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The Third Republic (1870-1940)
After the fall of the Second Empire of Napoleon III, the Third Republic anchors the republican regime in France. Léon Gambetta proclaims it on 4 September 1870.
Key points of the sheet
- It is born amid tensions between republicans and monarchists. In 1871, the Paris Commune (Commune de Paris) opposes the new monarchist Assembly. The government of Adolphe Thiers represses it violently.
- The royalists are divided and fail to restore the monarchy. The Republic settles for the long term with the constitutional laws of 1875.
- The Third Republic ends on 10 July 1940, during the war. This is when the Vichy regime is set up.
- No single figure embodies this regime: it has 16 presidents. They reflect the diversity and continuity of the regime.
- This regime affirms major freedoms, such as the freedom of public assembly without permission or the freedom to form trade unions (except in the civil service). With the law of 5 April 1884, male citizens can elect the municipal council.
- The Third Republic sets up a stable parliamentary democracy. It has a president, a Parliament with two chambers and a government accountable to this Parliament.
- Thanks to the laws of Jules Ferry, the Third Republic extends free public school to all in 1881. It extends secular and compulsory school to all in 1882.
- The 1905 law separates the Churches and the State. This law founds secularism (laïcité).
Words to know
- Paris Commune (Commune de Paris)
- It is a Parisian and republican insurrection movement of 1871, violently repressed by the Thiers government.
- constitutional laws of 1875 (lois constitutionnelles de 1875)
- With these laws, the Republic settles in France for the long term.
- parliamentary democracy (démocratie parlementaire)
- Under the Third Republic, it has a president, a two-chamber Parliament and a government accountable to this Parliament.
- Vichy regime (régime de Vichy)
- It is set up on 10 July 1940, during the war. At that moment, the Third Republic ends.
- secularism (laïcité)
- It is founded by the 1905 law on the separation of the Churches and the State.
- municipal council (conseil municipal)
- Since the law of 5 April 1884, male citizens can elect the municipal council of their municipality (commune).
Test yourself: 3 questions
Who proclaims the Third Republic in 1870?
In French, the language of the exam: Qui proclame la IIIème République en 1870 ?
The Third Republic is proclaimed on 4 September 1870 by Léon Gambetta.
In what year is the law separating the Churches and the State passed?
In French, the language of the exam: En quelle année est votée la loi de séparation des Églises et de l'État ?
The Third Republic introduces the 1905 law on the separation of the Churches and the State. This law founds secularism (laïcité).
How many presidents did the Third Republic have?
In French, the language of the exam: Combien de présidents la IIIème République a-t-elle eus ?
The Third Republic is not embodied by a single figure, but by 16 presidents.
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Source
Sheet “La IIIème République (1870-1940)” of the French Ministry of the Interior: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr. Content published under the Etalab Open Licence 2.0. This page is a plain-language adaptation made by Hexaciv, which is not an official site: if in doubt, the ministry's text is the one that counts.
Ministry sheet read on 23 October 2026, still identical on 25 October 2026.