François Billoux (21 May 1903 – 14 January 1978) was a French communist politician.

François Billoux
François Billoux in 1946.
Minister of National Defence
In office
22 January 1947 – 4 May 1947
Prime MinisterPaul Ramadier
Preceded byAndré Le Troquer
Succeeded byYvon Delbos
Minister of Reconstruction and Urban Development
In office
26 January 1946 – 28 November 1946
Prime MinisterFélix Gouin
Georges Bidault
Preceded byRaoul Dautry
Succeeded byRené Schmitt
Minister of National Economy
In office
21 November 1945 – 26 January 1946
Prime MinisterCharles de Gaulle
Preceded byRené Pleven
Succeeded byAndré Philip
Minister of Public Health
In office
10 September 1944 – 21 November 1945
Prime MinisterCharles de Gaulle
Preceded byLouis-Pasteur Vallery-Radot
Succeeded byRobert Prigent
Personal details
Born(1903-05-21)21 May 1903
Saint-Romain-la-Motte, Loire, French Third Republic
Died14 January 1978(1978-01-14) (aged 74)
Menton, Alpes-Maritimes, France
Resting placePère Lachaise Cemetery
NationalityFrench
Political partyFrench Communist Party

Biography

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Billoux was born in Saint-Romain-la-Motte. He was a member of the Central Committee of the French Communist Party (PCF) from 1926, and a member of the Politburo from 1936. From 1928 until 1931, he was also General Secretary of the Young Communist Movement of France (MJCF), the youth wing of the PCF.

Billoux served as a member of the Chamber of Deputies from 1936 to 1940, and the National Assembly from 1945 to 1978, representing Bouches-du-Rhône. During World War II, Billoux was interned in France and Algeria from 1940 until he was freed after Operation Torch in 1943. In the post-war years, he served as Minister of Public Health (1944–1945), Minister of National Economy (1945–1946), Minister of Reconstruction and Urban Development (1946) and Minister of National Defence (1947). He died in Menton, and is buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.[1]

References

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  1. ^ "François Billoux". National Assembly. Retrieved 27 November 2016.