Armand Fallières

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Armand Fallières
Armand Fallières

In office
January 29, 1883 – February 21, 1883
Preceded by Charles Duclerc
Succeeded by Jules Ferry

In office
February 18, 1906 – February 18, 1913
Preceded by Émile Loubet
Succeeded by Raymond Poincaré

Born November 6, 1841
Died June 22, 1931 (aged 89)
Political party None

Clément Armand Fallières (November 6, 1841June 22, 1931) was a French politician, president of the French republic from 1906 to 1913.

He was born at Mézin in the département of Lot-et-Garonne, France, where his father was clerk of the peace. He studied law and became an advocate at Nérac, beginning his public career there as municipal councillor (1868), afterwards mayor (1871), and as councillor-general of the département of Lot-et-Garonne (1871). Being an ardent Republican, he lost this position in May 1873 upon the fall of Thiers, but in February 1876 was elected deputy for Nérac. In the chamber he sat with the Republican Left, signed the protestation of May 18, 1877, and was re-elected five months later.

In 1880 he became under-secretary of state in the department of the interior in Jules Ferry's ministry (May 1880 to November 1881). From August 7, 1882 to February 20, 1883 he was minister of the interior, and for a month (from January 29, 1883) was prime minister. His ministry had to face the question of the expulsion of the pretenders to the throne of France, owing to the proclamation by Jérôme Napoleon Bonaparte (January 1883).

Fallières, who was ill at the time[citation needed], was not able to face the storm of opposition, and resigned when the senate rejected his project. The following November, however, he was chosen as minister of public instruction by Jules Ferry, and carried out various reforms in the school system.

He resigned in March 1885, becoming minister of the interior in Maurice Rouvier's cabinet two years later. He exchanged his portfolio in December for that of the department of justice. He returned again to the ministry of the interior in February 1889, and finally retook the department of justice from March 1890 to February 1892. In June 1890 his département (Lot-et-Garonne) elected him to the senate by 417 votes to 23. There Fallières remained independent of party struggles, although maintaining his influence among the Republicans.

In March 1899 he was elected president of the senate, and retained that position until January 1906, when he was chosen by a union of the groups of the Left in both chambers as candidate for the presidency of the republic. He was elected on the first ballot by 449 votes against 371 for his opponent, Paul Doumer.

Fallieres was an outspoken opponent of the death penalty and gave pardon to many prisoners sentenced to death.

[edit] Fallières' Ministry, 29 January - 21 February 1883

[edit] References

Political offices
Preceded by
René Goblet
Minister of the Interior
1882–1883
Succeeded by
René Waldeck-Rousseau
Preceded by
Paul Devès
Minister of Worship
1882–1883
Preceded by
Charles Duclerc
Prime Minister of France
1883
Succeeded by
Jules Ferry
interim Minister of Foreign Affairs
1883
Succeeded by
Paul-Armand Challemel-Lacour
Preceded by
Jules Ferry
Minister of Public Instruction and Fine Arts
1883–1885
Succeeded by
René Goblet
Preceded by
René Goblet
Minister of the Interior
1887
Succeeded by
Ferdinand Sarrien
Preceded by
Charles Mazeau
Minister of Justice
1887–1888
Succeeded by
Jean-Baptiste Ferrouillat
Preceded by
François Thévenet
Minister of Worship
1890–1892
Succeeded by
Louis Ricard
Preceded by
Édouard Locroy
Minister of Public Instruction and Fine Arts
1889–1890
Succeeded by
Léon Bourgeois
Preceded by
Émile Loubet
President of the Senate
1899–1906
Succeeded by
Antonin Dubost
Preceded by
Émile Loubet
President of France
1906–1913
Succeeded by
Raymond Poincaré