“L’histoire ne se fait pas avec des si, mais avec des choix," quoted Pierre Mauroy, the 21st Prime Minister of France. This means history is not made with 'ifs,' but with choices.
In France, the prime minister is the head of the government and is in charge of directing government activities as well as ensuring that laws and policies are implemented.
Being the head of government, he/she oversees the implementation of laws passed by the French Parliament. They ensure that governmental policies are carried out effectively by the relevant ministries.
However, many French prime ministers have left an indelible mark on the country through their leadership and decision-making. This article will explore some of the most influential French prime ministers in history and analyse their legacies.
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List of Prime Ministers of France
Here's the list of the French prime ministers from the era of 1962 to the present day:
| Prime Minister (Lifespan) | Term of Office | Time in Office | Total Tenure | Associated Party | President (Term) |
| Michel Debré (1912–1996) | 8 January 1959 | 14 April 1962 | 3 years, 96 days | Union for the New Republic | Charles de Gaulle (1959–1969) |
| Georges Pompidou (1911–1974) | 14 April 1962 | 7 December 1962 | 6 years, 87 days | Union for the New Republic | Charles de Gaulle (1959–1969) |
| Maurice Couve de Murville (1907–1999) | 10 July 1968 | 20 June 1969 | 345 days | Union of Democrats for the Republic | Charles de Gaulle (1959–1969) |
| Jacques Chaban-Delmas (1915–2000) | 20 June 1969 | 5 July 1972 | 3 years, 15 days | Union of Democrats for the Republic | Georges Pompidou (1969–1974) |
| Pierre Messmer (1916–2007) | 5 July 1972 | 5 April 1973 | 1 year, 326 days | Union of Democrats for the Republic | Georges Pompidou (1969–1974) |
| Jacques Chirac (1932–2019) | 27 May 1974 | 25 August 1976 | 2 years, 90 days | Union of Democrats for the Republic | Valéry Giscard d'Estaing (1974–1981) |
| Raymond Barre (1924–2007) | 25 August 1976 | 30 March 1977 | 4 years, 269 days | Miscellaneous right (Union for French Democracy) | Valéry Giscard d'Estaing (1974–1981) |
| Pierre Mauroy (1928–2013) | 21 May 1981 | 23 June 1981 | 3 years, 57 days | Socialist Party | François Mitterrand (1981–1995) |
| Laurent Fabius (b. 1946) | 17 July 1984 | 20 March 1986 | 1 year, 246 days | Socialist Party | François Mitterrand (1981–1995) |
| Jacques Chirac (1932–2019) | 20 March 1986 | 10 May 1988 | 2 years, 51 days | Rally for the Republic | François Mitterrand (1981–1995) |
| Michel Rocard (1930–2016) | 10 May 1988 | 28 June 1988 | 3 years, 5 days | Socialist Party | François Mitterrand (1981–1995) |
| Édith Cresson (b. 1934) | 15 May 1991 | 2 April 1992 | 323 days | Socialist Party | François Mitterrand (1981–1995) |
| Pierre Bérégovoy (1925–1993) | 2 April 1992 | 29 March 1993 | 361 days | Socialist Party | François Mitterrand (1981–1995) |
| Édouard Balladur (b. 1929) | 29 March 1993 | 17 May 1995 | 2 years, 49 days | Rally for the Republic | François Mitterrand (1981–1995) |
| Alain Juppé (b. 1945) | 17 May 1995 | 7 November 1995 | 2 years, 16 days | Rally for the Republic | Jacques Chirac (1995–2007) |
| Lionel Jospin (b. 1937) | 2 June 1997 | 6 May 2002 | 4 years, 338 days | Socialist Party | Jacques Chirac (1995–2007) |
| Jean-Pierre Raffarin (b. 1948) | 6 May 2002 | 17 June 2002 | 3 years, 25 days | Liberal Democracy, later Union for a Popular Movement | Jacques Chirac (1995–2007) |
| Dominique de Villepin (b. 1953) | 31 May 2005 | 17 May 2007 | 1 year, 351 days | Union for a Popular Movement | Jacques Chirac (1995–2007) |
| François Fillon (b. 1954) | 17 May 2007 | 19 June 2007 | 4 years, 364 days | Union for a Popular Movement | Nicolas Sarkozy (2007–2012) |
| Jean-Marc Ayrault (b. 1950) | 15 May 2012 | 21 June 2012 | 1 year, 320 days | Socialist Party | François Hollande (2012–2017) |
| Manuel Valls (b. 1962) | 31 March 2014 | 26 August 2014 | 2 years, 250 days | Socialist Party | François Hollande (2012–2017) |
| Bernard Cazeneuve (b. 1963) | 6 December 2016 | 15 May 2017 | 160 days | Socialist Party | François Hollande (2012–2017) |
| Édouard Philippe (b. 1970) | 15 May 2017 | 21 June 2017 | 3 years, 49 days | The Republicans, later Independent | Emmanuel Macron (2017–) |
| Jean Castex (b. 1965) | 3 July 2020 | 16 May 2022 | 1 year, 317 days | Independent | Emmanuel Macron (2017–) |
| Élisabeth Borne (b. 1961) | 16 May 2022 | 4 July 2022 | 1 year, 238 days | Renaissance | Emmanuel Macron (2017–) |
| Gabriel Attal (b. 1989) | 9 January 2024 | 5 September 2024 | 240 days | Renaissance | Emmanuel Macron (2017–) |
| Michel Barnier (b. 1951) | 5 September 2024 | Present | 4 days | The Republicans | Emmanuel Macron (2017–) |
The Current Prime Minister of France
Michel Barnier, a seasoned French politician, has been appointed as the new Prime Minister of France in September 2024. Born in 1951 in La Tronche, Barnier graduated from the prestigious ESCP Business School in Paris in 1972.
He began his political career at a young age as a Gaullist activist and was elected to the National Assembly in 1978, becoming the youngest deputy at the time.
Over the years, Barnier has held various high-profile positions, including Minister of the Environment, Minister for European Affairs, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Minister of Agriculture.
He also served as a European Commissioner for Regional Policy and Internal Market and Services. Most notably, Barnier gained international recognition as the European Union's chief negotiator for Brexit from 2016 to 2021.
Despite an unsuccessful bid for the French presidency in 2022, Barnier's extensive experience in domestic and European politics, combined with his pro-European stance and neoliberal economic views, have made him a suitable choice for the premiership.
As Prime Minister, Barnier is expected to continue his advocacy for stricter immigration controls, expanded prison capacity, and mandatory minimum sentences for certain crimes.
Also Read: List of Presidents of France (1848 - 2024)
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