List of Presidents of the National Assembly of France

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This page lists Presidents of the French parliament (or, as the case may be, of its lower Chamber).

The National Constituent Assembly was created in 1789 out of the Estates-General. It, and the revolutionary legislative assemblies that followed – the Legislative Assembly (1791–1792) and the National Convention (1792–1795), had a quickly rotating Presidency. With the establishment of the Directory in 1795, there were two chambers of the French legislature. The lower, the Council of Five Hundred, also had a quickly rotating chairmanship. Under Napoleon I, the Legislative Corps had all authority to actually enact laws, but was essentially a rubberstamp body, lacking the power to debate legislation. With the restoration of the monarchy, a bicameral system was restored, with a Chamber of Peers and a Chamber of Deputies. The Chamber of Deputies, for the first time, had presidents elected for a substantial period of time.

With the revolution of 1848, the monarchical assemblies were dissolved and replaced again with a unicameral National Assembly, which Napoleon III replaced with a new version of his uncle's Legislative Corps. With the establishment of the Third Republic, the name of Chamber of Deputies was restored, and after 1876 was joined by a Senate as an upper house. The Chamber of Deputies was renamed the National Assembly in the constitution of the Fourth Republic, and is still known as that.

Contents

Presidents of the National Constituent Assembly, 1789–1791

President Began Ended
Jean-Sylvain Bailly 17 June 1789 3 July 1789
Louis Philippe Joseph, duc d'Orléans 3 July 1789 3 July 1789
Jean-Georges Lefranc de Pompignan 3 July 1789 18 July 1789
François Alexandre Frédéric, duc de La Rochefoucauld-Liancourt 18 July 1789 3 August 1789
Jacques Guillaume Thouret 3 August 1789 3 August 1789
Isaac René Guy le Chapelier 3 August 1789 17 August 1789
Stanislas, comte de Clermont-Tonnerre 17 August 1789 31 August 1789
César Guillaume de La Luzerne 31 August 1789 9 September 1789
Stanislas, comte de Clermont-Tonnerre 9 September 1789 28 September 1789
Jean-Joseph Mounier 28 September 1789 10 October 1789
Emmanuel Marie Michel Philippe Fréteau de Saint-Just 10 October 1789 28 October 1789
Armand Gaston Camus 28 October 1789 12 November 1789
Jacques Guillaume Thouret 12 November 1789 23 November 1789
Raymond de Boisgelin de Cucé 23 November 1789 5 December 1789
Emmanuel Marie Michel Philippe Fréteau de Saint-Just 5 December 1789 22 December 1789
Jean-Nicolas Démeunier 22 December 1789 4 January 1790
François Xavier de Montesquiou-Fezensac 4 January 1790 18 January 1790
Guy Jean Baptiste Target 18 January 1790 2 February 1790
Jean Xavier Bureaux de Puzy 2 February 1790 16 February 1790
Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord 16 February 1790 28 February 1790
François Xavier de Montesquiou-Fezensac 28 February 1790 15 March 1790
Jean-Paul Rabaut Saint-Étienne 15 March 1790 27 March 1790
Jean-François, baron de Menou 27 March 1790 12 April 1790
Charles François, marquis de Bonnay 12 April 1790 27 April 1790
François Henri, comte de Virieu 27 April 1790 29 April 1790
Jean-Louis Gouttes 29 April 1790 8 May 1790
Jacques Guillaume Thouret 8 May 1790 27 May 1790
Bon-Albert Briois de Beaumetz 27 May 1790 8 June 1790
Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès 8 June 1790 21 June 1790
Louis Michel le Peletier de Saint-Fargeau 21 June 1790 5 July 1790
Marquis de Bonnay 5 July 1790 20 July 1790
Jean-Baptiste Treilhard 20 July 1790 1 August 1790
D'André 1 August 1790 16 August 1790
Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours 16 August 1790 30 August 1790
Joseph-Henri baron de Jessé 30 August 1790 12 September 1790
Jean-Xavier Bureau de Pusy 12 September 1790 26 September 1790
Emmery 26 September 1790 9 October 1790
Philippe-Antoine Merlin 9 October 1790 25 October 1790
Antoine-Pierre-Joseph-Marie Barnave 25 October 1790 8 November 1790
Chasset 8 November 1790 21 November 1790
Alexandre-Théodore-Victor, comte de Lameth 21 November 1790 5 December 1790
Jérôme Pétion de Villeneuve 5 December 1790 22 December 1790
D'André 22 December 1790 4 January 1791
Emmery 4 January 1791 18 January 1791
Henri-Baptiste Grégoire 18 January 1791 30 January 1791
Honoré-Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau 30 January 1791 15 February 1791
Adrien-Jean-François Duport 15 February 1791 27 February 1791
Louis-Marie, vicomte de Noailles 27 February 1791 14 March 1791
Anne-Pierre, marquis de Montesquiou-Fézensac 14 March 1791 30 March 1791
Tronchet 30 March 1791 10 April 1791
Chabroud 10 April 1791 25 April 1791
Jean-François Reubell 25 April 1791 10 May 1791
D'André 10 May 1791 27 May 1791
Bureaux de Pusy 27 May 1791 6 June 1791
Dauchy 6 June 1791 19 June 1791
Alexandre-François-Marie, vicomte de Beauharnais 19 June 1791 3 July 1791
Charles-Malo-François, comte de Lameth 3 July 1791 19 July 1791
Joseph-Jacques Defermon 19 July 1791 31 July 1791
Alexandre-François-Marie, vicomte de Beauharnais 31 July 1791 14 August 1791
Charles-Louis-Victor, prince de Broglie 14 August 1791 28 August 1791
Théodore Vernier 28 August 1791 11 September 1791
Jacques-Guillaume Thouret 11 September 1791 30 September 1791

Presidents of the Legislative Assembly, 1791–1792

President Began Ended
Pastoret 3 October 1791
Cucastel 17 October 1791
Vergniaud 30 October 1791
Viennot-Vaublanc 15 November 1791
Lacepede 28 November 1791
Lemontey 10 December 1791
Francois de Neufchateau 26 December 1791
Daverhoult 8 January 1792
Elie Guadet 22 January 1792
Concordocet 7 February 1792
Dumas 19 February 1792
Guyton-Morveau 4 March 1792
Gensonne 19 March 1792
Dorizy 2 April 1792
Bigot de Preameneu 15 April 1792
Lacuee 29 April 1792
Muraire 13 May 1792
Tardiveau 27 May 1792
Francais de Nantes 10 June 1792
Girardin 24 June 1792
Aubert-Dubayet 8 July 1792
Laffon-Ladebat 22 July 1792
Merlet 7 August 1792
Jean François Delacroix 20 August 1792
Herault de Sechelles 2 September 1792
Cambon 16 September 1792

Presidents of the National Convention, 1792–1795

President Began Ended
Jérôme Pétion de Villeneuve 21 September 1792
Jean-François Delacroix 5 October 1792
Elie Guadet 18 October 1792
Hérault de Séchelles 1 November 1792
Henri Grégoire 15 November 1792
Bertrand Barère de Vieuzac 29 November 1792
Joseph Defermon des Chapelieres 15 December 1792
Jean-Baptiste Treilhard 27 December 1792

Presidents of the Council of Five Hundred, 1795–1799

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Presidents of the Legislative Corps, 1800–1814

President Began Ended
Jean-Baptiste Perrin des Vosges 1 January 1800 21 January 1800
Jean-Pierre Duval 21 January 1800 5 February 1800
Baptiste Gregoire 5 February 1800 20 February 1800
Jean-Baptiste Girot-Pouzol 20 February 1800 7 March 1800
Claude Pierre Dellay d'Agier 7 March 1800 22 March 1800
Isaac Tarteyron 22 March 1800 31 March 1800
Pierre Jacques Chatry-Lafosse 22 November 1800 7 December 1800
Alexis Pison du Galland 7 December 1800 22 December 1800
Antoine Bourg-Laprade 22 December 1800 6 January 1801
Jean-Jacques Bréard 6 January 1801 21 January 1801
Jean-Francois Rossée 21 January 1801 5 February 1801
Jacques Poisson de Coudreville 5 February 1801 20 February 1801
Jean-Baptiste Leclerc, dit Leclerc du Maine et Loire 20 February 1801 7 March 1801
Francois Joseph Lefebvre-Cayet 7 March 1801 21 March 1802
Charles Francois Dupuis 22 November 1801 7 December 1801
Jean Francois Baraillon 7 December 1801 22 December 1801
Pierre Louis Lefebvre-Laroche 22 December 1801 6 January 1802
Nicolas-Bernard Belzais-Courménil 6 January 1802 21 January 1802
Joseph Pematin 21 January 1802 5 February 1802
Denis Couzard 5 February 1802 20 February 1802
Louis Ramon de Carbonnières 20 February 1802 7 March 1802
Jaques Devismes 7 March 1802 22 March 1802
Jean-Francois-Joseph Marcorelle 5 April 1802 21 April 1802
Francois Lobjoy 21 April 1802 6 May 1802
Pierre-Antoine Rabaut-Dupuis 6 May 1802 20 May 1802
Francois Delattre 21 February 1803 7 March 1803
Jean-Francois Méric 7 March 1803 22 March 1803
Jean-Louis Girod de L'Ain 22 March 1803 6 April 1803
Marie-Félix Faulcon 6 April 1803 21 April 1803
Vincent-Marie Viénot-Vaublanc 21 April 1803 7 May 1803
Francois Lagrange 7 May 1803 21 May 1803
Jérôme Reynaud de Lascours 21 May 1803 29 May 1803
Louis de Fontanes 10 January 1804 24 January 1810
Élisabeth-Pierre de Montesquiou-Fezensac 24 January 1810 23 November 1813
Claude Ambroise Régnier 23 November 1813 4 June 1814

Presidents of the Chamber of Départements' Deputies, 1814–1815

President Began Ended
Joseph, Vicomte Lainé 11 June 1814 20 March 1815

Presidents of the Chamber of Representatives, 1815

President Began Ended
Jean-Denis, Comte Lanjuinais 4 June 1815 13 July 1815

Presidents of the Chamber of Deputies of the Departments, 1815–1830

President Began Ended
Joseph, Vicomte Lainé 12 October 1815 5 September 1816
Étienne, Duc Pasquier 12 November 1816 13 November 1817
Pierre François Hercule, Comte de Serre 13 November 1817 11 December 1818
Auguste Ravez 11 December 1818 5 November 1827
Pierre Paul Royer-Collard 25 February 1828 16 May 1830

Presidents of the Chamber of Deputies, 1830–1848

President Began Ended
Casimir Pierre Perier 6 August 1830 21 August 1830
Jacques Laffitte 21 August 1830 11 November 1830
Casimir Pierre Perier 11 November 1830 31 May 1831
Louis Gaspard Amédée, Baron Girod de l'Ain 1 August 1831 28 April 1832
André Marie Dupin 29 April 1832 2 February 1839
Hippolyte Passy 16 April 1839 12 May 1839
Paul Sauzet 24 December 1839 24 February 1848

Presidents of the National Constituent Assembly, 1848–1849

President Began Ended
Philippe Joseph Benjamin Buchez 5 May 1848 5 June 1848
Antoine Marie Jules Sénard 5 June 1848 29 June 1848
Alexandre Marie 29 June 1848 19 July 1848
Armand Marrast 19 July 1848 26 May 1849

Presidents of the National Legislative Assembly, 1849–1852

President Began Ended
André Marie Dupin 1 June 1849 2 December 1851

Presidents of the Legislative Corps, 1852–1870

Name Took office Left office Political Party Legislature
(Election)
1 Adolphe Billault 9 March 1852 12 November 1854 Bonapartist I
2 Charles, duc de Morny 12 November 1854 10 March 1865 Bonapartist I · II · III
3 Alexandre, comte Walewski 1 September 1865 29 March 1867 Bonapartist III
4 Eugène Schneider 2 April 1867 4 September 1870 Bonapartist III · IV

Presidents of the Chamber of Deputies, 1871–1940

Name Took office Left office Political Party
1 Jules Grévy 16 February 1871 2 April 1873 Left Republican
2 Louis Buffet 4 April 1873 15 March 1875 Conservative
(Moderate Monarchist)
3 Gaston Audiffret-Pasquier 15 March 1875 6 March 1876 Conservative
(Moderate Monarchist)
4 Jules Grévy
(provisional to 13 March 1876)		 8 March 1876 31 January 1879 Left Republican
5 Léon Gambetta 31 January 1879 3 November 1881 Opportunist Republican
6 Henri Brisson 3 November 1881 8 April 1885 Radical Republican
7 Charles Floquet 8 April 1885 4 April 1888 Radical Republican
8 Jules Méline 4 April 1888 16 November 1889 Left Republican
9 Charles Floquet 16 November 1889 16 January 1893 Radical Republican
10 Jean Casimir-Perier 16 January 1893 5 December 1895 Left Republican
11 Charles Dupuy 5 December 1893 2 June 1894 Left Republican
12 Jean Casimir-Perier 2 June 1894 5 July 1894 Left Republican
13 Auguste Burdeau 5 July 1894 12 December 1894 Left Republican
14 Henri Brisson 18 December 1894 9 June 1898 Radical Republican
15 Paul Deschanel 9 June 1898 10 June 1902 Democratic Republican Alliance
16 Léon Bourgeois 10 June 1902 12 January 1904 Radical Socialist Party
17 Henri Brisson 12 January 1904 10 January 1905 Radical Socialist Party
18 Paul Doumer 10 January 1905 8 June 1906 Radical Socialist Party
19 Henri Brisson 8 June 1906 23 May 1912 Radical Socialist Party
20 Paul Deschanel 23 May 1912 12 February 1920 Democratic Alliance
21 Raoul Péret 12 February 1920 9 June 1924 Democratic Alliance
22 Paul Painlevé 9 June 1924 22 April 1925 Republican-Socialist Party
23 Édouard Herriot 22 April 1925 22 July 1926 Radical Socialist Party
24 Raoul Péret 22 July 1926 11 January 1927 Democratic Alliance
25 Fernand Bouisson 11 January 1927 31 May 1936 Republican-Socialist Party
26 Édouard Herriot 4 June 1936 9 July 1940 Radical Socialist Party

Presidents of the Consultative Assembly (Free French), 1943–1945

Name Took office Left office Political Party Legislature
(Election)
1 Félix Gouin 9 November 1943 8 November 1945 SFIO Provisional

List of Presidents of the Constituent National Assembly, 1945–1946

Name Took office Left office Political Party Legislature
(Election)
1 Félix Gouin 8 November 1945 22 January 1946 SFIO I (1945)
2 Vincent Auriol 31 January 1946 27 November 1946 SFIO II (Jun.1946)

Fourth Republic: Presidents of the National Assembly, 1946–1958

Name Took office Left office Political Party Legislature
(Election)
1 Vincent Auriol 3 December 1946 21 January 1947 SFIO I (Nov.1946)
2 Édouard Herriot 21 January 1947 12 January 1954 Radical
II (1951)
3 André Le Troquer 12 January 1954 11 January 1955 SFIO
4 Pierre Schneiter 11 January 1955 24 January 1956 MRP
5 André Le Troquer 24 January 1956 9 December 1958 SFIO III (1956)

Fifth Republic: Presidents of the National Assembly, 1958–present

Name Took office Left office Political Party Legislature
(Election)
1 Jacques Chaban-Delmas 9 December 1958 25 June 1969 UNR I · II · III · IV
2 Achille Peretti 25 June 1969 2 April 1973 UDR IV (1968)
3 Edgar Faure 2 April 1973 3 April 1978 UDR V (1973)
4 Jacques Chaban-Delmas 3 April 1978 2 July 1981 RPR VI (1978)
5 Louis Mermaz 2 July 1981 2 April 1986 PS VII (1981)
6 Jacques Chaban-Delmas 2 April 1986 23 June 1988 RPR VIII (1986)
7 Laurent Fabius 23 June 1988 22 January 1992 PS IX (1988)
8 Henri Emmanuelli 22 January 1992 2 April 1993 PS
9 Philippe Séguin 2 April 1993 12 June 1997 RPR X (1993)
10 Laurent Fabius 12 June 1997 29 March 2000 PS XI (1997)
11 Raymond Forni 29 March 2000 25 June 2002 PS
12 Jean-Louis Debré 25 June 2002 2 March 2007 UMP XII (2002)
13 Patrick Ollier 7 March 2007 19 June 2007 UMP
14 Bernard Accoyer 26 June 2007 Incumbent UMP XIII (2007)

References