Jacques Chaban-Delmas
 | This article includes a improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (July 2016) ) |
Jacques Chaban-Delmas | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Prime Minister of France | |
| In office 20 June 1969 – 5 July 1972 | |
| President | Georges Pompidou |
| Preceded by | Maurice Couve de Murville |
| Succeeded by | Pierre Messmer |
| President of the National Assembly | |
| In office 2 April 1986 – 23 June 1988 | |
| Preceded by | Louis Mermaz |
| Succeeded by | Laurent Fabius |
| In office 3 April 1978 – 2 July 1981 | |
| Preceded by | Edgar Faure |
| Succeeded by | Louis Mermaz |
| In office 9 December 1959 – 24 June 1969 | |
| Preceded by | André Le Troquer |
| Succeeded by | Achille Peretti |
| Mayor of Bordeaux | |
| In office 19 October 1947 – 19 June 1995 | |
| Preceded by | Jean-Fernand Audeguil |
| Succeeded by | Alain Juppé |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jacques Michel Pierre Delmas 7 March 1915 |
| Alma mater | Sciences Po |
| Occupation | Civil Servant |
Jacques Chaban-Delmas (French pronunciation:
Biography
Jacques Chaban-Delmas was born Jacques Michel Pierre Delmas in Paris. He studied at the
A member of the
In 1953, when the RPF group split (and
Following Gen. de Gaulle's return to power in 1958, Chaban-Delmas agreed to the advent of the
In 1969, when Georges Pompidou acceded to the presidency, he chose Chaban-Delmas, who had concluded that the May 68 crisis was the consequence of a strained and conflicted society, as prime minister. Chaban-Delmas tried to promote what he called "a new society", based on dialogue between the different social forces in French society. Amongst other reforms, government authority over the mass media was relaxed, while legislation was passed on social welfare coverage for the poor and elderly which consolidated France's profile as a welfare state. In addition, regular increases were made to the minimum wage which prevented greater wage disparities. A new legal aid scheme was introduced, along with a number of new social welfare benefits.
As a result of his social policies, Chaban-Delmas was viewed as too "
Two years later, following the death in office of President Pompidou, Chaban-Delmas ran for the presidency himself. He was supported by the "lords of gaullism", but 43 personalities close to the late president, led by Jacques Chirac, published the Call of the 43 in favour of the candidacy of Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. Chaban-Delmas was defeated on the first ballot of the 1974 presidential election, winning only 15.10% of the vote. Chirac became President Giscard d'Estaing's prime minister.
Chaban-Delmas stood in the Gaullist Party (RPR) and, in spite of Chirac's leadership, returned to the chair of the National Assembly (1978–1981). Due to his friendship with President Mitterrand, his name was mentioned as a possible prime minister during the first "cohabitation" (1986–1988), but he instead became president of the National Assembly for the third time and Chirac again became premier.
Chaban-Delmas retired in 1997, towards the end of his thirteenth term of member of the National Assembly and two years after the end of his eighth term as Mayor of Bordeaux.
Political career
Governmental functions
Prime minister: 1969–1972
Minister of Public Works, Transport, and Tourism: June–August 1954 / 1954–1955
Minister of Housing and Reconstruction: September–November 1954
Minister of State: 1956–1957
Minister of Defence and Armed Forces: 1957–1958
Electoral mandates
National Assembly of France
President of the National Assembly: 1958–1969 / 1978–1981 / 1986–1988
Member of the National Assembly for the Gironde 2nd : 1946–1969 (Became Prime minister in 1969) / 1972–1997. Elected in June 1946, reelected in November 1946, 1951, 1956, 1958, 1962, 1967, 1968, 1973, 1978, 1981, 1988, 1993.
Regional Council
President of the Regional Council of Aquitaine : 1974–1979 / 1985–1988 (Resignation). Elected in 1986.
Regional councillor of Aquitaine : 1974–1979 / 1985–1988 (Resignation). Elected in 1986.
Mayor of Bordeaux : 1947–1995. Reelected in 1953, 1959, 1965, 1971, 1977, 1983, 1989.
Municipal councillor of Bordeaux : 1947–1995. Reelected in 1953, 1959, 1965, 1971, 1977, 1983, 1989.
Urban Community Council
President of the
Vice-president of the
Chaban-Delmas Cabinet
- Minister of Foreign Affairs – Maurice Schumann
- ... National Defence – Michel Debré
- ... the Interior – Raymond Marcellin
- ... Economy and Finance – Valéry Giscard d'Estaing
- ... Industrial and Scientific Development – François-Xavier Ortoli
- ... Labour, Employment, and Population – Joseph Fontanet
- ... Justice – René Pleven
- ... National Education – Olivier Guichard
- ... Veterans and War Victims – Henri Duvillard
- ... Cultural Affairs – Edmond Michelet
- ... Agriculture – Jacques Duhamel
- ... Housing and Equipment – Albin Chalandon
- ... Transport – Raymond Mondon
- ... Relations with Parliament – Roger Frey
- ... Public Health and Social Security – Robert Boulin
- ... Posts and Telecommunications – Robert Galley
Changes
- 19 October 1970 – André Bettencourt succeeds Michelet (d. 9 October 1970) as interim Minister of Cultural Affairs
- 7 January 1971 – Jacques Duhamel succeeds Bettencourt as Minister of Cultural Affairs. Michel Cointat succeeds Duhamel as Minister of Agriculture. Jean Chamant succeeds Mondon (d. 31 December 1970) as Minister of Transport. Roger Frey becomes Minister of Administrative Reforms and is not replaced as Minister of Relations with Parliament.
- 25 February 1971 – Overseas Departments and Territories.
References
- ^ a b Peter Morris (13 November 2000). "Jacques Chaban-Delmas". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
- Social category, France, Commanding Heights, PBS official website
Further reading
- Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre, Is Paris Burning?, New York: Pocket Books, 1965.
