# François Mitterrand

_21st President of the French Republic from 1981 to 1995 (1916–1996)_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/francois-mitterrand
Last updated: 2026-11-04

> François Marie Adrien Maurice Mitterrand was President of France from 1981 to 1995. He was the first left-wing politician to assume the presidency under the Fifth Republic, successfully remaining in office longer than any other republican head of state in French history.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 26 October 1916 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2038#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Maison natale de François Mitterrand ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2038#P19))
- **Died:** 8 January 1996 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2038#P570))
- **Place of death:** 7th arrondissement of Paris ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2038#P20))
- **Citizenship:** France ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2038#P27))
- **Occupation:** politician; lawyer; journalist ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2038#P106))
- **Political party:** Socialist Party (1971–1996); Federation of the Democratic and Socialist Left (1965–1968); Convention of Republican Institutions (1964–1971); Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance (1946–1964) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2038#P102))
- **Education:** Paris Law Faculty; Paris Institute of Political Studies ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2038#P69))
- **Spouse:** Danielle Mitterrand ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2038#P26))
- **Positions held:** President of the French Republic (21 May 1981 – 17 May 1995); French co-prince of Andorra (21 May 1981 – 17 May 1995); député de la Nièvre (3 April 1978 – 22 May 1981); député de la Nièvre (2 April 1973 – 2 April 1978); First Secretary of the French Socialist Party (16 June 1971 – 24 January 1981); député de la Nièvre (11 July 1968 – 1 April 1973); député de la Nièvre (3 April 1967 – 30 May 1968); president of the general council (1964–1981); député de la Nièvre (6 December 1962 – 2 April 1967); Senator of the French Fifth Republic (8 July 1959 – 16 March 1961); Mayor of Château-Chinon (Ville) (1959–1981); Minister of Justice (1 February 1956 – 13 June 1957); député de la Nièvre (19 January 1956 – 8 December 1958); Minister of the Interior of France (19 June 1954 – 23 February 1955); Minister of European Affairs of France (28 June 1953 – 4 September 1953); député de la Nièvre (5 July 1951 – 1 December 1955); Minister for Overseas France (10 March 1951 – 11 August 1951); Minister for Overseas France (12 July 1950 – 10 March 1951); Minister of Veterans Affairs (24 November 1947 – 6 July 1948); Minister of Justice (22 January 1947 – 22 October 1947); député de la Nièvre (28 November 1946 – 4 July 1951); senator of the Community; conseiller général de la Nièvre ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2038#P39))
- **Awards:** Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour; Croix de guerre 1939–1945; Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic; Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath; Collar of the Order of Isabella the Catholic‎; Collar of the Order of the White Lion; Charlemagne Prize; honorary citizen of Frankfurt am Main; Order of the Three Stars, 1st Class; Grand Collar of the Order of Prince Henry; Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit; Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Falcon; Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland; Order of the Francisque ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2038#P166))

## Questions

**When was François Mitterrand born?**  
François Mitterrand was born on 26 October 1916 in Maison natale de François Mitterrand.

**What positions has François Mitterrand held?**  
Positions held by François Mitterrand include: President of the French Republic (1981–1995); French co-prince of Andorra (1981–1995); député de la Nièvre (1978–1981); député de la Nièvre (1973–1978); First Secretary of the French Socialist Party (1971–1981).

**Where did François Mitterrand study?**  
François Mitterrand was educated at Paris Law Faculty, Paris Institute of Political Studies.

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- [Louis XIV](https://diginpl.com/people/louis-xiv)
- [Louis XVIII](https://diginpl.com/people/louis-xviii)
- [Charles X of France](https://diginpl.com/people/charles-x-of-france)
- [Pierre Bérégovoy](https://diginpl.com/people/pierre-beregovoy)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): François Mitterrand](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran%C3%A7ois_Mitterrand) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q2038](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2038) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: President François Mitterrand in 1983.jpg by Comet Photo AG (Zürich) (CC BY-SA 4.0)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:President_Fran%C3%A7ois_Mitterrand_in_1983.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article François Mitterrand, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: President François Mitterrand in 1983.jpg — Comet Photo AG (Zürich), CC BY-SA 4.0.

## Cite this page

"François Mitterrand". DigiNepal. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/francois-mitterrand. Retrieved 6 November 2026.