Legislative elections were held in France on 26 April and 10 May 1914, three months before the outbreak of World War I. The Radical Party, a radical and increasingly centre-right party, emerged as the largest party, though, with the outbreak of the First World War, many in the Chamber, ranging from Catholics to socialists, united to form the Union sacrée.

Quick Facts All 592 seats in the Chamber of Deputies 297 seats needed for a majority, Majority party ...

1914 French legislative election

← 1910 26 April and 10 May 1914 1919 →
All 592 seats in the Chamber of Deputies 297 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party   Leader Joseph Caillaux Jean Jaurès Party PRV SFIO Seats won 140 103 Seat change 8 28 Popular vote 1,530,188 1,413,044 Percentage 18.15% 16.76% Swing 2.30pp 3.61pp   Third party Fourth party   Party UR RI Seats won 96 96 Seat change 20 36 Popular vote 1,588,075 1,399,830 Percentage 18.84% 16.60% Swing 1.41pp 5.16pp
Prime Minister before election Gaston Doumergue RI Elected Prime Minister René Viviani PRS

Close

The elections saw 192 new members elected.^[1]

Alexandre Ribot, a member of the Republican Democratic Party, negotiated a government on 9 June 1914, but its perceived overly-centrist leanings lead much of the left-wing of the Radical Party to rebel against it, bringing it down on the day it was presented to the chamber. Ribot was quickly succeeded by René Viviani of the Republican-Socialist Party, who formed a centre-left government on 13 June, only four days later.