European Heads Of State/Government (historical) Flashcards
(22 cards)
De Gaulle
President prov gov 44-46
President 59-69
Union for a New Republic
Withdrew from NATO in 65. Ended Algeria crisis. Resigned after regionalization referendum failed
French Fourth Republic Presidents
Vincent Auriol- SFIO 47-54
Dealt with Indochina
René Coty- CNIP center-right 54-59
Dealt with Algeria, asked de Gaulle to take over
Georges Pompidou
De Gaulle’s last PM 62-69
Union of Democrats for the Republic
Poher became interim prez for 2 months after De Gaulle resigned. Pompidou defeats Pohler in 69 election
Supported integration, industrialization. Died of Waldenstrom’s macroglobinemia (type of lymphoma) before end of 7 year mandate
Valéry Giscard d’Estaing
Long history in many Gaullist parties. Eventually founded Republican Party
Pohler again interim prez two months, didn’t run this time
D’Estaing was 74-81
Republican, liberal, centrist, reformist. Lowered majority age from 21 to 18, legalized abortion. Economic crisis led to defeat in 81 election
François Mitterand
Founded PS in 71. Traditional socialist pres candidate, finally wins in 81
Abolished death penalty, expanded social benefits
Right won in 86, Chirac becomes cohabiting PM. Chirac runs against Mitterand in 88, Mitterand wins. New cohabiting in 93-95 with Balladur. Mitterand declined to run in 95
Jacques Chirac
Prez 95-2007
Rally for the Republic before 02, then helped found UMP
PM 74-76 under d’Estaing, then 86-88 under Mitterand. Social reforms to counter “social fracture”. Cohabits with PM Lionel Jospin from 97-02. Terms lowered to 5 years. Reelected in the 2002 election doozy. Opposed Iraq War. Did not run in 07, went to Conseil Constitutionnel
Nicolas Sarkozy
Minister in 90s, then UMP leader in 04. Elected in 07 against Royale. Passed generally right-wing fiscal package in 07. Anti-illegal immigration. Big international role. Defeated in 2012
Neville Chamberlain
37-40, Labour
Peace for our time, Munich Agreement, allowed fall of Sudetenland. Resigned
Winston Churchill
WWII and aftermath icon. Tory
PM 40-45, 51-55
Aristocratic family, ministerial career
Led a Tort coalition before making a coalition gov in 45, but then Tories lose
Won Nobel prize for literature in 53 for biographies and histories
Clement Attlee
Labour. Churchill’s Deputy PM. Career as an MP.
45-51
Founded NHS, decolonized, helped found NATO, nationalized utilities
Anthony Eden
Tory, 55-57 after Churchill round 2
Oversaw Suez crisis, resigned due to bad health but lived until 77
Harold Macmillan
Tory, 57-63
Accepted Keynesianism, opened BBC TV. Gave Wind of Change speech in South Africa, signaling decolonization of Africa coming. Some domestic crises
Alec Douglas-Home
Aristocrat, oversaw Rhodesia independence. Tory PM 63-64
Harold Wilson
Labour 64-70 and 74-76. Minister under Attlee, then shadow ministries
Social reforms, decriminalized homosexuality, abolished death penalty, tried to nerf unions. Overall expanded workers’ rights
Edward Heath
Tory PM 70-74. MP and ministerial career
Troubles in Ireland, called early election, disaster, loses to Labour. Banned drugs
James Callaghan
Labour PM 76-79. Extensive ministerial career
Lib-Lab pact
Devolved Scotland and Wales but stopped referendums. Saw Winter of Discontent strikes, economic problems
Margaret Thatcher
PM 79-90. Tory. Thatcherized Britain.
John Major
Tory PM 90-97. Social conservative, back to basics. Cones hotline affair, fiscal conservatized further, NI peace process begins
Tony Blair
Labour PM 97-07. I know the rest
Helmut Kohl
West German chancellor from 82-80, German chancellor from 90-98. CDU. Architect of reunification. Architect of Maastricht. Considered a great statesman
Gerhard Schroëder
Former lawyer and PM of lower saxony. SPD Chancellor SPD-Green coalition 98-2002. Social left, but surprisingly anti-welfare policies. Lost in 2002
Angela Merkel
2005- cdu chancellor
From former East Germany
