1832-1893. French republican politician,
mayor of Paris during the siege of 1870-71.
As a member of the republican governments of
1879-85 (prime minister 1880-81 and 1883-85).
he was responsible for the law of 1882 making
primary education free, compulsory, and
secular. He directed French colonial
expansion in Tunisia 1881 and Indochina (the
acquisition of Tonkin in 1885).