Faure, Félix

François-Félix Faure

b. 30 Jan 1841, Paris
d. 16 Feb 1899, Paris

Title: Président de la République française (President of the French Republic)
Term: 17 Jan 1895 - 16 Feb 1899
Chronology: 17 Jan 1895, elected, session of the Assemblée nationale (National Assembly), salle des séances de la Chambre des députés, Palais de Versailles, Versailles [1]
17 Jan 1895, assumed the functions of office, public ceremony, Palais de Versailles, Versailles [2]
16 Feb 1899, died [3]
Biography:
Born in the family of a furniture maker; worked as tanner and merchant at Le Havre; was elected to local chamber of commerce; commanded a battalion of mobile guards during the Franco-Prussian war (1870-1871); moderate republican; elected to Chambre des députés (Chamber of deputies) for Le Havre (1881-1885) and Seine-Inférieure (1885-1895); served as under-secretary for the colonies and commerce (14 Nov 1882 - 26 Jan 1882), under-secretary for marine and the colonies (22 Sep 1883 - 28 Apr 1885, 5 Jan 1888 - 19 Feb 1888), minister of marine (30 May 1894 - 17/26 Jan 1895); elected President of the Republic (17 Jan 1895); approved the conquest of Madagascar (1897); exchanged visits with the Emperor of Russia Nikolay II (1896, 1897); popularity was undermined over the Fashoda conflict, an unsuccessful confrontation with Great Britain in the Sudan (1898); opposed reopening the Dreyfus Affair, a 12-year social and political controversy (1894-1906), resulting from false conviction of an army captain of Jewish origin; suddenly died of cerebral hemorrhage.
Biographical sources: Dansette (1953)
Elections:

Candidate 1st vote (17 Jan 1895) 2nd vote (17 Jan 1895)
votes cast 793 801
blank/invalid 6 1
valid votes 787 800
absolute majority 395 401
Eugène-Henri Brisson 338 361
François-Félix Faure 244 430
Pierre-Marie-René-Ernest Waldeck-Rousseau 184 -
scattered 21 9
Source of electoral results: Débats parlementaires, Assemblée nationale (supplement to JORF, No. 17, 18 Jan 1895), pp. 1-6.

[1] Débats parlementaires, Assemblée nationale (supplement to JORF, No. 17, 18 Jan 1895), pp. 1-6.
[2] JORF, No. 17, 18 Jan 1895, pp. 305-306.
[3] JORF, No. 47, 17 Feb 1895, p. 1117; Journal des débats, politiques et littéraires, 18 Feb 1899, p. 1.