Odilon Barrot

Odilon Barrot ( born July 19, 1791 in Villefort; † August 6, 1873 in Bougival ) was a French politician. He was one of the leaders of the moderate liberal- constitutional opposition during the July Monarchy and the Second Republic was during the 1848-1849 Prime Minister.

Early years

Barrot came from a family of lawyers and was himself a lawyer since 1811. Brothers Ferdinand Barrot and Adolphe Barrot. While he had initially welcomed the restoration, he soon turned against the regime. He defended opposition activists took part in political meetings and even supported the Protestants persecuted in 1816 in southern France. From 1827 he was a member of the opposition Association Aide -toi.

July Monarchy

He was a constitutional liberal monarchist. He spoke during the July Revolution of 1830 by a " kingdom, surrounded by republican institutions ." During the Revolution he played a certain role as secretary of the Munizipalkommission. Commissioned by Louis -Philippe I, he contributed to the fact that Charles X abdicated and went into exile. After that, he was prefect of the former Seine. He came into conflict with the government, and put 1831 his office. He forfeited his membership in the Council of State.

During the July Monarchy, he was the leader of the Orleanistic left. This called himself a dynastic left ( gauche dynastique ) and saw itself as the party of movement ( Parti du Mouvement ). This term was later adopted by the German liberals. Using guided by Barrot grouping there was a loose coalition of constitutional liberals. Their goal was a greater democratization of state institutions, the expansion of civil liberties and a gradual reduction of the electoral census. His party won 100 seats in 1846.

Barrot organized in 1847 the so-called banquet campaign ( Campagne des Banquets ) with the aim to enforce electoral reforms. Numerous banquets of Deputies were held with the support of the opposition press, which had a great impact on public opinion. In the course of this movement of opinion between the moderates to Barrot and the Republicans were clearly without being able to come to an open rupture.

February Revolution

The campaign should be continued beginning of 1848, but was postponed by the government of François Guizot to a later date. The question of the banquet was a fundamental discussion between government and opposition and contributed to the outbreak of the February Revolution in. When the banquet was held on 22 February, the moderates not involved in it, and left the Republican field. One day later the revolution broke out.

As leader of the parliamentary opposition saw Barrot surprised by the February Revolution. He initially held firmly to the support of the system in 1830 and failed to realize that it was indeed a revolution in motion. He was born on February 24, 1848 along with Adolphe Thiers member of the last royal government. When defeat of the regime was foreseeable, he let the troops from Paris deduct, thus contributing to the downfall of the monarchy.

After a provisional republican government was formed, resigned most moderate liberals and feared a reign of terror as during the first French Revolution. Contrast Barrot offered the government his support to prevent radicalization. He was a member of the National Assembly.

Prime minister

After the presidential elections of 1848 Louis Napoleon Bonaparte was dependent on the political support of other forces as well as on political experience and expertise. Therefore, he appointed Barrot justice minister and head of government. Initially, the position of Barrot to the President was very strong. In the Parliament, dominated by the Republicans. End of January 1849, the government suffered defeats in Parliament. Nevertheless, the government remained, supported by Louis Napoleon in office. Barrot was change and threatened a coup Parliament with troops. Against this background, the Parliament dissolved itself and allowed elections. Before the election, the government intervened militarily to restore the 1848 replaced by the Roman Republic Papal States. The aim was also to gain the confident Catholics for a support of the government. The elections of May 13, 1849 brought a clear victory for the pro-government party of Order. Demonstrations also strengthened the Left were violently as a result. On 31 October 1849 the Cabinet of the party of Order was released under Barrot. One reason was that the President nothing against the anti- liberal policies of Pius IX. have undertaken.

Last years

Then Barrot turned back to the Orleanist. As opposition, he was arrested in 1852. After the formation of the Third Republic, he was born in 1872 ( Vice) President of the State Council.