Armand Fallieres - Cl幦ent Armand Falli鋨es (November 6, 1841 - June 22, 1931) was a French politician, president of the French republic from 1906 to 1913. He was born at M憴in in the d廧artement of Lot-et-Garonne, France, where his father was clerk of the peace. He studied law and became an advocate at N廨ac, beginning his public career there as municipal councillor (1868), afterwards mayor (1871), and as councillor-general of the d廧artement of Lot-et-Garonne (1871). Being an ardent Republican, he lost this position in May 1873 , but in February 1876 was elected deputy. In the chamber he sat with the Republican Left, signed the protestation of May 18, 1877, and was re-elected in October by his constituency.In 1880 he became under-secretary of state (May 1880 to November 1881). From August 7, 1882 to February 20, 1883 he was minister of the interior, and for a month (from January 29, 1883) was prime minister. In November 1883, he was chosen as minister of public instruction by Jules Ferry, and carried out various reforms in the school system. He finally took the department of justice from March 1890 to February 1892. In June 1890 his d廧artement (Lot-et-Garonne) elected him to the senate by 417 votes to 23. There Falli鋨es remained independent of party struggles, although maintaining his influence among the Republic. In March 1899 he was elected president of the senate, and retained that position until January 1906, when he was chosen by a union of the groups of the Left in both chambers as candidate for the presidency of the republic. He was elected on the first ballot by 449 votes against 371. Fallieres was an outspoken oppoonent of the death penalty and gave pardon to many prisoners sentenced to death. ?007 TopFoto