Pierre-Étienne Flandin (; 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 The prime minister of France (), officially the prime minister of the French Republic (''Premier ministre de la République française''), is the head of government of the French Republic and the leader of its Council of Ministers. The prime ...

from 1934 to 1935. A military pilot during World War I, Flandin held a number of cabinet posts during the interwar period. He was Minister of Commerce, under the premiership of Frédéric François-Marsal, for just five days in 1924. He was Minister of Commerce and Industry in the premierships of André Tardieu in 1931 and 1932. Between those posts, he served under

Pierre Laval Pierre Jean Marie Laval (; 28 June 1883 – 15 October 1945) was a French politician. He served as Prime Minister of France three times: 1931–1932 and 1935–1936 during the Third Republic (France), Third Republic, and 1942–1944 during Vich ...

as Finance Minister. In 1934 (6 February to 8 November), he was Minister of Public Works in the second cabinet of

Gaston Doumergue Pierre Paul Henri Gaston Doumergue (; 1 August 1863 in Aigues-Vives, Gard18 June 1937 in Aigues-Vives) was a French politician who served as President of France from 1924 to 1931. Tasked with important ministerial portfolios, he was first appo ...

. He became Prime Minister in November 1934, but his premiership lasted only until June 1935. However, a number of important pacts were negotiated during his term: the

Franco-Italian Agreement of 1935 The Franco-Italian Agreements (often called ''Mussolini-Laval Accord'') were signed in Rome by both French Foreign Minister Pierre Laval and Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini on 7 January 1935. History After its victory in World War I, ...

, the Stresa Front and the Franco-Soviet Pact. Flandin was, at 45, the youngest prime minister in French history. Flandin was the French Foreign Minister when

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...

ordered the

Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the German Army (1935–1945), ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmac ...

to reoccupy the Rhineland on 7 March 1936. He attempted to organize a strong response but was unable to without British support. Supporting appeasement during the Munich crisis hurt his career. On 13 December 1940, Vichy Chief of State

Philippe Pétain Henri Philippe Bénoni Omer Joseph Pétain (; 24 April 1856 – 23 July 1951), better known as Marshal Pétain (, ), was a French marshal who commanded the French Army in World War I and later became the head of the Collaboration with Nazi Ger ...

appointed Flandin Foreign Minister and

Deputy Prime Minister A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some countries, a Minister (government), government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to th ...

, replacing

. He occupied that position for only two months. He was ousted by François Darlan in January 1941. After the Liberation of France, Flandin was put on trial for

treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state (polity), state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to Coup d'état, overthrow its government, spy ...

but the high court

acquitted In common law jurisdictions, an acquittal means that the criminal prosecution has failed to prove that the accused is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of the charge presented. It certifies that the accused is free from the charge of an o ...

him. He was instead sentenced to 5 years in prison for “national unworthiness”, however his sentence was remitted due to his help of the resistance during the war. A street in Avallon was named in his honour. In May 2017, it was renamed in honour of the murdered British MP, Jo Cox.

Flandin's ministry, 8 November 1934 – 1 June 1935

* Pierre Étienne Flandin – President of the Council * Georges Pernot – Vice President of the Council and Minister of Justice *

– Minister of Foreign Affairs *

Louis Maurin Louis Félix Thomas Maurin (; 5 January 1869 – 6 June 1956) was a French army general who was twice Minister of the Armed Forces (France), Minister of War in the 1930s. Before and during World War I (1914–18) he was a strong advocate of motor ...

– Minister of War * Marcel Régnier – Minister of the Interior * Louis Germain-Martin – Minister of Finance * Paul Jacquier – Minister of Labour * François Piétri – Minister of Military Marine * William Bertrand – Minister of Merchant Marine * Victor Denain – Minister of Air * André Mallarmé – Minister of National Education * Georges Rivollet – Minister of Pensions * Émile Casset – Minister of Agriculture * Louis Rollin – Minister of Colonies * Henri Roy – Minister of Public Works * Henri Queuille – Minister of Public Health and Physical Education * Georges Mandel – Minister of Posts, Telegraphs, and Telephones * Paul Marchandeau – Minister of Commerce and Industry * Édouard Herriot – Minister of State * Louis Marin – Minister of State

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Flandin, Pierre Etienne 1889 births 1958 deaths Politicians from Paris Democratic Republican Alliance politicians Prime ministers of France Ministers of transport of France Ministers of commerce and industry of France Ministers of posts, telegraphs, and telephones of France Finance ministers of France Members of the 11th Chamber of Deputies of the French Third Republic Members of the 12th Chamber of Deputies of the French Third Republic Members of the 13th Chamber of Deputies of the French Third Republic Members of the 14th Chamber of Deputies of the French Third Republic Members of the 15th Chamber of Deputies of the French Third Republic Members of the 16th Chamber of Deputies of the French Third Republic French anti-communists French residents-general in Tunisia People of Vichy France French military personnel of World War I