Minister of Defence (France)

Minister of Defence of the French Republic Ministre de la Défense
Naval jack for the Minister of Defence
Incumbent Jean-Yves Le Drian since 16 May 2012
Ministry of Defence
Member of	Cabinet
Reports to	President of the Republic The Prime Minister
Seat	Hôtel de Brienne, Paris, France
Nominator	The Prime Minister
Appointer	President of the Republic
Term length	No fixed term
Precursor	Secretary of State for War and Minister of the Navy and Colonies
Formation	1589 under the Ancien Régime
First holder	French Fifth Republic, 1958
Deputy	Chief of the Defence Staff
Website	www.defense.gouv.fr

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Hôtel de Brienne, current seat until 2014.

The Ministry of Defence (French: Ministre de la Défense) is the French cabinet member charged with running the military of France.

The minister in charge of the French military has evolved within the epoque and regimes. The minister is always attached to a ministry or state secretary bureau, today attached to the Ministry of Defense.

The Secretary of State of War was one of the four specialised secretaries of state established in France in 1589. This State Secretary was responsible for the French Army (similarly, the Naval Ministers of France and the Colonies was created in 1669). In 1791, the secretary of state of war becomes Minister of War, with this ministerial function being abolished in 1794 and re-established in 1795. In 1930, the position was often referred to as Minister of War and National Defense. In 1947, 2 years following World War II, the ministry merged with the Ministry of the Navy and the Ministry of Air (created in 1930), while being headed by a Minister of National Defence responsible for the French Armed Forces, often referred to as Minister of the Armed Forces and since 1947, designated as Minister of Defence

Based on the governments, he may be assisted by a state secretary charged in veteran affairs.

The current Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs is Jean-Yves Le Drian.

From 1589 to 1791 (Ancien Régime) Secretary of State of War

From 1791 to the French Consulate: Minister of War

Consulat and First French Empire

First Restoration

Second Restoration

July Monarchy: August 9, 1830 to February 24, 1848

French Second Republic

Second French Empire

French Third Republic

Commissioners for War, 1941–1944

French Fourth Republic

Ministre of Armed Forces :

• 21 November 1945 - 24 June 1946 : Edmond Michelet

Minister of National Defence :

• 24 June 1946 - 16 December 1946 : Félix Gouin
• 16 December 1946 - 22 January 1947 : André Le Troquer
• 22 January 1947 - 4 May 1947 : François Billoux
• 4 May 1947 - 22 October 1947 : Yvon Delbos (by interim)

Ministre of the Armed Forces :

• 24 June 1946 - 16 December 1946 : Edmond Michelet

Minister of War :

• 22 January 1947 - 22 October 1947 : Paul Coste-Floret

Minister of the Navy :

• 22 January 1947 - 22 October 1947 : Louis Jacquinot

Minister of the Air Force :

• 22 January 1947 - 22 October 1947 : André Maroselli

Minister of National Defence :

• 22 October 1947 - 26 July 1948 : Pierre-Henri Teitgen
• 26 July 1948 - 11 September 1948 : René Mayer
• 11 September 1948 - 28 October 1949 : Paul Ramadier
• 28 October 1949 - 12 July 1950 : René Pleven
• 12 July 1950 - 11 August 1951 : Jules Moch
• 11 August 1951 - 8 March 1952 : Georges Bidault
• 8 March 1952 - 8 January 1953 : René Pleven

Minister of Natinonal Defence and the Armed Forces :

• 8 January 1953 - 19 June 1954 : René Pleven
• 19 June 1954 - 14 August 1954 : Marie-Pierre Kœnig
• 14 August 1954 - 20 January 1955 Emmanuel Temple – By interim until 3 September 1954

Minister of National Defence :

• 20 January 1955 - 23 February 1955 : Jacques Chevallier

Ministre of the Armed Forces :

• 20 January 1955 - 23 February 1955 : Maurice Bourgès-Maunoury

Minister of National Defence and the Armed Forces:

• 23 February 1955 - 6 October 1955 : Pierre Kœnig
• 6 October 1955 - 1 February 1956 : Pierre Billotte

Minister of National Defence:

• 1 February 1956 - 13 June 1957 : Maurice Bourgès-Maunoury

Minister of National Defence and the Armed Forces:

• 13 June 1957 - 6 November 1957 : André Morice
• 6 November 1957 - 14 May 1958 : Jacques Chaban-Delmas

Minister of the Armed Forces :

• 14 May 1958 - 1 June 1958 : Pierre de Chevigné

Minister of National Defence :

• 1 June 1958 - 8 January 1959 : Charles de Gaulle

Minister of the Armed Forces :

• 1 June 1958 - 5 February 1960 : Pierre Guillaumat (1909-1991)

French Fifth Republic

Minister of the Armed Forces :

• 8 January 1959 - 5 February 1960 : Pierre Guillaumat
• 5 February 1960 - 22 June 1969: Pierre Messmer

Minister of National Defence :

• 22 June 1969 - 4 April 1973 : Michel Debré

Minister of the Armed Forces :

• 4 April 1973 - 28 May 1974 : Robert Galley

See also

• Secretary of State of the Navy (France)
• Secretary of State for War (France)
• Minister of the Navy (France)
• Chief of the Defence Staff of the Armed Forces (French: Chef d'État-Major des Armées, CEMA)
  • Chief of Staff of the French Army (French: Chef d'État-Major de l'Armée de Terre, CEMAT)
  • Chief of Staff of the French Air Force (French: Chef d'État-Major de l'Armée de l'Air, CEMAA)
  • Chief of Staff of the French Navy (French: Chef d'État-Major de la Marine, CEMM)
  • Direction générale de la Gendarmerie Nationale (French: Direction Générale de la Gendarmerie nationale (DGGN))
  • French Special Operations Command (French: Commandement des Opérations Spéciales (COS))

External links

• Ministry of Defence
• Ministry of Defence (French)
• "Ministries 1700–1870", Rulers.org

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