Famous French Prime Ministers

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 1 
Charles de Gaulle
(Former French President & Army Officer Who Led 'Free France' against Nazi Germany in World War II)
Charles de Gaulle
9
Birthdate: November 22, 1890
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Lille, France
Died: November 9, 1970

Charles de Gaulle was a French statesman and army officer. Charles de Gaulle fought against Nazi Germany in the Second World War by leading the Free French Forces. He also worked towards re-establishing democracy in France. He founded the Fifth Republic, France's current republican system, and rewrote the Constitution of France. He then served as the president of France.

 2 
Jacques Chirac
(President of France (1995 - 2007))
Jacques Chirac
7
Birthdate: November 29, 1932
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: September 26, 2019

Jacques Chirac was a French politician who served as France's prime minister on two occasions, first from 1974 to 1976 and then from 1986 to 1988. He also served as France's president from 1995 to 2007. Because of his long career in prominent government positions, Chirac was often caricatured or parodied. He was also depicted in films, such as W.

 3 
Georges Clémenceau
(Former French Prime Minister)
Georges Clémenceau
4
Birthdate: September 28, 1841
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Mouilleron-en-Pareds, Vendee
Died: November 24, 1929

Georges Clémenceau, or The Tiger, who had served as the French prime minister, is remembered as a key figure of the French Third Republic. He not only played a major role in the Allied victory in World War I, but was also a key framer of the Treaty of Versailles.

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 4 
Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord
(Politician)
Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord
5
Birthdate: February 2, 1754
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: May 17, 1838

French diplomat and bishop Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord is counted among the most pragmatic and prominent diplomats in European history. He served King Louis XVI and thereafter changed sides several times, serving at highest levels of successive French governments of Napoleon I, Louis XVIII and Louis Philippe I. He served as the first Prime Minister of France under Louis XVIII.

 5 
Léon Blum
(Former Prime Minister of France)
Léon Blum
5
Birthdate: April 9, 1872
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Paris
Died: March 30, 1950

Born into a Jewish family in Paris, three-time French prime minister Léon Blum had initially studied law. He joined politics inspired by the Dreyfus affair. The first socialist and the first Jew to head France, he introduced reforms such as the 40-hour work week and paid vacations.

 6 
Raymond Poincaré
(President of France from 1913 to 1920)
Raymond Poincaré
3
Birthdate: August 20, 1860
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Bar-le-Duc, France
Died: October 15, 1934

Former French president and three-time prime minister Raymond Poincaré was a qualified lawyer and the co-founder of the Democratic Republican Alliance. He suggested a retrial in the Dreyfus Affair and was also largely responsible for France’s entry into World War II. He also introduced a highly debated denaturalization law.

 7 
Robert Schuman
(Politician)
Robert Schuman
3
Birthdate: June 29, 1886
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Clausen, Luxembourg
Died: September 4, 1963
 8 
Adolphe Thiers
(The Second Elected President of France and First President of the 'French Third Republic')
Adolphe Thiers
3
Birthdate: April 15, 1797
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Bouc-Bel-Air, France
Died: September 3, 1877

Adolphe Thiers was a French historian and statesman who served as the French Third Republic's first President. He also served as the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of France in 1840. Apart from playing a major role in the French Revolution of 1830, which ended the Bourbon monarchy, Thiers also played a key role in the French Revolution of 1848.

 9 
Alain Juppé
(Prime Minister of France From 1995 to 1997)
Alain Juppé
5
Birthdate: August 15, 1945
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Mont-de-Marsan, Aquitaine, France

Son of a Gaullist resistance fighter, Alain Juppé studied classical literature before joining politics. He served as the mayor of Bordeaux and handled the ministries of defense and foreign affairs before becoming the prime minister of France. He is now part of the French Constitutional Council.

 10 
Édouard Daladier
(Prime Minister of France from 1938 to 1940)
Édouard Daladier
3
Birthdate: June 18, 1884
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Carpentras, France
Died: October 10, 1970
 11 
Lionel Jospin
(Prime Minister of France from 1997 to 2002)
Lionel Jospin
3
Birthdate: July 12, 1937
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Meudon, France
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 12 
Aristide Briand
(Prime Minister)
Aristide Briand
7
Birthdate: March 28, 1862
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Nantes
Died: April 7, 1932

Nobel Peace Prize-winning French stateman Aristide Briand had been the prime minister of his country for 11 terms, apart from holding 26 ministerial posts throughout his career. He played major roles in the drafting of the Pact of Locarno and Kellogg-Briand Pact, and had founded journals such as l’Humanité.

 13 
Jules Ferry
(Prime Minister of France from 1883 to 1885)
Jules Ferry
3
Birthdate: April 5, 1832
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, France
Died: March 17, 1893

Once the prime minister of France, Jules Ferry was a Moderate Republican leader, who is remembered for his efforts in the French colonial expansion. He followed in his father’s footsteps to become a lawyer but gained fame as a political critic. He later became increasingly unpopular due to expenditures incurred in wars. 

 14 
Dominique de Villepin
(Former Prime Minister of France)
Dominique de Villepin
3
Birthdate: November 14, 1953
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Rabat, Morocco

Dominique de Villepin is a French politician. From 2005 to 2007, he served as the prime minister of France. Prior to his prime ministership, Villepin served as the minister of the Interior from 2004 to 2005. Also a prolific writer, Villepin has written several political and historical essays, poetry, and a book about poetry.

 15 
Jean-de-Dieu Soult
(Military leader)
Jean-de-Dieu Soult
3
Birthdate: March 29, 1769
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Saint-Amans-la-Bastide, France
Died: November 26, 1851
 16 
Émile Loubet
(President of France from 1899 to 1906, 45th Prime Minister of France)
Émile Loubet
3
Birthdate: December 30, 1838
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Marsanne, France
Died: December 20, 1929

A qualified lawyer and a skilled orator, Émile Loubet had been the mayor of Montélimar, before becoming the prime minister and then the president of France. He was responsible for improving France’s relationship with Britain. He also accelerated the separation of the Church and the French government.

 17 
Alexandre Millerand
(President of France from 1920 to 1924)
Alexandre Millerand
3
Birthdate: February 10, 1859
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: April 6, 1943

A qualified lawyer, Alexandre Millerand had served as both the president and the prime minister of France. He had also held important portfolios, such as the ministries of war and commerce. He once attempted to increase presidential powers by revising the constitution. His published works include Le Socialisme réformiste.

 18 
Édith Cresson
(Former Prime Minister of France (1991 - 1992))
Édith Cresson
2
Birthdate: January 27, 1934
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Boulogne-Billancourt, France

Édith Cresson is a French politician who served as the prime minister of France from 1991 to 1992. She is the first, and so far the only woman to have held this office. Her term was uneventful and her political career ended in scandal. She is a member of the Council of Women World Leaders as well.  

 19 
Guy Mollet
(Former Prime Minister of France (1956 - 1957))
Guy Mollet
2
Birthdate: December 31, 1905
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Flers, France
Died: October 3, 1975

Guy Mollet, son of a textile worker, started his career as an English teacher and went on to etch his name in politics as leader of the French Section of the Workers' International (SFIO) and Prime Minister of France. He however garnered criticism as Prime Minister for his international policy, particularly during the Suez Crisis and the Algerian War.

 20 
Armand Fallières
(Former President of France)
Armand Fallières
2
Birthdate: November 6, 1841
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Mézin, France
Died: June 22, 1931

Armand Fallières began as a town councillor in Nérac and later became the president of France. Prior to this, he had been the prime minister of France, too, but he was forced to resign after just 21 days, owing to his stand on the expulsion of the pretenders to French throne.

 21 
Gaston Doumergue
(Former President of France)
Gaston Doumergue
3
Birthdate: August 1, 1863
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Aigues-Vives, France
Died: June 18, 1937

Gaston Doumergue, the only Protestant to hold office as President of France was counted among the most popular French presidents. He also emerged as the first President of France to marry in office. He served as Prime Minister of France briefly from December 1913 to June 1914 and again following his presidency from February 1934 to November that year.

 22 
Pierre Mendès France
(Prime Minister of France (1954 - 1955))
Pierre Mendès France
2
Birthdate: January 11, 1907
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: October 18, 1982

Pierre Mendès France, who served as the president of France, is best remembered for his efforts in ending France’s involvement in the Indochina War. He was a qualified lawyer and had also participated in World War II. He also signed a deal that made France pull out its forces from Vietnam.

 23 
Pierre Bérégovoy
(Former Prime Minister of France)
Pierre Bérégovoy
2
Birthdate: December 23, 1925
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Déville-lès-Rouen, France
Died: May 1, 1993

Pierre Bérégovoy had started his career as a metal worker and a machinist at age 16. He formally entered politics with trade unions and joined the Socialist Party, gradually rising up the ranks to become the prime minister of France. He shot himself to death after resigning amid corruption allegations.

 24 
Jean-Pierre Raffarin
(Former Prime Minister of France)
Jean-Pierre Raffarin
2
Birthdate: August 3, 1948
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Poitiers, France
 25 
Jean Casimir-Périer
(Former President of France)
Jean Casimir-Périer
2
Birthdate: November 8, 1847
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: March 11, 1907

Great-grandson of Bank of France co-founder Claude Périer and the son of a minister, Jean Casimir-Périer was an affluent businessman. He later became the president of France, but frustrated by internal politics and the opposition’s slander, he quit politics after 6 months and focused on his mining business.

 26 
Michel Rocard
(Politician, Prime Minister)
Michel Rocard
2
Birthdate: August 23, 1930
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Courbevoie
Died: July 2, 2016

Born to nuclear physicist Yves Rocard, Michel Rocard graduated from the National School of Administration and initially joined student politics. The Socialist Party member later held significant portfolios such as the ministry of agriculture and later became the prime minister of France. He was also part of the European Parliament.

 27 
Jacques Chaban-Delmas
(Politician, Prime Minister)
Jacques Chaban-Delmas
2
Birthdate: March 7, 1915
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Paris
Died: November 10, 2000

After studying political science and law, Jacques Chaban-Delmas worked as a journalist. A prominent part of the Résistance movement, he officially began his political career as the mayor of Bordeaux, and later became the prime minister of France. He was also a skilled tennis and rugby player.

 28 
Georges Bidault
(Prime Minister of France (1949 – 1950))
Georges Bidault
2
Birthdate: October 5, 1899
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Moulins, France
Died: January 27, 1983

French politician Georges Bidault had not only led the French Resistance during World War II but had also been a three-time foreign minister and a two-time prime minister. Initially a history teacher, he later started the Mouvement Républicain Populaire. He was eventually charged with conspiracy for being associated with the OAS.

 29 
Paul Painlevé
(Former Prime Minister of France (September 1917 – November 1917, April 1925 – November 1925) and Mathematician)
Paul Painlevé
2
Birthdate: December 5, 1863
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: October 29, 1933

Paul Painlevé was a French mathematician and statesman who served as the prime minister of the Third Republic twice. Even though his first tenure as the prime minister lasted only a few weeks, he had to deal with serious issues within this short time. He also represented France in the International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation of the League of Nations.

 30 
Armand-Emmanuel de Vignerot du Plessis, duc de Richelieu
(Statesman)
Armand-Emmanuel de Vignerot du Plessis, duc de Richelieu
1
Birthdate: September 14, 1766
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: May 17, 1822

Armand-Emmanuel de Vignerot du Plessis, duc de Richelieu was a French statesman. He served as an officer in the Russian Imperial Army during the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars. He was a royalist and actively supported monarchy during the Bourbon Restoration, following which he became the prime minister of France. He was married to Alexandrine Rosalie Sabine de Rochechouart-Faudoas.  

 31 
Édouard Herriot
(Former Prime Minister of France Who Served for Three-Terms Between 1924 and 1932)
Édouard Herriot
2
Birthdate: July 5, 1872
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Troyes, France
Died: March 26, 1957

Son of an army officer, Édouard Herriot grew up to become a talented teacher, scholar, and literary critic. He began his political career as the municipal councillor of Lyon and won hearts with his urban development plans. He gradually rose through the ranks to become the prime minister of France.

 32 
Raymond Barre
(Former Prime Minister of France)
Raymond Barre
2
Birthdate: April 12, 1924
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: St-Denis, France
Died: August 25, 2007

Raymond Barre was a French politician and economist who was the prime minister of France from 1976 to 1981. Prior to this, he served as the vice president of the European Commission and Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs from 1967 to 1973. He was accused of being antisemitic or at least supportive of antisemitism on several occasions. 

 33 
Camille Chautemps
(Former Prime Minister of France (February 1930 – March 1930, 1933 – 1934, 1937 – 1938))
Camille Chautemps
2
Birthdate: February 1, 1885
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: July 1, 1963

French Radical politician Camille Chautemps commenced his political career with local politics and went on to serve as Prime Minister of France, twice under President Albert Lebrun and once under President Gaston Doumergue. Following the Second World War, Chautemps was convicted in absentia by a French court for collaborating with the enemy and was eventually amnestied.

 34 
Léon Bourgeois
(French Statesman)
Léon Bourgeois
2
Birthdate: May 21, 1851
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: September 29, 1925

Léon Bourgeois was a French statesman known for his progressive political ideals. He studied law as a young man and soon entered politics. With time, he steadily rose through the political ranks and became the prime minister of France in 1895. He promoted social insurance schemes, economic equality, controlled disarmament, economic sanctions, and expanded educational opportunities.

 35 
Antoine Pinay
(Prime Minister of France (1952 - 1953))
Antoine Pinay
1
Birthdate: December 30, 1891
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Saint-Symphorien-sur-Coise, France
Died: December 13, 1994

Antoine Pinay was a French conservative politician who served as the prime minister of France from 1952 to 1953. He fought in World War I as a young man and later joined politics. He had a successful political career and held several high-profile positions before becoming the prime minister.  He was made "Médiateur de la République" by President Georges Pompidou.

 36 
Edgar Faure
(Former Prime Minister of France (1955 - 1956))
Edgar Faure
2
Birthdate: August 18, 1908
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Béziers, France
Died: March 30, 1988

Edgar Faure was a French historian, lawyer, and politician. After serving as the Prime Minister of France in 1952, Faure went on to serve as Prime Minister again from 1955 to 1956. Faure also served as the President of the National Assembly from 1973 to 1978. He played an important role in the creation of the Assembly of European Regions.

 37 
Pierre Mauroy
(Former Prime Minister of France)
Pierre Mauroy
2
Birthdate: July 5, 1928
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Cartignies, France
Died: June 7, 2013

Pierre Mauroy was a French Socialist politician. He served as the prime minister of France from 1981 to 1984. He was also the mayor of Lille for several years, from 1973 to 2001. His government was a radical one, and he implemented numerous social reforms during his tenure. He served as the president of the Socialist International as well.

 38 
Maurice Couve de Murville
(Former Prime Minister of France (1968 - 1969) and Diplomat)
Maurice Couve de Murville
1
Birthdate: January 24, 1907
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Reims, France
Died: December 24, 1999

Maurice Couve de Murville was a French diplomat and politician who served as the prime minister of France from 1968 to 1969. Prior to this, he was the minister of foreign affairs from 1958 to 1968. He played a key role in the critical Franco-German treaty of cooperation and laid the foundation for the Paris-Bonn axis as the foreign minister.  

 39 
Pierre Messmer
(Former Prime Minister of France)
Pierre Messmer
1
Birthdate: March 20, 1916
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Vincennes, France
Died: August 29, 2007

Pierre Messmer was a French Gaullist politician who served as minister of armies under President Charles de Gaulle from 1960 to 1969. He later became the prime minister in 1972. He was considered one of the “historical Gaullists.” He was named Chancellier de l'Ordre de la Libération in 2006. He was also elected to the Académie française.

 40 
Joseph Caillaux
(Former Prime Minister of France (1911 - 1912))
Joseph Caillaux
1
Birthdate: March 30, 1863
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Le Mans, France
Died: November 22, 1944

Joseph Caillaux was a French politician of the Third Republic. A leader of the French Radical Party, he held progressive views, due to which he faced opposition from his conservative contemporaries. He was brilliant as a financier and held great power in French politics. During World War I, he became the leader of a peace party in the assembly. 

 41 
Albert Sarraut
(Former Prime Minister of France (October 1933 – November 1933, January 1936 – June 1936))
Albert Sarraut
1
Birthdate: July 28, 1872
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Bordeaux, France
Died: November 26, 1962

Albert Sarraut was a French Radical politician who served as the prime minister twice during the Third Republic. Prior to becoming the prime minister, he held various positions in French politics and was the governor-general of French Indochina for two terms. He retired from politics in the 1940s and took control of the newspaper La Dépêche de Toulouse.

 42 
René Viviani
(Former Prime Minister of France (1914 - 1915))
René Viviani
1
Birthdate: November 8, 1863
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Sidi Bel Abbès, Algeria
Died: September 7, 1925

French politician of the Third Republic, René Viviani who was known for his efforts to protect the rights of trade union workers and socialists, served as Prime Minister of France during first year of First World War. He was the last General Secretary of Republican-Socialist Party (PRS). He also held other political offices including Labour and Social Security.  

 43 
Émile Ollivier
(Former Prime Minister of France (1869 - 1870))
Émile Ollivier
1
Birthdate: July 2, 1825
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Marseille, France
Died: August 20, 1913

Émile Ollivier was a French statesman who became the prime minister of France in 1869. He started out as an avid republican and opposed Emperor Napoleon III. Once the emperor fell, Ollivier entered the cabinet and took over as the prime minister. He fell out of favor after the French Army performed badly in the Franco-Prussian War.

 44 
Albert, 4th duc de Broglie
(Statesman)
Albert, 4th duc de Broglie
1
Birthdate: June 13, 1821
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: January 19, 1901

Albert, 4th duc de Broglie was a 19th-century French monarchist politician, diplomat, and writer. He served as the prime minister of France for two non-consecutive terms. The eldest son of Victor, 3rd duc de Broglie, he succeeded his father as the 4th duc de Broglie in 1870.  He was appointed the prime minister for the first time in May 1873. 

 45 
Pierre Waldeck-Rousseau
(Former Prime Minister of France (1899 - 1902))
Pierre Waldeck-Rousseau
1
Birthdate: December 2, 1846
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Nantes, France
Died: August 10, 1904

René Waldeck-Rousseau was a French Republican politician who served as the prime minister of France from 1899 to 1902. A qualified lawyer, he moved to the bar of Rennes during the Third Republic. He soon entered politics and had a successful career in this field as well. He was known to be a cold, head-strong, and intellectual person. 

 46 
André Tardieu
(Former Prime Minister of France (1929 - 1930))
André Tardieu
1
Birthdate: September 22, 1876
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: September 15, 1945

André Tardieu was a French politician who served as the prime minister of France thrice. A moderate conservative, he had a strong reputation and was a dominant figure in French politics. However, he lost favor during the worldwide Great Depression even though he took many steps to evade the depression in France. He also authored several books on French politics. 

 47 
Paul Ramadier
(Former Prime Minister of France (22 January 1947 – 24 November 1947))
Paul Ramadier
1
Birthdate: March 17, 1888
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: La Rochelle, France
Died: October 14, 1961

Paul Ramadier was a French politician and statesman. He studied law at the University of Toulouse and started his career as a lawyer in Paris. Following a successful law career, he joined politics. He took an active part in the French Resistance. As a politician, he was known to be hardworking, pragmatic, and conciliatory.

 48 
Alexandre Ribot
(Former 46th Prime Minister of France (March 1917 – September 1917))
Alexandre Ribot
1
Birthdate: February 7, 1842
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Saint-Omer, France
Died: January 13, 1923

Alexandre Ribot was a French politician who served as the prime minister of France four times. A lawyer by profession, he had a brilliant academic career at the University of Paris before he ventured into politics. His political career turned out to be as successful as his legal one, and he soon established himself as a prominent republican. 

 49 
René Pleven
(Former Prime Minister of France (1950 - 1951, 1951 - 1952))
René Pleven
1
Birthdate: April 15, 1901
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Rennes, France
Died: January 13, 1993

René Pleven was a French politician during the Fourth Republic. He was a member of the Free French and helped found the Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance (UDSR). In the 1950s, he served as the prime minister for two terms. He gained much prominence for the introduction of the Pleven Plan.

 50 
Émile Combes
(Former Prime Minister of France)
Émile Combes
1
Birthdate: September 6, 1835
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Roquecourbe, France
Died: May 25, 1921

French statesman and freemason Émile Combes led the Bloc des gauches government as Prime Minister of France from June 1902 to January 1905. His strong stance and steps taken towards the separation of church and state led to the eventual passage of the 1905 French law on the Separation of the Churches and State which established state secularism in France.