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Jules Méline
Méline, Jules, 1915, agence Meurisse, BNF Gallica.jpg
Méline in 1915
Prime Minister of France
In office
29 April 1896 – 28 June 1898
President Félix Faure
Preceded by Léon Bourgeois
Succeeded by Henri Brisson
President of the Chamber of Deputies
In office
4 April 1888 – 11 November 1889
Preceded by Charles Floquet
Succeeded by Charles Floquet
Personal details
Born 20 May 1838
Remiremont
Died 21 December 1925(1925-12-21) (aged 87)
Paris
Political party Progressive Republican
(1870–1903)
Republican Federation
(1903-1910s)

Félix Jules Méline (French pronunciation: [ʒyl melin]) was an important French politician. He was born on May 20, 1838, and passed away on December 21, 1925. Méline served as the Prime Minister of France from 1896 to 1898. He is best known for his work in protecting French industries and farms.

Who Was Jules Méline?

Jules Méline was born in a town called Remiremont in France. He studied law and became a lawyer. In 1872, he was chosen to be a deputy, which is like being a member of parliament. This was the start of his long career in French politics.

Early Political Roles

Méline quickly became known for his ideas. In 1879, he worked as an Under-Secretary for the Minister of the Interior for a short time. From 1883 to 1885, he served as the Minister for Agriculture. This role was very important to him.

In 1888 and 1889, Méline was the President of the Chamber of Deputies. This meant he was in charge of the main part of the French parliament.

Leading the Government

In 1896, Jules Méline became the Premier, which is another name for Prime Minister. He also continued to serve as the Minister for Agriculture. He held these important jobs until 1898.

During his time in government, Méline was a strong supporter of "protectionism." This means he wanted to protect French businesses and farmers from foreign competition. He believed that France should make its own goods and grow its own food. He wanted to make it harder for products from other countries to be sold cheaply in France.

The Méline Tariff

Méline played a big part in creating new laws to support French industries. One of the most famous laws was the "Méline tariff" of 1892. A tariff is a tax on goods that come into a country. This tariff made imported goods more expensive. This way, French products would be cheaper and more people would buy them. This helped French farmers and factories.

Méline's Writings

Besides his political work, Méline also wrote. He used to edit a newspaper called La République francaise. After he left public life, he wrote a book in 1905. The book was called Le Retour de la terre et Ia surproduction industrielle, tout en faveur de l'agriculture. It was about how important farming was and how too much industry could be a problem.

Méline's Time as Prime Minister

When Jules Méline was Prime Minister from April 29, 1896, to June 28, 1898, he led a team of ministers. These ministers helped him run the country. He himself was the Minister of Agriculture during this time.

His team included ministers for important areas like foreign affairs, war, finance, and justice. They worked together to make decisions for France.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Jules Méline para niños

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