Having received degrees in civil engineering and law, Alain Poher started his political career in the Ministry of Finance (1939). He briefly held the offices of Secretary of State for Finance and Economic Affairs and Secretary of State for the Budget in the Cabinets of Robert Schuman and Henri Queuille (1948). In 1950-1952, Poher represented France in the International Ruhr Authority. In 1952, he was elected Senator for the Seine-et-Oise département as a member of the Popular Republican Movement (MRP), and from 1968 represented the Centrist Union of Democrats for Progress (UCDP). In 1957-1958 Poher joined the Cabinet of Félix Gaillard as Secretary of State for the Armed Forces (Naval). In 1966-1969 he was President of the Assembly of the European Communities. Poher served as President of the Senate of French Republic from 3 Oct 1968 to 1 Oct 1992 (re-elected in 1971, 1974, 1977, 1980, 1983, 1986 and 1989). Poher was twice called upon to serve as interim president of France. On 28 Apr 1969, Poher assumed the presidency after resignation of Charles de Gaulle, but he lost presidential elections to Georges Pompidou (1/15 Jun 1969). The second vacancy was caused by unexpected death of Pompidou on 2 Apr 1974. In addition to his chief duties, Poher also was Mayor of Ablon-sur-Seine (1945-1983), Vice-President of the Euro-African Parliamentary Assembly (1967-1969), and Honorary Founding President of the Association for Freedom (from 1977). Biography source: [2] |
