Léon Blum
Léon Blum | |
|---|---|
Blum in 1936 | |
| Prime Minister of France | |
| In office 16 December 1946 – 22 January 1947 | |
| President | Vincent Auriol |
| Preceded by | Georges Bidault |
| Succeeded by | Paul Ramadier |
| In office 13 March 1938 – 10 April 1938 | |
| President | Albert Lebrun |
| Deputy | Édouard Daladier |
| Preceded by | Camille Chautemps |
| Succeeded by | Édouard Daladier |
| In office 4 June 1936 – 22 June 1937 | |
| President | Albert Lebrun |
| Deputy | Édouard Daladier |
| Preceded by | Albert Sarraut |
| Succeeded by | Camille Chautemps |
| Deputy Prime Minister of France | |
| In office 28 July 1948 – 5 September 1948 | |
| Prime Minister | André Marie |
| Preceded by | Vacant |
| Succeeded by | André Marie |
| In office 29 June 1937 – 18 January 1938 | |
| Prime Minister | Camille Chautemps |
| Preceded by | Édouard Daladier |
| Succeeded by | Édouard Daladier |
| Personal details | |
| Born | André Léon Blum 9 April 1872 Paris, France |
| Died | 30 March 1950 (aged 77) Jouy-en-Josas, France |
| Political party | French Section of the Workers' International |
| Spouses |
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| Children | Robert Blum |
| Parents |
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| Education | University of Paris |
| Signature | |
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André Léon Blum (French: [ɑ̃dʁe leɔ̃ blum]; 9 April 1872 – 30 March 1950) was a French socialist politician and three-time Prime Minister of France. As a Jew, he was heavily influenced by the Dreyfus affair of the late 19th century. He was a disciple of socialist leader Jean Jaurès. After Jaurès' assassination in 1914, he became his successor.
Despite Blum's relatively short tenures, his time in office was very influential. As Prime Minister in the left-wing Popular Front government in 1936–1937, he provided a series of major economic and social reforms. Blum declared neutrality in the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) to avoid the civil conflict spilling over into France itself. Once out of office in 1938, he denounced the appeasement of Germany.
When Germany defeated France in 1940, Blum became a staunch opponent of Vichy France. Tried (but never judged) by the Vichy government on charges of treason, he was imprisoned in the Buchenwald concentration camp. After the war, he resumed a transitional leadership role in French politics, helping to bring about the French Fourth Republic, until his death in 1950.