🇫🇷 France
Semi-presidential republicLiberal democracy
Emmanuel Macron
President · 3,396 days in office · 254 days remaining
How the political system works in France
France has both a president and a prime minister. Voters choose the president directly every five years. The president sets the country's overall direction and picks a prime minister to run the day-to-day government. A president can only serve two terms in a row.
Next election: 2027 — French presidential election, expected April 2027.
Tenure records
Longest-serving
François Mitterrand
5,109 days
Shortest-serving
Frédéric François-Marsal
2 days
Average tenure
1,700 days
Emmanuel Macron: 100% above average
Recent presidents by days in office
Is a leader's tenure getting longer or shorter in France?
Across 31 completed terms, the average president of France has served 1,700 days (about 4.7 years). Terms are getting longer: the last five completed terms averaged 3,139 days.
One completed term Average tenure per decade
All presidents of France
| # | Name | Took office | Left office | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32 |  Emmanuel Macron | May 14, 2017 | Incumbent | 3,396 |
| 31 |  François Hollande | May 15, 2012 | May 14, 2017 | 1,825 |
| 30 |  Nicolas Sarkozy | May 16, 2007 | May 15, 2012 | 1,826 |
| 29 |  Jacques Chirac | May 17, 1995 | May 16, 2007 | 4,382 |
| 28 |  François Mitterrand | May 21, 1981 | May 17, 1995 | 5,109 |
| 27 |  Valéry Giscard d'Estaing | May 27, 1974 | May 21, 1981 | 2,551 |
| 26 |  Alain Poher | Apr 3, 1974 | May 27, 1974 | 54 |
| 25 |  Georges Pompidou | Jun 20, 1969 | Apr 2, 1974 | 1,747 |
| 24 | Alain Poher | Apr 28, 1969 | Jun 20, 1969 | 53 |
| 23 |  Charles de Gaulle | Jan 8, 1959 | Apr 28, 1969 | 3,763 |
| 22 |  René Coty | Jan 16, 1954 | Jan 8, 1959 | 1,818 |
| 21 |  Vincent Auriol | Jan 16, 1947 | Jan 16, 1954 | 2,557 |
| 20 |  Georges Bidault | Jun 24, 1946 | Oct 14, 1946 | 112 |
| 19 |  Albert Lebrun | May 10, 1932 | Jul 11, 1940 | 2,984 |
| 18 |  Paul Doumer | Jun 13, 1931 | May 7, 1932 | 329 |
| 17 |  Gaston Doumergue | Jun 13, 1924 | Jun 13, 1931 | 2,556 |
| 16 |  Frédéric François-Marsal | Jun 11, 1924 | Jun 13, 1924 | 2 |
| 15 |  Alexandre Millerand | Sep 23, 1920 | Jun 11, 1924 | 1,357 |
| 14 |  Paul Deschanel | Feb 18, 1920 | Sep 21, 1920 | 216 |
| 13 |  Raymond Poincaré | Feb 18, 1913 | Feb 18, 1920 | 2,556 |
| 12 |  Armand Fallières | Feb 18, 1906 | Feb 18, 1913 | 2,557 |
| 11 |  Émile Loubet | Feb 18, 1899 | Feb 18, 1906 | 2,556 |
| 10 |  Félix Faure | Jan 17, 1895 | Feb 16, 1899 | 1,491 |
| 9 |  Jean Casimir-Perier | Jun 27, 1894 | Jan 16, 1895 | 203 |
| 8 |  Charles Dupuy | Jun 25, 1894 | Jun 27, 1894 | 2 |
| 7 |  Sadi Carnot | Dec 3, 1887 | Jun 25, 1894 | 2,396 |
| 6 |  Jules Grévy | Jan 30, 1879 | Dec 2, 1887 | 3,228 |
| 5 |  Patrice de MacMahon | May 24, 1873 | Jan 30, 1879 | 2,077 |
| 4 |  Adolphe Thiers | Aug 31, 1871 | May 24, 1873 | 632 |
| 3 |  Louis Jules Trochu | Sep 4, 1870 | Jan 22, 1871 | 140 |
| 2 |  Napoleon III | Dec 20, 1848 | Dec 2, 1852 | 1,443 |
| 1 |  Louis-Eugène Cavaignac | Jun 28, 1848 | Dec 20, 1848 | 175 |
Officeholder history via Wikidata. Multiple rows for one person indicate separate terms.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is the President of France?
- Emmanuel Macron has been President of France since May 14, 2017.
- How is the leader of France chosen?
- France has both a president and a prime minister. Voters choose the president directly every five years. The president sets the country's overall direction and picks a prime minister to run the day-to-day government. A president can only serve two terms in a row.
- Who is the longest-serving President of France?
- François Mitterrand, with 5,109 days in office.
- Are leaders serving longer or shorter terms in France?
- Across 31 completed terms, the average president of France has served 1,700 days (about 4.7 years). Terms are getting longer: the last five completed terms averaged 3,139 days.