Albert Lebrun

Albert Lebrun , 1871-1950, French statesman, last president of the Third Republic. Elected to the chamber of deputies in 1900, he later became a senator and held various cabinet posts. A moderate, he succeeded Paul Doumer as president in 1932 and was reelected in 1939. In July, 1940, the establishment of the Vichy government under Marshal Pétain deprived Lebrun of all authority. In 1944 he recognized Charles de Gaulle as provisional president of France.

Lebrun, Albert (1871–1950),French politician of the Republican left who was first elected president in 1932 and was the last president of the Third Republic. He was re-elected in 1939, appointed Marshal Pétain prime minister in June 1940 when Paul Reynaud resigned, but resigned himself on 11 July 1940 and was replaced by Pétain, who took the title not of Président but of Chef d'Etat.

Lebrun, Albert (1871–1950) French statesman, 17th and last President (1932–40) of the Third Republic. A moderate conservative, he pursued a respected but unspectacular parliamentary career (1920–32) until his election to the Presidency. He acquiesced in the French armistice (1940) that led to the VICHY GOVERNMENT of Marshal PÉTAIN. He was interned in Austria (1943–44) until the liberation of France, when he acknowledged DE GAULLE as head of the provisional government.