RepublicansVII
25Charles Dupuy
41 November 189822 June 1899Opportunist Republicans
5Émile Loubet

29Pierre Waldeck-Rousseau
22 June 18997 June 1902Opportunist Republicans8
30Émile Combes
7 June 190224 January 1905Radical-Socialist Party
VIII
20Maurice Rouvier
224 January 190512 March 1906Democratic Republican Alliance
39Armand Fallières

31Ferdinand Sarrien
12 March 190625 October 1906Radical-Socialist Party
32Georges Clemenceau
125 October 190624 July 1909IndependentIX
33Aristide Briand
124 July 19092 March 1911Republican-Socialist Party
2
34Ernest Monis
2 March 191127 June 1911Radical-Socialist PartyX
35Joseph Caillaux
27 June 191121 January 1912Radical-Socialist Party
36Raymond Poincaré
121 January 191221 January 1913Republican Democratic Party
33Aristide Briand
321 January 191322 March 1913Republican-Socialist Party
410Raymond Poincaré

37Louis Barthou
22 March 19139 December 1913Republican Democratic Party
38Gaston Doumergue
19 December 19139 June 1914Radical-Socialist Party
24Alexandre Ribot
49 June 191413 June 1914Republican FederationXI
39René Viviani
113 June 191429 October 1915Republican-Socialist Party
2
33Aristide Briand
529 October 191520 March 1917Republican-Socialist Party
6
24Alexandre Ribot
520 March 191712 September 1917Republican Federation
40Paul Painlevé
112 September 191716 November 1917Republican-Socialist Party
32Georges Clemenceau
216 November 191720 January 1920Independent
41Alexandre Millerand
120 January 192024 September 1920Independent
XII
211Paul Deschanel

42Georges Leygues
24 September 192016 January 1921Republican, Democratic and Social Party
12Alexandre Millerand

33Aristide Briand
716 January 192115 January 1922Republican-Socialist Party
36Raymond Poincaré
215 January 19228 June 1924Republican, Democratic and Social Party
3
43Frédéric François-Marsal
8 June 192415 June 1924Republican Federation
XIII
45Édouard Herriot
115 June 192417 April 1925Radical-Socialist Party
13Gaston Doumergue

40Paul Painlevé
217 April 192528 November 1925Republican-Socialist Party
3
33Aristide Briand
828 November 192520 July 1926Republican-Socialist Party
9
10
45Édouard Herriot
220 July 192623 July 1926Radical-Socialist Party
36Raymond Poincaré
423 July 192629 July 1929Democratic Alliance
5
33Aristide Briand
1129 July 19292 November 1929Republican-Socialist PartyXIV
46André Tardieu
12 November 192921 February 1930Democratic Alliance
47Camille Chautemps
121 February 19302 March 1930Radical-Socialist Party
46André Tardieu
22 March 193013 December 1930Democratic Alliance
48Théodore Steeg
13 December 193027 January 1931Radical-Socialist Party
49Pierre Laval
127 January 193120 February 1932Independent
214Paul Doumer

3
46André Tardieu
320 February 19323 June 1932Democratic Alliance
45Édouard Herriot
33 June 193218 December 1932Radical-Socialist Party
(Cartel des Gauches)
XV 15Albert Lebrun

50Joseph Paul-Boncour
18 December 193231 January 1933Republican-Socialist Party
51Édouard Daladier
131 January 193326 October 1933Radical-Socialist Party
52Albert Sarraut
126 October 193326 November 1933Radical-Socialist Party
47Camille Chautemps
226 November 193330 January 1934Radical-Socialist Party
51Édouard Daladier
230 January 19349 February 1934Radical-Socialist Party
38Gaston Doumergue
29 February 19348 November 1934Radical-Socialist Party
53Pierre-Étienne Flandin
18 November 19341 June 1935Democratic Alliance
54Fernand Bouisson
1 June 19357 June 1935Independent
49Pierre Laval
47 June 193524 January 1936Independent
52Albert Sarraut
224 January 19364 June 1936Radical-Socialist Party
55Léon Blum
14 June 193622 June 1937French Section of the Workers' International
XVI
47Camille Chautemps
322 June 193713 March 1938Radical-Socialist Party
4
55Léon Blum
213 March 193810 April 1938French Section of the Workers' International
51Édouard Daladier
310 April 193821 March 1940Radical-Socialist Party
4
5
56Paul Reynaud
21 March 194016 June 1940Democratic Alliance
57Philippe Pétain
16 June 194011 July 1940Independent

French State (1940–1944)

See main article: Vichy France. Until 1942, Marshal Philippe Pétain served as Chief of State and nominal President of the Council of Ministers. From 1942, Pétain remained Chief of State, but Pierre Laval was named Chief of the Government.

Vice-Presidents of the Council of Ministers

Vice-president of the Council of Ministers
Term of officePolitical partyLegislature
Chief of State
49Pierre Laval
511 July 194013 December 1940Révolution nationaleNonePhilippe Pétain

53Pierre-Étienne Flandin
213 December 19409 February 1941
58François Darlan
9 February 194118 April 1942
49Pierre Laval
618 April 194219 August 1944

Provisional Government of the French Republic (1944–1946)

See main article: Provisional Government of the French Republic.

Chairmen of the Provisional Government

Chairman of the Provisional Government
Term of officePolitical party
Legislature
59Charles de Gaulle
13 June 194426 January 1946IndependentProvisional
2I
60Félix Gouin
26 January 194624 June 1946French Section of the Workers' International
61Georges Bidault
124 June 194616 December 1946Popular Republican Movement
II
Vincent Auriol
28 November 194616 December 1946French Section of the Workers' International

I
62Léon Blum
316 December 194622 January 1947French Section of the Workers' International

Fourth French Republic (1946–1958)

See main article: Fourth French Republic.

Presidents of the Council of Ministers

President of the Council of Ministers
Term of officePolitical party
Legislature
President
63Paul Ramadier
122 January 194724 November 1947French Section of the Workers' International
I 16Vincent Auriol

2
65Robert Schuman
124 November 194724 July 1948Popular Republican Movement
66André Marie
24 July 19482 September 1948Radical Party
65Robert Schuman
22 September 194811 September 1948Popular Republican Movement
67Henri Queuille
111 September 194828 October 1949Radical Party
61Georges Bidault
228 October 19492 July 1950Popular Republican Movement
3
67Henri Queuille
22 July 195012 July 1950Radical Party
68René Pleven
112 July 195010 March 1951Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance
67Henri Queuille
310 March 195111 August 1951Radical Party
68René Pleven
211 August 195120 January 1952Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance
II
69Edgar Faure
120 January 19528 March 1952Radical Party
70Antoine Pinay
8 March 19528 January 1953National Centre of Independents and Peasants
71René Mayer
8 January 195328 June 1953Radical Party
72Joseph Laniel
128 June 195319 June 1954National Centre of Independents and Peasants
217René Coty

73Pierre Mendès France
19 June 195417 February 1955Radical Party
69Edgar Faure
217 February 19551 February 1956Radical Party
75Guy Mollet
1 February 195613 June 1957French Section of the Workers' International
III
76Maurice Bourgès-Maunoury
13 June 19576 November 1957Radical Party
77Félix Gaillard
6 November 195714 May 1958Radical Party
78Pierre Pflimlin
14 May 19581 June 1958Popular Republican Movement
59Charles de Gaulle
31 June 19588 January 1959Union for the New Republic

20th century – 21st century

Fifth French Republic (since 1958)

See main article: Fifth French Republic.

Prime Ministers

S. No.Portrait Prime Minister
Term of officePolitical party
GovernmentLegislature
President
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
79Michel Debré
8 January 195914 April 1962Union for the New RepublicI
18Charles de Gaulle

80Georges Pompidou
14 April 19627 December 1962Union for the New Republic
7 December 19628 January 1966II
8 January 19667 April 1967
7 April 196710 July 1968III
81Maurice Couve de Murville
10 July 196820 June 1969Union of Democrats for the RepublicIV
82Jacques Chaban-Delmas
20 June 19695 July 1972Union of Democrats for the Republic19Georges Pompidou
83Pierre Messmer
5 July 19725 April 1973Union of Democrats for the Republic
5 April 19731 March 1974V
1 March 197427 May 1974
84Jacques Chirac
27 May 197425 August 1976Union of Democrats for the Republic20Valéry Giscard d'Estaing

85Raymond Barre
25 August 197630 March 1977Miscellaneous right
30 March 19775 April 1978
5 April 197821 May 1981VI
86Pierre Mauroy
21 May 198123 June 1981Socialist Party21François Mitterrand

23 June 198122 March 1983VII
22 March 198317 July 1984
87Laurent Fabius
17 July 198420 March 1986Socialist Party
(84)Jacques Chirac
20 March 198610 May 1988Rally for the RepublicVIII
88Michel Rocard
10 May 198828 June 1988Socialist PartyRocard I
28 June 198815 May 1991Rocard IIIX
89Édith Cresson
15 May 19912 April 1992Socialist Party
90Pierre Bérégovoy
2 April 199229 March 1993Socialist Party
91Édouard Balladur
29 March 199317 May 1995Rally for the RepublicX
92Alain Juppé
17 May 19957 November 1995Rally for the Republic22Jacques Chirac

7 November 19952 June 1997
93Lionel Jospin
2 June 19976 May 2002Socialist PartyJospinXI
94Jean-Pierre Raffarin
6 May 200217 June 2002Liberal Democracy,
later Union for a Popular Movement
17 June 200231 March 2004XII
31 March 200431 May 2005
95Dominique de Villepin
31 May 200517 May 2007Union for a Popular Movement
96François Fillon
17 May 200719 June 2007Union for a Popular Movement23Nicolas Sarkozy

19 June 200714 November 2010XIII
14 November 201015 May 2012Fillon III
97Jean-Marc Ayrault
15 May 201221 June 2012Socialist PartyAyrault I24François Hollande

21 June 201231 March 2014Ayrault IIXIV
98Manuel Valls
31 March 201426 August 2014Socialist PartyValls I
26 August 20146 December 2016Valls II
99Bernard Cazeneuve
6 December 201615 May 2017Socialist PartyCazeneuve
100Édouard Philippe
15 May 201721 June 2017Philippe I25Emmanuel Macron

21 June 20173 July 2020Philippe IIXV
101Jean Castex
3 July 202016 May 2022IndependentCastex
102Élisabeth Borne
16 May 20224 July 2022RenaissanceBorne I
4 July 20229 January 2024Borne IIXVI
103Gabriel Attal
9 January 2024PresentRenaissanceAttal

Timeline

Non-executive Prime Ministers (since 1959)

See also

External links