Liberal lawyer who led Thiers's "government of Versailles" against the Commune as justice minister, later prime minister
Born at Saujon in 1798, he made his name as an advocate in Bordeaux. Elected deputy under the July Monarchy in 1834, he was minister of public works in 1839–1840 and vice-president of the Chamber from 1842 to 1848. Accepting the Republic in 1848, he was minister of the interior under Cavaignac and again under Louis-Napoléon in 1849; under the Second Empire he was bâtonnier of the Paris bar and stood with the liberal opposition. Elected to the National Assembly in February 1871, he led the "government of Versailles" as minister of justice and vice-president of the council under Thiers, the government that fought the civil war against the Commune. In 1876 he became the first prime minister to bear the title of president of the council and was elected a life senator, and he was prime minister again from December 1877 until MacMahon's resignation in January 1879.
Also known as: Jules Armand Stanislas Dufaure
Activities and affiliations
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1834–1851
Legislature and state representation
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1839–1849
Government and administration
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1871–1876
France state institutionsMinister of Justice
Law and justice -
1871–1879
France state institutionsVice-president and president of the Council of MinistersHeads of state and government of FranceMain
Government and administration -
1876–1881
Legislature and state representation
Career Timeline
- 1834–1848Deputy for the Charente-Inférieure
- 1839–1840Minister of Public Works
- 1848–1849Minister of the Interior
- 1871–1873Minister of Justice and vice-president of the council
- 1876President of the council; life senator
- 1877–1879President of the council