Robert Lacoste

Robert Lacoste was born at Azerat (Dordogne) on 5th July 1898 and died at Périgueux on 8th March 1989. A French politician, he was a socialist MP of the Dordogne from 1945 to 1958 and from 1962 to 1967, then senator from 1971 to 1980.

Biography

Robert Lacoste studied at the law school in Paris, and became a civil servant and CGT trade unionist. He participated in the resistance. In 1944, he was Joint Delegate General of the French Committee of National Liberation for occupied France, and become minister for industrial production in the provisional government of general De Gaulle. A member of both houses of parliament, and socialist MP for the Dordogne, he was Minister of Industry until 1950. He was Minister of Finance and the Economy in 1956.

After Guy Mollet's visit to Algeria, greeted by colons (French-Algerian colonists) throwing tomatoes at him, Lacoste replaced general Catroux in February 1956, becoming resident minister and governor general of Algeria. He remained the minister of Algeria until May 1958. A proponent of forceful action, he played a principal role in the Algerian War of Independence. He also promoted accelerated social and economic programmes, highlighted by his efforts to "Algerianise" the administration. He increased Algeria's départements to twelve and drafted the Loi Cadre (enabling or framework law) designed to enhance internal autonomy and Muslim representation.

He sat in the National Assembly once more from 1962 to 1967. From 1971 to 1980, he was elected socialist senator of the Dordogne, assuming from 1974 to 1979 the vice-presidency of the regional council of Aquitaine. President of the superior council of electricity and gas of France in 1950, he was mayor of Azerat until 1983.

Governmental Positions

• Secretary General of Industrial Production under the government of Charles de Gaulle (from 26 August to 4 September 1944)
• Minister of Industrial Production under the government of Charles de Gaulle (from 4 to 10 September 1944)
• Minister of Industrial Production under the government of Charles de Gaulle (from 10 September 1944 to 21 November 1945
• Minister of Industrial Production under the government of Léon Blum (from 16 December 1946 to 22 January 1947)
• Minister of Industrial Production under the government of Paul Ramadier (from 22 January to 11 August 1947)
• Minister of Work and Social Security (temporary) under the government of Paul Ramadier (from 4 to 9 May 1947)
• Minister of Industry and Commerce under the government of Paul Ramadier (from 11 August to 22 October 1947)
• Minister of Industry and Commerce under the government of Paul Ramadier (from 22 October to 24 November 1947)
• Minister of Industry and Commerce under the government of Robert Schuman (from 24 November 1947 to 26 July 1948)
• Minister of Industry and Commerce under the government of André Marie (from 26 July to 5 September 1948)
• Minister of Industry and Commerce under the government of Robert Schuman (from 5 to 11 September 1948)
• Minister of Industry and Commerce under the government of Henri Queuille (from 11 September 1948 to 28 October 1949)
• Minister of Industry and Commerce under the government of Georges Bidault (from 29 October 1949 to 7 February 1950)
• Minister of Economic and Financial Affairs under the goverment of Guy Mollet (from 1 to 9 February 1956)
• Resident Minister in Algeria under the government of Guy Mollet (from 9 February 1956 to 13 June 1957)
• Minister of Algeria under the government of Maurice Bourgès-Maunoury (from 13 June to 6 November 1957)
• Minister of Algeria under the government of Félix Gaillard (from 6 November 1957 to 14 May 1958)