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 French history, the country's head of government 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" (), generally shortened to "President of the Council" (). This should not be confused with the elected office of president of the French Republic, who, as head of state, appoints the prime minister as head of government.
16th century – 18th century Kingdom of France (843–1792)
Under the Kingdom of France, there was no official title for the leader of the government as the monarch held absolute power. However, conventions developed that the monarch would not act without the advice of royal council. The chief ministers (principaux ministres) of these councils under certain kings of France exercised enough influence to lead the government de facto. This situation ended with the start of the French Revolution as the adoption of a constitution in 1791 reframed the power dynamics of the monarchy. As the revolution progressed, the power dynamics continued to shift and ultimately resulted in the execution of the monarch and the establishment of a republic.
Chief minister Term of office King Anne de Montmorency 1 January 1515 14 June 1541 Francis I Claude d'Annebault 1541 31 March 1547 Anne de Montmorency 1 April 1547 10 August 1557 Henry II Position vacant(absolute rule by Henry II) 11 August 1557 10 July 1559 Francis, Duke of Guise 10 July 1559 5 December 1560 Francis II Michel de l'Hôpital 5 December 1560 13 March 1573 Charles IX René de Birague 30 May 1574 24 November 1583 Henry III Philippe Hurault de Cheverny 24 November 1583 12 May 1588 Position vacant(absolute rule by Henry III) 12 May 1588 2 August 1589 Maximilien de Béthune, Duke of Sully 2 August 1589 29 January 1611 Henry IV Nicolas de Neufville, seigneur de Villeroy 30 January 1611 9 August 1616 Louis XIII Concino Concini 9 August 1616 24 April 1617 Charles d'Albert, duc de Luynes 24 April 1617 15 December 1621 Position vacant(absolute rule by Louis XIII) 15 December 1621 12 August 1624 Cardinal Richelieu 12 August 1624 4 December 1642 Cardinal Mazarin 5 December 1642 9 March 1661 Louis XIV Position vacant(absolute rule by Louis XIV) 9 March 1661 1 September 1715 Guillaume Dubois 12 September 1715 10 August 1723 Louis XV Philippe II, Duke of Orléans 10 August 1723 2 December 1723 Louis Henri, Duke of Bourbon 2 December 1723 11 June 1726 André-Hercule de Fleury 11 June 1726 29 January 1743 Position vacant(absolute rule by Louis XV) 29 January 1743 3 December 1758 Étienne François de Choiseul, Duke of Choiseul 3 December 1758 24 December 1770 René Nicolas Charles Augustin de Maupeou 25 December 1770 23 August 1774 Jacques Turgot 24 August 1774 12 May 1776 Louis XVI Jean-Frédéric Phélypeaux, comte de Maurepas 14 May 1776 21 November 1781 Charles Gravier, comte de Vergennes 21 November 1781 13 February 1787 Étienne Charles de Loménie de Brienne 1 May 1787 25 August 1788 Jacques Necker 25 August 1788 11 July 1789 Louis Auguste Le Tonnelier de Breteuil 11 July 1789 16 July 1789 Jacques Necker 16 July 1789 3 September 1790 Armand Marc, comte de Montmorin 3 September 1790 3 September 1791 Constitutional cabinet(supervisioned by Legislative Assembly) 3 September 1791 21 September 1792
18th century – 19th century French First Republic (1792–1804)
During the First Republic, there were three arrangements for governance, the leadership of which changed frequently. The first government was that of the National Convention (20 September 1792 – 2 November 1795) and did not provide for a formal head of state or a head of government. The President of the National Convention would only serve for a term of 14 days at a time. Even though the President was re-eligible to return to the office after another term had passed, this rarely occurred. Notable Presidents during this period included:
Jérôme Pétion de Villeneuve (20 September – 4 October 1792) Georges Danton (25 July – 8 August 1793) Maximilien Robespierre (22 August – 7 September 1793 and 4–19 June 1794) Jean Jacques Régis de Cambacérès (7–22 October 1794) Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès (20 April – 5 May 1795)
Given the dissatisfaction with the National Convention a new Constitution was adopted in 1795 which created the a five member executive called the Directory (2 November 1795 – 10 November 1799). The members of the Directory were elected by the legislature who themselves in turn elected a ceremonial President whose term lasted only three months. Paul Barras, who served two stints as President (4 December 1797 – 25 February 1798 and 26 November 1798 – 26 May 1799), came to be the dominant member of the group.
In 1799, the Directory was superseded when a coup d'état headed by Napoleon Bonaparte forced the sitting members to resign. A new constitution was written establishing the Consulate (10 November 1799 – 18 May 1804). While initially a coequal of the other Consuls, Napoleon quickly set himself up as "First Consul of France" and later "Consul for Life" under yet another constitution.
French First Empire (1804–1815)
On May 18, 1804 the French Senate bestowed the title of "Emperor of the French" on Napoleon and he crowned himself on December 2, 1804. As Emperor, Napoleon was both head of state and head of government under the new constitution.
Chief minister Term of office Faction Emperor Position vacant(absolute rule by Napoleon) 1 18 May 1804 1 April 1814 Vacant Napoleon
First Restoration (1814–1815)
Following Napoleon's defeat in the War of the Sixth Coalition, he abdicated and was exiled to the island of Elba. Louis XVIII, brother of the executed King Louis XVI, was placed on the newly restored throne of the French monarchy. Unlike the previous Ancien régime, the prerogative of the new monarch was limited by the Charter of 1814.
Chief minister Term of office Faction King Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord 1 1 April 1814 2 May 1814 Independent Louis XVIII Pierre Louis Jean Casimir de Blacas 2 2 May 1814 8 July 1815
Hundred Days (1815)
In March 1815, Napoleon left his exile and returned to France. The government of the Louis XVIII fled to the city of Ghent. Napoleon reinstated his role as both head of state and head of government. Upon Napoleon's second abdication, his son Napoleon II was named Emperor. This rule was nominal, and Napoleon II, then a four-year old child, remained in Austria throughout his nominal reign.
Chief Minister Term of office Faction Emperor Position vacant(absolute rule by Napoleon I) 2 20 March 1815 22 June 1815 Vacant Napoleon I Joseph Fouché • 22 June 1815 7 July 1815 Bonapartist Napoleon II
Bourbon Restoration (1815–1830)
Following his second defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon was again exiled, this time to the island of St. Helena. Louis XVIII returned to Paris and to his role as constitutional monarch.
Presidents of the Council of Ministers President of the Council of Ministers Term of office Faction Legislature King Tenure Duration Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord • 9 July 1815 26 September 1815 Independent I(Chambre introuvable) Louis XVIII Armand-Emmanuel de Vignerot du Plessis, Duc de Richelieu 1 26 September 1815 29 December 1818 Jean-Joseph, Marquis Dessolles • 29 December 1818 19 November 1819 Doctrinaires II Élie Decazes, duc de Glücksbierg and Decazes • 19 November 1819 20 February 1820 Armand-Emmanuel de Vignerot du Plessis, Duc de Richelieu 2 20 February 1820 14 December 1821 III Jean-Baptiste de Villèle • 14 December 1821 4 January 1828 Ultra-royalist IV Charles X Jean Baptiste Gay, vicomte de Martignac • 4 January 1828 8 August 1829 Doctrinaires V Jules de Polignac, duc de Polignac • 8 August 1829 29 July 1830 Ultra-royalist Casimir de Rochechouart, duc de Mortemart • 29 July 1830
July Monarchy (1830–1848)
When King Charles X was crowned he swore to uphold the constitutional Charter of 1814, but as his reign progressed he was seen to be increasingly in conflict with it. In 1830 the tension came to a climax when Charles dissolved the legislature, suspended certain liberties, and barred the middle class from participating in future elections. These July Ordinances in turn triggered outrage in Paris which resulted in the July Revolution. The revolution resulted in Charles X abdicating the throne in favor of his cousin Louis Philippe, Duke of Orléans who promised to maintain a liberal constitutional monarchy under the Charter of 1830. Unlike the previous Charter, which was self-imposed by the monarch, the 1830 charter emanated from the people. This popular monarchy was reflected in Louis Philippe's title of "King of the French" (roi des Français) rather than "King of France" (roi de France).
Presidents of the Council of Ministers Factions
President of the Council of MinistersTerm of office Faction Legislature King Tenure Duration Position vacant (government led by Louis Philippe I) (0)1 1 August 1830 2 November 1830 Orléanist I Louis Philippe I Jacques Laffitte • 2 November 1830 13 March 1831 Casimir Pierre Périer • 13 March 1831 16 May 1832 Resistance Party II Jean-de-Dieu Soult 1 11 October 1832 18 July 1834 Orléanist Étienne Maurice Gérard • 18 July 1834 10 November 1834 Independent III Hugues-Bernard Maret • 10 November 1834 18 November 1834 Édouard Mortier • 18 November 1834 12 March 1835 Resistance Party Victor de Broglie • 12 March 1835 22 February 1836 Adolphe Thiers 1 22 February 1836 6 September 1836 Movement Party Louis-Mathieu Molé 1 6 September 1836 31 March 1839 Resistance Party 2 IV Position vacant(government led byLouis Philippe I) 2 31 March 1839 12 May 1839 Orléanist Jean-de-Dieu Soult 2 12 May 1839 1 March 1840 Resistance Party V Adolphe Thiers 2 1 March 1840 29 October 1840 Movement Party Jean-de-Dieu Soult 3 29 October 1840 19 September 1847 Resistance Party VI François Guizot • 19 September 1847 23 February 1848 VII Louis-Mathieu Molé 23 February 1848 24 February 1848
Second French Republic (1848–1852)
The popularity of the new "Citizen King" declined over concerns that the suffrage of the populace was extremely limited to certain property owners. The desire to expand the electorate to a more universal male suffrage was undercut by a 1835 law which prohibited public political assemblies. To circumvent this ban, in 1847 a series of private meeting known as the campagne des banquets were organized. When these banquets were themselves banned popular unrest spilled into the streets in the February Revolution of 1848, which resulted in King Louis Philippe abdicating the throne and triggered a series of revolutions across Europe. A provisional government proclaimed a Second Republic, which would organized under a new constitution which provided for the election of a President. Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, nephew of the former Emperor, won the subsequent election in a landslide.
Presidents of the Council of Ministers