Pierre-Étienne Flandin | |
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74th Prime Minister of France | |
In office 8 November 1934 – 1 June 1935 |
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Preceded by | Gaston Doumergue |
Succeeded by | Fernand Bouisson |
80th Prime Minister of France (as President of the Council) Head of State and nominal Head of Government : Philippe Pétain |
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In office 13 December 1940 – 9 February 1941 |
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Preceded by | Pierre Laval |
Succeeded by | François Darlan |
Personal details | |
Born | 12 April 1889 Paris, France |
Died | 13 June 1958 Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, France |
(aged 69)
Political party | Democratic Republican Alliance |
Pierre Étienne Flandin (French pronunciation: [pjɛʁ etjɛn flɑ̃dɛ̃]; 12 April 1889 – 13 June 1958) was a French conservative politician of the Third Republic, leader of the Democratic Republican Alliance (ARD), and Prime Minister of France from 8 November 1934 to 31 May 1935.
He held a number of cabinet posts during the inter-war years. Under the premiership of Frédéric François-Marsal, he was, for just five days in 1924, Minister of Commerce. During the premierships of André Tardieu, he was Minister of Commerce and Industry during 1931 and 1932. Between these posts he served under Pierre Laval as Finance Minister. In the cabinet of Gaston Doumergue in 1934, he was Minister of Public Works; in November of the same year, he became Prime Minister – a position that lasted only until June 1935. However, during his term as Premier a number of important pacts were negotiated – the Franco–Italian Agreement, the Stresa Front and the Franco-soviet pact.
He was the French Foreign Minister when Adolf Hitler reoccupied the Rhineland in 1936.
In December 1940, Vichy Chief of State Philippe Pétain appointed him Foreign Minister and Prime Minister on 13 December 1940 in replacement of Pierre Laval. He occupied this position for only two months. He was ousted by François Darlan in January 1941.