List of presidents of the Senate of France facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids President of the French Senate
Logo of the French Senate
Incumbent Gérard Larcher since 1 October 2014
Senate of France
Member of	French Parliament
Residence	Petit Luxembourg
Term length	3 years, renewable
Formation	28 October 1795
First holder	Claude-Antoine Rudel
Succession	1st

This article is about the leaders of the French Senate. The Senate is like the "upper house" of the French Parliament. Think of it as one of the two main groups that make laws in France. The person who leads the Senate is called its President.

France has had different types of "upper houses" throughout its history. For example, during the time of the Directory (1795-1799), there was a group called the Council of Ancients. Later, during the Restoration (1814), a new group called the Chamber of Peers was created. This was similar to the British House of Lords. Over time, the way members were chosen changed, from being born into it to being appointed for life.

After a period with only one main law-making group, the Senate was brought back in 1852 during the Second Empire. Even though its name changed to the Council of the Republic during the Fourth Republic, its job stayed mostly the same. Finally, with France's current constitution in 1959, the name "Senate" was used again.

What the President of the Senate Does
Presidents of the Senate in the Fifth Republic
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What the President of the Senate Does

The President of the Senate has a very important job. They lead the discussions and work of the Senate. But that's not all! The French Constitution also says that if the President of France cannot do their job (for example, if they resign or pass away), the President of the Senate steps in as the temporary President. They act as President until a new election can be held.

This has happened twice in French history. Alain Poher, who was the President of the French Senate, became the temporary President of France two times. The first time was in 1969, after President Charles de Gaulle resigned. He served until a new President, Georges Pompidou, was elected. The second time was in 1974, after President Pompidou passed away. Alain Poher served again until Valéry Giscard d'Estaing was elected.

Presidents of the Senate in the Fifth Republic

Here is a list of the people who have served as President of the Senate since the current French government system, the Fifth Republic, began in 1958.

Political party
Radical CD; CDS; FD RPR; UMP; LR PS

Name	Took office	Left office	Political party
Gaston Monnerville	9 December 1958	2 October 1968	Radical
Alain Poher	3 October 1968	1 October 1992	CD (until 1976) CDS (from 1976; within the UDF from 1978)
René Monory	2 October 1992	1 October 1998	CDS (until 1995) FD (from 1995; within the UDF)
Christian Poncelet	2 October 1998	30 September 2008	RPR (until 2002) UMP (from 2002)
Gérard Larcher	1 October 2008	30 September 2011	UMP
Jean-Pierre Bel	1 October 2011	30 September 2014	PS
Gérard Larcher	1 October 2014	Incumbent	UMP (until 2015) LR (since 2015)