Charles de Gaulle (GPRF)
Chairman of the Provisional Government · 1944-1946 · born on 22 November 1890, died on 9 November 1970
Leader of Free France in London and then in Algiers, Charles de Gaulle entered liberated Paris in August 1944 and headed the Provisional Government of the French Republic (GPRF). He restored the authority of the state, secured the vote for women and re-established republican order.
In favour of strong institutions, he resigned in January 1946, rebuffed by the Assembly. His departure foreshadowed his return, in 1958, at the heart of the Algerian crisis.
Key dates
- 1945: End of the Second World War
In the tree of power
- Era: Provisional Government
- Predecessor: Philippe Pétain (1940-1944)
- Successor: Vincent Auriol (1947-1954)