Rulers: France

Regions


Note: The regions were originally created on 28 Oct 1956 as "program regions" (régions de programme). On 2 Jun 1960 they were upgraded to "circles for regional action" (circonscriptions d'action régionale). A decree of 14 Mar 1964 created in each region a Regional Economic Development Commission (Commission de Développement Économique Régional), which by an act of 5 Jul 1972 (implementation of which was initiated 1 Oct 1973) became the Regional Council (Conseil Régional). At the same time the overseas départements were given regional status. The first presidents of the councils were elected between Dec 1973 and Feb 1974. The powers of the councils were significantly upgraded after their first direct elections which took place 16 Mar 1986 (in the overseas regions and Corse already 20 Feb 1983).

Alsace

Presidents of the Regional Council
       1974 -        1976  André Bord                         (b. 1922)
       1976 -        1980  Pierre Schiélé                     (b. 1925)
       1980 - 23 Mar 1996  Marcel Rudloff                     (b. 1923 - d. 1996)
23 Mar 1996 - 10 Apr 1996  Hubert Haenel (acting)             (b. 1942)
10 Apr 1996 - 22 Aug 2009  Adrien Zeller                      (b. 1940 - d. 2009)
29 Jul 2009 - 14 Sep 2009  Bernard Stoessel                   (b. 1954)
                           (acting [for Zeller to 22 Aug 2009])
14 Sep 2009 - 26 Mar 2010  André Reichardt                    (b. 1949)
26 Mar 2010 -              Philippe Richert                   (b. 1953)

Aquitaine

Presidents of the Regional Council
       1974 -        1979  Jacques Chaban-Delmas (1st time)   (b. 1915 - d. 2000)
       1979 -        1981  André Labarrère                    (b. 1928 - d. 2006)
       1981 -        1985  Philippe Madrelle                  (b. 1937)
       1985 - 17 Jun 1988  Jacques Chaban-Delmas (2nd time)   (s.a.)
17 Jun 1988 - 11 Jul 1988  Jean François-Poncet (acting)      (b. 1928)
11 Jul 1988 - 27 Mar 1992  Jean Tavernier                     (b. 1928)
27 Mar 1992 - 20 Mar 1998  Jacques Valade                     (b. 1930)
20 Mar 1998 -              Alain Rousset                      (b. 1951)

Auvergne

Presidents of the Regional Council
       1974 -        1977  Jean Morellon                      (b. 1921)
       1977 -        1986  Maurice Pourchon                   (b. 1936)
21 Mar 1986 -  2 Apr 2004  Valéry Giscard d'Estaing           (b. 1926)
 2 Apr 2004 - 18 Jan 2006  Pierre-Joël Bonté                  (b. 1946 - d. 2006)
18 Jan 2006 -              René Souchon                       (b. 1943)
                           (acting to 13 Feb 2006)

Basse-Normandie

Presidents of the Regional Council
       1974                Michel d'Ornano (1st time)         (b. 1924 - d. 1991)
       1974 -        1978  Léon Jozeau-Marigné (1st time)     (b. 1909 - d. 2003)
       1978 -        1982  Paul German                        (b. 1915 - d. 1993)
       1982 -        1983  Léon Jozeau-Marigné (2nd time)     (s.a.)
       1983 -        1986  Michel d'Ornano (2nd time)         (s.a.)
21 Mar 1986 -  2 Apr 2004  René Garrec                        (b. 1934)
 2 Apr 2004 -  3 Apr 2008  Philippe Duron                     (b. 1947)
 3 Apr 2008 -              Laurent Beauvais                   (b. 1952)

Bourgogne

Presidents of the Regional Council
       1974 -        1978  Jean Chamant                       (b. 1913)
       1978 -        1979  Marcel Lucotte (1st time)          (b. 1922 - d. 2000)
       1979 -        1982  Pierre Joxe                        (b. 1934)
       1982 -        1983  André Billardon                    (b. 1940)
       1983 -        1985  Frédéric Lescure                   (b. 1904 - d. 1993)
       1985 -        1986  Marcel Lucotte (2nd time)          (s.a.)
21 Mar 1986 - 27 Mar 1992  Raymond Janot                      (b. 1917 - d. 2000)
27 Mar 1992 - 13 Apr 1993  Jean-Pierre Soisson (1st time)     (b. 1934)
13 Apr 1993 - 20 Mar 1998  Jean-François Bazin                (b. 1942)
20 Mar 1998 -  2 Apr 2004  Jean-Pierre Soisson (2nd time)     (s.a.)
 2 Apr 2004 -              François Patriat                   (b. 1943)

Bretagne

Presidents of the Regional Council
       1974 -        1976  René Pleven                        (b. 1901 - d. 1993)
       1976 -        1978  André Colin                        (b. 1910 - d. 1978)
       1978 -        1986  Raymond Marcellin                  (b. 1914 - d. 2004)
21 Mar 1986 - 20 Mar 1998  Yvon Bourges                       (b. 1921 - d. 2009)
20 Mar 1998 -  2 Apr 2004  Josselin de Rohan                  (b. 1938)
 2 Apr 2004 -              Jean-Yves Le Drian                 (b. 1947)

Centre

Presidents of the Regional Council
       1974 -        1976  Raymond Boisdé                     (b. 1899 - d. 1981)
       1976 -        1979  Pierre Sudreau                     (b. 1919)
       1979 -        1983  Jean Delaneau                      (b. 1933)
       1983 -        1985  Daniel Bernardet                   (b. 1927 - d. 2007)
       1985 - 20 Mar 1998  Maurice Dousset                    (b. 1930 - d. 2007)
20 Mar 1998 -  6 Apr 1998  Bernard Harang                     (b. 1947)
 6 Apr 1998 - 14 Apr 2000  Michel Sapin (1st time)            (b. 1952)
14 Apr 2000 - 21 Apr 2000  Jean Germain (1st time) (acting)   (b. 1947)
21 Apr 2000 -  2 Apr 2004  Alain Rafesthain                   (b. 1942)
 2 Apr 2004 - 12 Aug 2007  Michel Sapin (2nd time)            (s.a.)
12 Aug 2007 -  7 Sep 2007  Jean Germain (2nd time) (acting)   (s.a.)
 7 Sep 2007 -              François Bonneau                   (b. 1953)

Champagne-Ardenne

Presidents of the Regional Council
       1974 -        1981  Jacques Sourdille                  (b. 1922 - d. 1996)
       1981 - 12 Jul 1988  Bernard Stasi                      (b. 1930)
12 Jul 1988 - 20 Mar 1998  Jean Kaltenbach                    (b. 1927)
20 Mar 1998 -  2 Apr 2004  Jean-Claude Étienne                (b. 1941)
 2 Apr 2004 -              Jean-Paul Bachy                    (b. 1947)

Corse

 9 Jan 1970                region established (previously part of
                           Provence-Côte d'Azur-Corse)
 2 Mar 1982                special status region with directly elected
                           Regional Assembly
13 May 1991                collectivité territoriale, with a directly
                           elected Corsican Assembly and an Executive Council

Presidents of the Regional Council
       1974 -        1979  François Giacobbi                  (b. 1919 - d. 1997)
       1979 -        1982  Jean Filippi                       (b. 1905 - d. 1993)
Presidents of the Regional Assembly (from 1991, Corsican Assembly)
20 Aug 1982 - 24 Aug 1984  Prosper Alfonsi                    (b. 1921 - d. 1991)
24 Aug 1984 - 26 Mar 1998  Jean-Paul de Rocca Serra           (b. 1911 - d. 1998)
26 Mar 1998 -  1 Apr 2004  José Rossi                         (b. 1944)
 1 Apr 2004 - 25 Mar 2010  Camille de Rocca Serra             (b. 1954)
25 Mar 2010 -              Dominique Bucchini                 (b. 1943)

Presidents of the Executive Council 2 Apr 1992 - 4 Apr 2004 Jean Baggioni (b. 1939) 4 Apr 2004 - 25 Mar 2010 Ange Santini (b. 1959) 25 Mar 2010 - Paul Giacobbi (b. 1957)

Franche-Comté

Presidents of the Regional Council
       1974 -        1981  Edgar Faure (1st time)             (b. 1908 - d. 1988)
       1981 -        1982  Jean-Pierre Chevènement            (b. 1939)
       1982 - 30 Mar 1988  Edgar Faure (2nd time)             (s.a.)
14 Apr 1988 - 20 Mar 1998  Pierre Chantelat                   (b. 1925)
20 Mar 1998 -  2 Apr 2004  Jean-François Humbert              (b. 1952)
 2 Apr 2004 -  5 Jan 2008  Raymond Forni                      (b. 1941 - d. 2008)
 5 Jan 2008 -              Marie-Guite Dufay (f)              (b. 1949)
                           (acting to 24 Jan 2008)

Haute-Normandie

Presidents of the Regional Council
11 Jan 1974 - 30 Sep 1974  Jean Lecanuet                      (b. 1920 - d. 1993)
30 Sep 1974 -  6 Jul 1981  André Bettencourt                  (b. 1919 - d. 2007)
 6 Jul 1981 -  9 Feb 1982  Laurent Fabius                     (b. 1946)
 9 Feb 1982 -  6 Apr 1982  Tony Larue                         (b. 1904 - d. 1995)
 6 Apr 1982 - 30 Mar 1992  Roger Fossé                        (b. 1920 - d. 1996)
30 Mar 1992 - 23 Mar 1998  Antoine Rufenacht                  (b. 1939)
23 Mar 1998 - 30 Mar 1998  Jean-Paul Gauzès                   (b. 1947)
30 Mar 1998 -              Alain Le Vern                      (b. 1948)

Île-de-France

   May 1976                region established (previously it was seen as the
                           District de la Région Parisienne)

Presidents of the Regional Council
 1 Jul 1976 - 27 Sep 1988  Michel Giraud (1st time)           (b. 1929)
       1988 - 27 Mar 1992  Pierre-Charles Krieg               (b. 1922 - d. 1998)
27 Mar 1992 - 24 Mar 1998  Michel Giraud (2nd time)           (s.a.)
24 Mar 1998 -              Jean-Paul Huchon                   (b. 1946)

Languedoc-Roussillon

President of the Regional Council
       1974 - 27 Jun 1974  Francis Vals                       (b. 1910 - d. 1974)
       1974 -        1983  Edgar Tailhadès                    (b. 1904 - d. 1986)
       1983 -        1986  Robert Capdeville                  (b. 1919 - d. 2001)
21 Mar 1986 -  2 Apr 2004  Jacques Blanc                      (b. 1939)
 2 Apr 2004 -              Georges Frêche                     (b. 1938)

Limousin

Presidents of the Regional Council
       1974 -        1981  André Chandernagor                 (b. 1921)
       1981 -        1986  Louis Longequeue                   (b. 1914 - d. 1990)
21 Mar 1986 -  2 Apr 2004  Robert Savy                        (b. 1931)
 2 Apr 2004 -              Jean-Paul Denanot                  (b. 1944)

Lorraine

Presidents of the Regional Council
       1974 -        1976  Jean Vilmain                       (b. 1932 - d. 1995)
 6 Jan 1976 -        1978  Jean-Jacques Servan-Schreiber      (b. 1924 - d. 2006)
       1978 -        1979  Pierre Messmer                     (b. 1916 - d. 2007)
       1979 -        1982  André Madoux                       (b. 1909 - d. 1986)
       1982 -  4 Apr 1992  Jean-Marie Rausch                  (b. 1929)
 4 Apr 1992 -  2 Apr 2004  Gérard Longuet                     (b. 1946)
 2 Apr 2004 -              Jean-Pierre Masseret               (b. 1944)

Midi-Pyrénées

Presidents of the Regional Council
   Dec 1973 -    Jun 1981  Alain Savary                       (b. 1918 - d. 1988)
   Jul 1981 -    Mar 1986  Alex Raymond                       (b. 1916 - d. 2008)
21 Mar 1986 -  4 Jul 1988  Dominique Baudis                   (b. 1947)
 4 Jul 1988 -  7 Apr 1998  Marc Censi                         (b. 1936)
 7 Apr 1998 -              Martin Malvy                       (b. 1936)

Nord-Pas-de-Calais

Presidents of the Regional Council
       1974 -        1981  Pierre Mauroy                      (b. 1928)
       1981 - 31 Mar 1992  Noël Josèphe                       (b. 1920 - d. 2006)
31 Mar 1992 - 20 Mar 1998  Marie-Christine Blandin (f)        (b. 1952)
20 Mar 1998 - 13 Apr 2001  Michel Delebarre                   (b. 1946)
13 Apr 2001 -              Daniel Percheron                   (b. 1942)

Pays de la Loire

Presidents of the Regional Council
   Jan 1974 -    Oct 1974  Vincent Ansquer                    (b. 1925 - d. 1987)
   Oct 1974 - 20 Mar 1998  Olivier Guichard                   (b. 1920 - d. 2004)
20 Mar 1998 - 16 May 2002  François Fillon                    (b. 1954)
16 May 2002 -  2 Apr 2004  Jean-Luc Harousseau                (b. 1948)
                           (acting to 28 Jun 2002)
 2 Apr 2004 -              Jacques Auxiette                   (b. 1940)

Picardie

Presidents of the Regional Council
       1974 -        1976  Jean Legendre                      (b. 1906 - d. 1994)
       1976 -        1978  Charles Baur (1st time)            (b. 1929)
       1978 -        1979  Max Lejeune                        (b. 1909 - d. 1995)
       1979 -    Jan 1980  Jacques Mossion                    (b. 1927 - d. 1996)
   Jan 1980 -        1981  Raymond Maillet                    (b. 1934 - d. 1984)
       1981 -        1983  René Dosière                       (b. 1941)
       1983 -        1985  Walter Amsallem                    (b. 1931)
       1985 -  2 Apr 2004  Charles Baur (2nd time)            (s.a.)
 2 Apr 2004 -              Claude Gewerc                      (b. 1947)

Poitou-Charentes

Presidents of the Regional Council
       1974 -        1976  Lucien Grand                       (b. 1904 - d. 1978)
       1976 -        1978  Jacques Fouchier                   (b. 1913 - d. 1994)
       1978 -        1980  Francis Hardy                      (b. 1923)
       1980 -        1981  Fernand Chaussebourg               (b. 1921 - d. 2004)
       1981 -        1982  Michel Boucher                     (b. 1912 - d. 1982)
       1982                Jacques Santrot (acting)           (b. 1938)
       1982 -        1985  Raoul Cartraud                     (b. 1934)
   Mar 1985 - 21 Mar 1986  René Monory                        (b. 1923 - d. 2009)
21 Mar 1986 - 19 Dec 1988  Louis Fruchard                     (b. 1921 - d. 2004)
19 Dec 1988 -  8 May 2002  Jean-Pierre Raffarin               (b. 1948)
 8 May 2002 - 28 Jun 2002  Dominique de la Martinière         (b. 1927 - d. 2002)
                           (acting)
28 Jun 2002 -  2 Apr 2004  Elisabeth Morin (f)                (b. 1947)
 2 Apr 2004 -              Ségolène Royal (f)                 (b. 1953)

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Presidents of the Regional Council
       1974 -        1981  Gaston Defferre                    (b. 1910 - d. 1986)
       1981 -        1986  Michel Pezet                       (b. 1942)
21 Mar 1986 - 23 Mar 1998  Jean-Claude Gaudin                 (b. 1939)
23 Mar 1998 -              Michel Vauzelle                    (b. 1944)

Rhône-Alpes

Presidents of the Regional Council
       1974 -        1980  Paul Ribeyre                       (b. 1906 - d. 1988)
       1980 -        1981  Michel Durafour                    (b. 1920)
       1981 - 16 Oct 1988  Charles Béraudier                  (b. 1920 - d. 1988)
27 Oct 1988 -  9 Jan 1999  Charles Millon                     (b. 1945)
 9 Jan 1999 -  2 Apr 2004  Anne-Marie Comparini (f)           (b. 1947)
 2 Apr 2004 -              Jean-Jack Queyranne                (b. 1945)

Overseas regions


Guadeloupe

Presidents of the Regional Council
       1974 -        1980  Pierre Mathieu
       1980 -        1981  Robert Pentier
       1981 -        1982  Marcel Esdras                      (b. 1927 - d. 1988)
       1982 -        1983  Marcel Gargar                      (b. 1911 - d. 2004)
   Feb 1983 -    Mar 1986  José Moustache                     (b. 1932)
   Mar 1986 - 29 Mar 1992  Félix Proto
29 Mar 1992 -  2 Apr 2004  Lucette Michaux-Chevry (f)         (b. 1929)
 2 Apr 2004 -              Victorin Lurel                     (b. 1951)

Guyane

Presidents of the Regional Council
       1974 - 28 Jan 1980  Serge Patient                      (b. 1934)
28 Jan 1980 -        1982  Jacques Lony                       (b. 1908? - d. ...)
       1982 - 29 Mar 1992  Georges Othily                     (b. 1944)
29 Mar 1992 - 26 Mar 2010  Antoine Karam                      (b. 1950)
26 Mar 2010 -              Rodolphe Alexandre                 (b. 1953)

Martinique

Presidents of the Regional Council
       1974 -        1983  Camille Petit                      (b. 1912 - d. 1993)
   Feb 1983 -    Jun 1988  Aimé Césaire                       (b. 1913 - d. 2008)
   Jun 1988 - 29 Mar 1992  Camille Darsières                  (b. 1932 - d. 2006)
29 Mar 1992 - 20 Mar 1998  Émile Capgras                      (b. 1926)
20 Mar 1998 - 26 Mar 2010  Alfred Marie-Jeanne                (b. 1936)
26 Mar 2010 -              Serge Letchimy                     (b. 1953)

Réunion

Presidents of the Regional Council
15 Dec 1973 -  3 Jan 1978  Marcel Cerneau                     (b. 1905 - d. 1990)
 3 Jan 1978 - 28 Feb 1983  Yves Barau
28 Feb 1983 -    Mar 1986  Mario Hoarau                       (b. 1914 - d. 1993?)
   Mar 1986 - 27 Mar 1992  Pierre Lagourgue                   (b. 1921 - d. 1998)
27 Mar 1992 - 25 Jun 1993  Camille Sudre                      (b. 1948)
25 Jun 1993 - 23 Mar 1998  Margie Sudre (f)                   (b. 1943)
23 Mar 1998 - 26 Mar 2010  Paul Vergès                        (b. 1925)
26 Mar 2010 -              Didier Robert                      (b. 1964)