Les Presidents!

CHARLES DE GUALLE

“Military HERO!”

Born 1890, Lille of Northern France

Elected 1959-1969

Career highlights:

Founded the Free French Forces in World War II, an underground military force during the Nazi occupation, then serving as a provisional president after the war

His support of the May 1958 Algerian crisis got him elected

Wrote a new constitution freeing Algeria and founding the French Fifth Republic

Oui, c'est vrai: He was president during May 68 and said

"La réforme oui, la chienlit non", "Reform yes, masquerade no," consequently resigning in 1969.

GEORGES POMPIDOU

“C’est La Nouvelle France”

Born Montbounif, central France, 1911

Elected 1969-1974 (died in office)

Career highlights:

Best known as De Gualle’s Prime Minister, longest serving Prime Minister

Became president as a consequence of De Gualle’s resignation

Supported the May 1968 efforts

Supported the UK as a European Union member

Responsible for “modern” Paris, such as the Beaubourg Museum (now Centre Pompidou), Les Halles and the Montparnasse Tower

Oui, c'est vrai: Appears to have been scandal free (or very good at privacy, being that he passed the Article 9 privacy law in 1970)

VALERY GISCARD D'ESTAING

"Descendent of the King"

Born 1926 in Koblenz, Germany

His mother was a great great great illegitimate granddaughter of King Louis XV and his mistress.

Elected 1974-1981

Career highlights:

Best known for his liberal support of divorce and abortion and supporting the TGV.

He initiated the Group Six, now the G-20.

Oui, c'est vrai: He was not re-elected and following his presidency was criticized for purchasing an estate his family lost when beheaded during the revolution.

FRANÇOIS MITTERRAND

“The Sole Socialist”

Born 1916, Angoulême Southwestern France

Elected 1982-1995

Career Highlights:

Longest running and oldest president

German Prisoner of War in WWII

Only Socialist president of France

Restructured the parliament to be Socialist

Abolished the death penalty

Liberalized the media by first creating the CSA, then allowing private broadcast (Canal +) and legalizing pirate radio

Secured the Chunnel and the creation of La Defense

Oui, c'est vrai: When elected he was diagnosed with cancer but he kept his cancer out of the media by publishing false health reports. In 1993, Liberation revealed the Mitterrand had his headquarters under wiretap to prevent leaks of information,

including his affair and illegitimate daughter

JACQUES CHIRAC

“The Parisian Giuliani”

Born 1932, Paris

Elected 1995-2007

Career highlights:

First a liberal then a right wing

Began as a Socialist working for L’Humanite

Negotiated the May 1968 truce

Mayor of Paris from 1977-95

He advocated the values of the wealthy with lower taxes, lower crime, more privatization of the commerce

Oui, c'est vrai: First served as prime minister in 1974 and negotiated a deal with Irag in 1975, a trade of nuclear testing equipment for oil privileges

NICOLAS SARKOZY

“Carla Bruni’s Husband”

Born 1955 France

Elected 2007-

Career highlights:

Trained under Chirac

Mayor of Neuilly-sur-Seine, France’s wealthiest neighborhood from 1982-2003

Emphasizes improved work ethic

Emphasizes improved foreign relations, mainly the UK and USA

Close relationship with Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH

Oui, c'est vrai: Three marriages and numerous press scandals and press lawsuits, married to model and singer Bruni