A senator for life (french: sénateur inamovible) was an honorary position in the French Third Republic, similar to that of

senator for life A senator for life is a member of the senate or equivalent upper chamber of a legislature who has life tenure. , six Italian senators out of 206, two out of the 41 Burundian senators, one Congolese senator out of 109, and all members of the Bri ...

in other countries. At one time the French Senate was composed of 300 members, of whom 75 were ''inamovible'' ("unremovable").

History

Under the law of 24 February 1875 on the organization of the Senate, there were 300 members of whom 225 were elected by the departments and colonies, and 75 were elected by the National Assembly. The 75 were elected by list and by an absolute majority of votes, and were irremovable, like the members of the Chamber of Peers under the

Bourbon Restoration Bourbon Restoration may refer to: France under the House of Bourbon: * Bourbon Restoration in France (1814, after the French revolution and Napoleonic era, until 1830; interrupted by the Hundred Days in 1815) Spain under the Spanish Bourbons: * ...

and the July Monarchy. If a senator for life died or resigned, the Senate would elect a replacement within two months. By the law of 10 December 1884 appointment of immovable senators ceased and the immovable senators gradually disappeared.

Émile Deshayes de Marcère Émile-Louis-Gustave Deshayes de Marcère (16 March 1828 – 26 April 1918) was a French politician. Marcère was a deputy in the National Assembly from 1871 to 1884. In 1876 and 1878, he was Minister of the Interior, continuing in post for a fe ...

, the last surviving ''sénateur inamovible'', died in 1918. Overall there were 116 lifetime senators. The first 75 had been appointed by the National Assembly and the remaining 41 by the Senate itself. Notable immovable senators included

Gaston Audiffret-Pasquier Edme-Armand-Gaston, duc d'Audiffret-Pasquier (21 October 1823, in Paris4 June 1905), known as Gaston Audiffret-Pasquier, was a French politician and member of the Académie française, Seat 16. He was preceded in his position by Félix Dupanloup a ...

, first president of the Senate; the scientist Marcellin Berthelot, who became minister of public education and then minister of foreign affairs; Monseigneur Dupanloup; Jules Grévy, elected President of the Republic in 1879;

Louis Martel Louis may refer to: * Louis (coin) * Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name * Louis (surname) * Louis (singer), Serbian singer * HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy See also Derived or associated terms * Lewis (d ...

, elected President of the Senate in 1879; Elie Le Royer, elected President of the Senate in 1882; Auguste Scheurer-Kestner, the defender of

Alfred Dreyfus Alfred Dreyfus ( , also , ; 9 October 1859 – 12 July 1935) was a French artillery officer of Jewish ancestry whose trial and conviction in 1894 on charges of treason became one of the most polarizing political dramas in modern French history. ...

; the abolitionist Victor Schœlcher and the statesman Henri-Alexandre Wallon. In 2005, there was questioning about the status of former Presidents of the Republic. According to the constitution of the Fifth Republic, former presidents are ''de jure'' members of the

Constitutional Council Constitutional Council might refer to: * Constitutional Council (Chad) * Constitutional Council (France) * Constitutional Council (Ivory Coast) * Constitutional Council (Sri Lanka) * Constitutional Council (Cambodia) * Constitutional Council (Kaz ...

, which poses a problem of possible partiality. Some members of Parliament and commentators suggested that it should be replaced by a life membership in the

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

. This proposal was, however, not enacted.

List of life senators

The senators for life were: * Antoine Adam * Édouard Allou *

* Louis d'Aurelle de Paladines * Camille Bachasson de Montalivet * Numa Baragnon * Agénor Bardoux * Ferdinand Barrot * Jules Barthélemy-Saint-Hilaire * Jean Didier Baze *

René Bérenger René Bérenger, born in Bourg-lès-Valence (Drôme) on 22 April 1830 and died Alincourt (Ardennes) on 29 August 1915, was a French lawyer, judge, and politician. Life He was the son of Alphonse-Marie-Marcellin-Thomas Bérenger, and followed his ...

* Alfred Bertauld * Marcellin Berthelot *

Jean-Baptiste Billot Jean-Baptiste Billot (15 August 1828, Chaumeil, Corrèze – 31 May 1907, Paris) was a French general and politician. Life Jean-Baptiste Billot entered the École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr in 1847, and on leaving it in 1849 joined the st ...

* Paul Broca *

Lucien Brun Lucien Henri Louis Brun (2 June 1822 – 28 November 1898) was a French politician. Brun was born in Gex, Ain, on 2 June 1822. After graduating from the Faculty of Law of Paris, Brun practiced law in Lyon until his 1871 election to the National Ass ...

Louis Buffet Louis Joseph Buffet (; 26 October 1818 – 7 July 1898) was a French statesman. He was born at Mirecourt, Vosges. After the revolution of February 1848 he was elected deputy for the department of the Vosges, and in the Assembly sat on the right ...

* Marc-Antoine Calmon *

Jean-Baptiste Campenon General Jean Baptiste Marie Edouard Campenon (5 May 1819 in Tonnerre, Yonne, Tonnerre – 16 March 1891 in Neuilly-sur-Seine) was a French general and politician. Life He studied at the École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr, graduating on 1 ...

* Joseph de Carayon Latour * Hippolyte Carnot *

Auguste Casimir-Perier Auguste Victor Laurent Casimir-Perier (20 August 1811, Paris – 6 June 1876) was a French diplomat and political leader. He was the son of Prime Minister of France , Prime Minister Casimir Pierre Perier and the father of President of France, Pr ...

Jules Cazot Jules-Théodore-Joseph Cazot (11 February 1821 – 27 November 1912) was a French politician of the French Third Republic. He was a member of the National Assembly (1871), National Assembly of 1871. He was a Senators for life in France, senator fo ...

* François de Chabaud-Latour *

Bertrand de Chabron Bertrand may refer to: Places * Bertrand, Missouri, US * Bertrand, Nebraska, US * Bertrand, New Brunswick, Canada * Bertrand Township, Michigan, US * Bertrand, Michigan * Bertrand, Virginia, US * Bertrand Creek, state of Washington * Saint-B ...

* Paul de Chadois * Nicolas Anne Théodule Changarnier *

Antoine Chanzy Antoine Eugène Alfred Chanzy (18 March 18234 January 1883) was a French general, notable for his successes during the Franco-Prussian War and as a governor of Algeria. Biography Born in Nouart in the department of Ardennes, France, the son of ...

* Joseph de Chareton * Charles Chesnelong * Jean-Jules Clamargeran *

Joseph d'Haussonville Joseph Othenin Bernard de Cléron, comte d'Haussonville (27 May 1809 – 28 May 1884), was a French politician and historian. He was born in Paris. His grandfather had been ''grand louvetier'' of France; his father was Charles Louis Bernard de Cl ...

* Anthime Corbon * Alphonse Cordier *

Hyacinthe Corne Hyacinthe is a given name. It is generally a male name. The form Hyacinth (given name), Hyacinth may be masculine or feminine. People with this name * Hyacinthe (actor) (1814–1887), French actor and operetta singer * Hyacinthe Besson (1816–18 ...

* Hippolyte de Cornulier-Lucinière * Ernest Courtot de Cissey * Adolphe Crémieux * Ernest Denormandie * Émile Deschanel *

* Henry Didier * Charles Dietz-Monnin * Guillaume-Ferdinand de Douhet *

Eugène Duclerc Eugene is a common male given name that comes from the Greek language, Greek εὐγενής (''eugenēs''), "noble", literally "well-born", from εὖ (''eu''), "well" and γένος (''genos''), "race, stock, kin".Jules Armand Dufaure * Jean-Baptiste Dumon * Félix Dupanloup * Henri Dupuy de Lôme *

Jean-Joseph Farre Jean-Joseph Frédéric Albert Farre (15 May 1816, in Valence – 24 March 1887, in Paris)

* Paul Foubert * Émile Fourcand *

Martin Fourichon Martin may refer to: Places * Martin City (disambiguation) * Martin County (disambiguation) * Martin Township (disambiguation) Antarctica * Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land * Port Martin, Adelie Land * Point Martin, South Orkney Islands Austral ...

* Charles Frébault * Louis Gaulthier de Rumilly * Eugène Goüin *

Théodore Grandperret Michel Etienne Anthelme Théodore Grandperret (26 January 1818 – 6 January 1890) was a French lawyer and politician. He was a staunch Bonapartist. He served briefly as Minister of Justice and Religious Affairs during the last weeks on the Seco ...

Henri Greffulhe Henri Greffulhe (29 July 1815 – 8 April 1879) was a French politician. He was made a Senator for life A senator for life is a member of the senate or equivalent upper chamber of a legislature who has life tenure. , six Italian senators out o ...

Henri François Xavier Gresley Henri François Xavier Gresley (9 February 1819, Wassy – 2 May 1890, Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2 ...

Albert Grévy Jules Philippe Louis Albert Grévy (23 August 1823 – 10 July 1899) was a French lawyer and politician. He represented Doubs in the National Assembly and then the Chamber of Deputies from 1871 to 1880. He was Governor-General of Algeria from 1879 ...

* Léonce Guilhaud de Lavergne *

Gustave Humbert Gustav, Gustaf or Gustave may refer to: *Gustav (name), a male given name of Old Swedish origin Art, entertainment, and media * ''Primeval'' (film), a 2007 American horror film * ''Gustav'' (film series), a Hungarian series of animated short cart ...

Bernard Jauréguiberry Jean Bernard Jauréguiberry (; 26 August 1815 – 21 October 1887) was a French admiral and statesman. Early life A native of Bayonne, Jauréguiberry entered the French Navy in 1831. He became a lieutenant in 1845, a commander in 1856, and a capt ...

* Benjamin Jaurès * Charles Kolb-Bernard * Sébastien Krantz * Léon Lalanne *

Pierre Lanfrey Pierre Lanfrey (26 October 1828 – 15 November 1877) was a French historian and politician. Life He was born at Chambéry (Savoie). His father had been one of Napoleon's officers. The son studied philosophy and history in Paris and wrote histor ...

Roger de Larcy Roger is a given name, usually masculine, and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names ' and '. These names are of Germanic origin, derived from the elements ', ''χrōþi'' ("fame", "renown", "honour") and ', ' ...

* Jules de Lasteyrie du Saillant *

Léon Laurent-Pichat Leon, Léon (French) or León (Spanish) may refer to: Places Europe * León, Spain, capital city of the Province of León * Province of León, Spain * Kingdom of León, an independent state in the Iberian Peninsula from 910 to 1230 and again fro ...

* Édouard René de Laboulaye * Oscar de La Fayette *

Victor Lefranc Bernard Edme Victor Etienne Lefranc (3 February 1809 – 12 September 1883), French lawyer and politician, moderate republican, was under the French Third Republic Minister of Agriculture and Trade, then Interior Minister. Life Victor Lefranc wa ...

John Lemoinne John-Marguerite-Émile Lemoinne (17 October 1815 – 14 December 1892) was a French journalist. Personal and public life Early years Lemoinne was born of French parents in London. He was educated first at an English school and then in France. In ...

* Alphonse Lepetit * Élie Le Royer *

Charles Letellier-Valazé Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was "f ...

* Émile Littré * Hippolyte de Lorgeril * Victor Luro * Jean Macé *

Pierre-Joseph Magnin Pierre-Joseph (also Pierre Joseph) is a given name and can refer to: *Pierre-Joseph Alary, (1689–1770), French ecclesiastic and writer *Pierre-Joseph Amoreux (1741–1824) French physician and naturalist *Pierre Joseph Bonnaterre (1752 ...

Léon de Maleville François Jean Léon de Maleville (8 May 1803 – 28 March 1879) was a French politician. Under the July Monarchy he was a deputy from 1834 to 1848. During the French Second Republic he was a representative in the Constituent Assembly in 1848–49 ...

* Guillaume de Maleville *

* Louis Raymond de Montaignac de Chauvance * Paul Morin * Jules Pajot * Charles Paul Alexandre de Pasquier de Franclieu * Eugène Pelletan *

Alexandre Peyron Alexandre Louis François Peyron (21 June 1823, in Marines, Val-d'Oise – 9 January 1892, in Paris) was a French navy, naval officer and politician. He rose to vice admiral and served as French Naval Minister, Minister for the Navy and the Coloni ...

* Ernest Picard * Ernest Poictevin de La Rochette * Louis Pierre Alexis Pothau * Edmond de Pressensé * Germain Rampont *

Charles Renouard Augustin Charles Renouard (22 October 1794 – 17 August 1878) was a French lawyer and politician. During a long career he worked as an advocate, was a member of the chamber of deputies, was vice-president of Société d'économie politique, sat o ...

Amable Ricard Amable is a French given name. Notable people with the name include: * Amable Aristy (born 1949), Dominican politician and businessman * Amable Audin (1899–1990), French archaeologist * Amable Bapaume (1825–1895), French novelist, journalist ...

* Édouard Roger du Nord * Hervé de Saisy de Kérampuil * Edmond Henri Adolphe Schérer * Auguste Scheurer-Kestner * Victor Schœlcher * Jules Simon * Achille Testelin * Antoine Théry * Pierre Tirard * Hippolyte Clérel de Tocqueville * Bernard-Louis Calouin de Tréville *

Louis Tribert Pierre-Louis Tribert (23 June 1819 – 15 June 1899) was a French politician. He was one of 116 permanent senators of the French Third Republic. Early years Pierre-Louis Tribert was born in Paris on 23 June 1819, son of Pierre Tribert, dep ...

* Oscar de Vallée *

Étienne de Voisins-Lavernière Marius Étienne de Voisins-Lavernière (17 May 1813 – 20 January 1898) was a French landowner and politician. He was a Deputy of Tarn during the French Second Republic, then Senator of Tarn during the French Third Republic. Early years (1813–4 ...

* Henri-Alexandre Wallon *

Louis Wolowski Louis-François-Michel-Reymond Wolowski (original ''Ludwik Franciszek Michał Reymond Wołowski''; 31 August 1810 at Warsaw – 15 August 1876 at Gisors, Eure) was a Polish writer on economics and politician, naturalised in France. Life His f ...

* Charles Adolphe Wurtz

References

Sources

* * * * *

History

List of life senators

References

Sources

Further reading