List of presidents of the National Assembly of France facts for kids

The French Parliament is like the main meeting place where elected officials in France make laws and important decisions for the country. Just like a school has a principal or a club has a president, the French Parliament and its different parts have leaders called "Presidents." These Presidents help guide the discussions and make sure everything runs smoothly.

Over time, France's government has changed a lot, especially after big events like the French Revolution. Because of these changes, the Parliament itself has had different names and structures. Sometimes it had one main group, and sometimes it had two groups, like a "lower house" and an "upper house." This article will tell you about the people who led these important groups throughout French history.

Presidents of the National Constituent Assembly (1789–1791)

During the early days of the French Revolution, the National Constituent Assembly was formed. Its Presidents changed very often, usually every couple of weeks. This was a time of great change and excitement in France!

Presidents of the Legislative Assembly (1791–1792)

The Legislative Assembly also had Presidents who served for short periods. This was the next government body after the National Constituent Assembly.

Presidents of the National Convention (1792–1795)

The National Convention was a very powerful assembly during the most intense period of the French Revolution. Many of its members were involved in important committees.

Bold means they served as President more than once.

CoPS was a small group that had a lot of power during the Reign of Terror.

CoGS was another powerful committee, focused on police and security.

Presidents of the Council of Five Hundred (1795–1799)

After the National Convention, France was led by the Directory. The Parliament was split into two parts, and the "lower house" was called the Council of Five Hundred. Its Presidents also changed frequently.

Presidents of the Legislative Corps (1800–1814)

Under Napoleon I, the Legislative Corps was the main law-making body. However, it didn't have much power to debate laws; it mostly just approved them.

President of the Chamber of Départements' Deputies (1814–1815)

After Napoleon, the monarchy was restored in France. The Parliament was again split into two chambers. This table shows the President of the Chamber of Deputies, which was the lower house.

President of the Chamber of Representatives (4 June – 13 July 1815)

During a brief period when Napoleon returned to power (known as the "Hundred Days"), a new Chamber of Representatives was formed.

Presidents of the Chamber of Deputies of the Departments (1815–1830)

After Napoleon's final defeat, the monarchy was fully restored. The Chamber of Deputies continued to be an important part of the French government, and its Presidents began to serve for longer periods.

Presidents of the Chamber of Deputies (1830–1848)

Another revolution in 1830 led to a new monarchy, but the Chamber of Deputies remained a key part of the government.

Presidents of the National Constituent Assembly (1848–1849)

The Revolution of 1848 ended the monarchy and brought back a single National Assembly.

President of the National Legislative Assembly (1849–1852)

This assembly followed the National Constituent Assembly after the 1848 revolution.

Presidents of the Legislative Corps (1852–1870)

When Napoleon III came to power, he brought back a version of his uncle's Legislative Corps, which had limited power.

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

Presidents of the Chamber of Deputies (1871–1940)

With the start of the Third Republic, the Chamber of Deputies became the main lower house of the French Parliament again.

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

President of the Consultative Assembly (1943–1945)

During World War II, a temporary Consultative Assembly was created to help guide France.

Portrait		Name	Took office	Left office	Political party	Legislature (election)
		Félix Gouin	9 November 1943	8 November 1945	SFIO	Provisional

Presidents of the Constituent National Assembly (1945–1946)

After World War II, France needed to write a new constitution. This assembly was formed to do that.

Portrait		Name	Took office	Left office	Political party	Legislature (election)
		Félix Gouin	8 November 1945	22 January 1946	SFIO	I (1945)
		Vincent Auriol	31 January 1946	27 November 1946	SFIO	II (Jun.1946)

Presidents of the National Assembly, Fourth Republic (1946–1958)

The Fourth Republic established the National Assembly as the main legislative body.

Portrait		Name	Department	Took office	Left office	Political party	Legislature (election)
		Vincent Auriol	Haute-Garonne	3 December 1946	21 January 1947	SFIO	I (Nov.1946)
		Édouard Herriot	Rhône	21 January 1947	12 January 1954	Radical
							II (1951)
		André Le Troquer (1st term)	Seine	12 January 1954	11 January 1955	SFIO
		Pierre Schneiter	Marne	11 January 1955	24 January 1956	MRP
		André Le Troquer (2nd term)	Seine	24 January 1956	9 December 1958	SFIO	III (1956)

Presidents of the National Assembly, Fifth Republic (1958–present)

The Fifth Republic began in 1958 and continues today. The National Assembly is still the lower house of the French Parliament.

Portrait		Name	Department	Took office	Left office	Political party	Legislature (election)
		Jacques Chaban-Delmas (1st term)	Gironde	9 December 1958	25 June 1969	UNR UDR	I (1958) · II (1962) · III (1967) · IV (1968)
		Achille Peretti	Hauts-de-Seine	25 June 1969	2 April 1973	UDR	IV (1968)
		Edgar Faure	Doubs	2 April 1973	3 April 1978	UDR RPR	V (1973)
		Jacques Chaban-Delmas (2nd term)	Gironde	3 April 1978	2 July 1981	RPR	VI (1978)
		Louis Mermaz	Isère	2 July 1981	2 April 1986	PS	VII (1981)
		Jacques Chaban-Delmas (3rd term)	Gironde	2 April 1986	23 June 1988	RPR	VIII (1986)
		Laurent Fabius (1st term)	Seine-Maritime	23 June 1988	22 January 1992	PS	IX (1988)
		Henri Emmanuelli	Landes	22 January 1992	2 April 1993	PS
		Philippe Séguin	Vosges	2 April 1993	12 June 1997	RPR	X (1993)
		Laurent Fabius (2nd term)	Seine-Maritime	12 June 1997	29 March 2000	PS	XI (1997)
		Raymond Forni	Territoire de Belfort	29 March 2000	25 June 2002	PS
		Jean-Louis Debré	Eure	25 June 2002	2 March 2007	UMP	XII (2002)
		Patrick Ollier	Hauts-de-Seine	7 March 2007	19 June 2007	UMP
		Bernard Accoyer	Haute-Savoie	26 June 2007	19 June 2012	UMP	XIII (2007)
		Claude Bartolone	Seine-Saint-Denis	26 June 2012	20 June 2017	PS	XIV (2012)
		François de Rugy	Loire-Atlantique	27 June 2017	4 September 2018	REM	XV (2017)
		Richard Ferrand	Finistère	12 September 2018	21 June 2022	REM
		Yaël Braun-Pivet	Yvelines	28 June 2022	Incumbent	REM	XVI (2022) · XVII (2024)