A senator for life () was an elected position under the

French Third Republic The French Third Republic (, sometimes written as ) was the system of government adopted in France from 4 September 1870, when the Second French Empire collapsed during the Franco-Prussian War, until 10 July 1940, after the Fall of France durin ...

, 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. , five Italian senators out of 205, 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 The Senate (, ) is the upper house of the French Parliament, with the lower house being the National Assembly (France), National Assembly, the two houses constituting the legislature of France. It is made up of 348 senators (''sénateurs'' and ...

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: * Ab ...

and the

July Monarchy The July Monarchy (), officially the ''Kingdom of France'' (), was a liberalism, liberal constitutional monarchy in France under , starting on 9 August 1830, after the revolutionary victory of the July Revolution of 1830, and ending 26 Februar ...

. 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, 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, first president of the Senate; the scientist

Marcellin Berthelot Pierre Eugène Marcellin Berthelot (; 25 October 1827 – 18 March 1907) was a French chemist and Republican politician noted for the ThomsenBerthelot principle of thermochemistry. He synthesized many organic compounds from inorganic substance ...

, who became minister of public education and then minister of foreign affairs; Monseigneur Dupanloup; Albert Grévy, the younger brother of President

Jules Grévy François Judith Paul Grévy (15 August 1807 – 9 September 1891), known as Jules Grévy (), was a French people, French lawyer and politician who served as President of France from 1879 to 1887. He was a leader of the Opportunist Republicans, M ...

; Louis Martel, elected President of the Senate in 1879;

Philippe Le Royer Philippe Élie Le Royer was a French and Swiss politician from the 19th century, who served as the president of the French Senate and as the minister of Justice. Early life Philippe Le Royer was born in Geneva, Switzerland in 1816 to a notable ...

, elected President of the Senate in 1882; Auguste Scheurer-Kestner, the defender of

Alfred Dreyfus Alfred Dreyfus (9 October 1859 – 12 July 1935) was a French Army officer best known for his central role in the Dreyfus affair. In 1894, Dreyfus fell victim to a judicial conspiracy that eventually sparked a major political crisis in the Fre ...

; the abolitionist

Victor Schœlcher Victor Schœlcher (; 22 July 1804 – 25 December 1893) was a French abolitionist, writer, politician and journalist, best known for his leading role in the End of slavery in France, abolition of slavery in France in 1848, during the French Secon ...

and the statesman

Henri-Alexandre Wallon Henri-Alexandre Wallon (23 December 1812 – 13 November 1904) was a French historian and wikt:statesman, statesman whose decisive contribution to the creation of the French Third Republic, Third Republic led him to be called the "Father of the Re ...

. 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, 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: * Edmond Adam * Édouard Allou * Gaston Audiffret-Pasquier *

Louis d'Aurelle de Paladines Louis Jean-Baptiste d'Aurelle de Paladines (; 9 January 1804 – 17 December 1877) was a French general. Life He was born at Le Malzieu-Ville, Lozère, educated at the Prytanée National Militaire and Ecole Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr, S ...

* Camille Bachasson de Montalivet * Numa Baragnon *

Agénor Bardoux Agénor Bardoux (15 January 1829, Bourges, Cher23 November 1897, Paris) was a French statesman and republican. Early life A native of Bourges, he was born on 15 January 1829. He was a son of Jacques Bardoux (1795–1871) and the former Thérès ...

* Ferdinand Barrot *

Jules Barthélemy-Saint-Hilaire Jules Barthélemy-Saint-Hilaire (19 August 1805 – 24 November 1895) was a French philosopher, journalist, statesman, and possible illegitimate son of Napoleon I of France. Biography Jules was born in Paris. Marie Belloc Lowndes, in the ...

* Jean Didier Baze * René Bérenger * Alfred Bertauld *

Jean-Baptiste Billot Jean-Baptiste Billot (15 August 1828 – 31 May 1907) 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 staff with the rank of sous- ...

Paul Broca Pierre Paul Broca (, also , , ; 28 June 1824 – 9 July 1880) was a French physician, anatomist and anthropologist. He is best known for his research on Broca's area, a region of the frontal lobe that is named after him. Broca's area is involve ...

* Lucien Brun *

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 righ ...

* Marc-Antoine Calmon *

Jean-Baptiste Campenon General Jean Baptiste Marie Edouard Campenon (5 May 1819, Tonnerre – 16 March 1891, Neuilly-sur-Seine) was a French general and politician. Life He studied at the École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr, graduating on 1 October 1840 as a s ...

* Joseph de Carayon Latour *

Hippolyte Carnot Lazare Hippolyte Carnot (6 October 1801, Saint-Omer – 16 March 1888) was a French politician. He was the younger brother of the founder of thermodynamics Sadi Carnot and the second son of the revolutionary politician and general Lazare Nico ...

Auguste Casimir-Perier Auguste Victor Laurent Casimir-Perier (20 August 1811, in 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, ...

* Jules Cazot * François de Chabaud-Latour * Bertrand de Chabron * Paul de Chadois *

Nicolas Anne Théodule Changarnier Nicolas Anne Theodule Changarnier (; 26 April 1793 – 14 February 1877), French general, was born at Autun, Saône-et-Loire. Educated at Saint-Cyr, he served for a short time in the bodyguard of Louis XVIII, and entered the line as a lieu ...

* Antoine Chanzy * Joseph de Chareton * Charles Chesnelong * Jean-Jules Clamageran *

Joseph d'Haussonville Joseph is a common male name, derived from the Hebrew (). "Joseph" is used, along with " Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the modern-day Nordic count ...

* Anthime Corbon * Alphonse Cordier * Hyacinthe Corne * Hippolyte de Cornulier-Lucinière *

Ernest Courtot de Cissey Ernest Louis Octave Courtot de Cissey (; 1810–1882) was a French general and Prime Minister. Biography Ernest Courtot de Cissey was born in Paris, educated at the Prytanée National Militaire and, after passing through St Cyr, entered the ...

Adolphe Crémieux Isaac-Jacob Adolphe Crémieux (; 30 April 1796 – 10 February 1880) was a French lawyer and politician who served as Minister of Justice under the Second Republic (1848) and Government of National Defense (1870–1871). Raised Jewish, he ...

* Ernest Denormandie *

Émile Deschanel Émile Auguste Étienne Martin Deschanel (19 November 1819 – 26 January 1904) was a French author and politician, the father of Paul Deschanel, the 11th President of the French Republic. He graduated from École normale supérieure (Paris), � ...

* Émile Deshayes de Marcère * Henry Didier * Charles Dietz-Monnin * Guillaume-Ferdinand de Douhet * Eugène Duclerc *

Jules Armand Dufaure Jules Armand Stanislas Dufaure (; 4 December 1798 – 28 June 1881) was a French statesman who served 3 non-consecutive terms as Prime Minister of France. Biography Dufaure was born at Saujon, Charente-Maritime, and began his career as an adv ...

* Jean-Baptiste Dumon *

Félix Dupanloup Félix Antoine Philibert Dupanloup (3 January 180211 October 1878) was a French Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Orléans from 1849 to 1878. He was among the leaders of Liberal Catholicism in France. Biography Dupanloup was born at Sai ...

Henri Dupuy de Lôme Stanislas Charles Henri Dupuy de Lôme (; 15 October 18161 February 1885) was a French naval architect. He was the son of a naval officer and was born in Ploemeur near Lorient, Brittany, in western France. He was educated at the École Polytechn ...

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

* Paul Foubert * Émile Fourcand * Martin Fourichon * Charles Frébault * Louis Gaulthier de Rumilly * Eugène Goüin * Théodore Grandperret * Henri Greffulhe *

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, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048, ...

* Albert Grévy *

Léonce Guilhaud de Lavergne Léonce is a French unisex given name. People with the name Léonce include: *Léonce (actor) (1823–1900), French actor and singer *Léonce Bekemans (born 1950), Belgian economist and scholar *Léonce-Henri Burel (1892–1977), French cinematog ...

* Gustave Humbert *

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 c ...

Benjamin Jaurès Admiral Constant Louis Jean Benjamin Jaurès (3 February 1823 – 13 March 1889) was a French Navy officer and politician. Born in Albi, Tarn (department), Tarn, he was a Senator for life (France), senator for life and active in Japan during ...

* Charles Kolb-Bernard * Sébastien Krantz *

Léon Lalanne Léon Louis Lalanne (; real surname: Chrétien-Lalanne; 3 July 1811 – 12 March 1892) was a French engineer and politician. Life Lalanne was born in Paris on 3 July 1811, as Léon Louis Chrétien, the son of François Julien Léon Chrétien, a p ...

* Pierre Lanfrey * Roger de Larcy * Jules de Lasteyrie du Saillant * Léon Laurent-Pichat *

Édouard René de Laboulaye __NOTOC__ Édouard René Lefèbvre de Laboulaye (; 18 January 1811 – 25 May 1883) was a French jurist, poet, author and abolitionism in France, anti-slavery activist. Attentive observer of the political life of the United States and admirer of ...

* Oscar de La Fayette * Victor Lefranc * John Lemoinne * Alphonse Lepetit *

* Charles Letellier-Valazé *

Émile Littré Émile Maximilien Paul Littré (; 1 February 18012 June 1881) was a French lexicographer, freemason and philosopher, best known for his , commonly called . Biography Littré was born in Paris. His father, Michel-François Littré, had been a gu ...

* Hippolyte de Lorgeril * Victor Luro *

Jean Macé Jean François Macé (22 August 1815 in Paris – 13 December 1894 in Monthiers) was a French educator, journalist, active freemason and politician. He was perhaps best known as the founder of Ligue de l'enseignement to promote free, unive ...

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 * Guillaume de Maleville * Louis Martel *

Louis Raymond de Montaignac de Chauvance Louis Raymond, marquis de Montaignac de Chauvance (11 March 1811, Paris – 9 June 1891, Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated p ...

* Paul Morin * Jules Pajot * Charles Paul Alexandre de Pasquier de Franclieu *

Eugène Pelletan Pierre Clément Eugène Pelletan (29 October 1813 – 13 December 1884) was a French writer, journalist and politician. Career Born in Royan, Charente-Maritime, Eugène Pelletan was an associate of Lamartine, but refused an appointment to the o ...

Alexandre Peyron Alexandre Louis François Peyron (21 June 1823, in Marines, Val-d'Oise – 9 January 1892, in Paris) was a French naval officer and politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holdi ...

Ernest Picard Louis Joseph Ernest Picard (24 December 1821 – 13 May 1877) was a French politician. Life Louis Joseph Ernest Picard was born in Paris, France, Paris. After taking his doctorate in law in 1846 he joined the Parisian bar. Elected to the ''corps ...

* Ernest Poictevin de La Rochette * Louis Pierre Alexis Pothau *

Edmond de Pressensé Edmond Dehault de Pressensé (7 January 18248 April 1891) was a French Protestant religious leader. Biography He was born in Paris, and studied in Lausanne under Alexandre Vinet. He went on to the University of Halle as a pupil of Friedrich Aug ...

* Germain Rampont * Charles Renouard *

Amable Ricard Pierre Henri Amable Ricard (12 June 1828 – 11 May 1876) was a French politician and lawyer. He was Minister of the Interior between March 1876 and his death two months later. A member of the republican centre-left, Ricard was deputy for Deux-S ...

* Édouard Roger du Nord * Hervé de Saisy de Kérampuil *

Edmond Henri Adolphe Schérer Edmond may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Edmond'' (play), a 1982 play by David Mamet ** ''Edmond'' (film), a 2005 film based on the 1982 play * '' E.d.M.O.N.D'', a 2013 EP by Edmond Leung * ''Edmond'', a 2016 play by Alexis Michalik ** ''E ...

* Auguste Scheurer-Kestner *

Jules Simon Jules François Simon (; 31 December 1814 – 8 June 1896) was a French statesman and philosopher, and one of the leaders of the Moderate Republicans in the Third French Republic. Biography Simon was born at Lorient. His father was a linen-dr ...

* Achille Testelin * Antoine Théry *

Pierre Tirard Pierre Emmanuel Tirard (; 27 September 1827 – 4 November 1893) was a French politician, who served twice as Prime Minister during the Third Republic. Biography He was born to French parents in Geneva, Switzerland. After studying in his native ...

* Hippolyte Clérel de Tocqueville * Bernard-Louis Calouin de Tréville * Louis Tribert * 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– ...

* Louis Wolowski *

Charles Adolphe Wurtz Charles Adolphe Wurtz (; 26 November 181710 May 1884) was an Alsatian French chemist. He is best remembered for his decades-long advocacy for the atomic theory and for ideas about the structures of chemical compounds, against the skeptical opinio ...

References

Sources

* * * * *

History

List of life senators

References

Sources

Further reading