WALDECK-ROUSSEAU, PIERRE-MARIE-ERNEST. - French politician, b. Dec. 2, 1846 at Nantes, d. Aug. 10, 1904 at Paris.
He practiced law at St-Nazaire and Rennes; a fervent republican, he was elected in 1879 deputy to the Chamber in the first constituency of Rennes. He belonged to the Union républicaine. His oratorical gifts and preparation earned him the esteem of Gambetta, who appointed him Minister of the Interior in the great ministry (Nov. 14, 1881-Jan. 26, 1882). He again held the Interior and Worship portfolios in Ferry’s second cabinet for two years (Feb. 20, 1883-March 31, 1885), and promoted several laws of a social character, including that on the legal recognition of workers’ associations and professional unions. Reelected to the Chamber in 1885, he temporarily retired from public affairs in 1889, returning to the Senate in 1894. The serious crisis occasioned by the Dreyfus Affair (v.) brought Waldeck-Rousseau to the presidency of the Council of Ministers and simultaneously to the ministries of the Interior and Worship in June 1899. Under the pretext of defending the Republic from every threat, he promoted a sectarian policy against religious orders, and with the law of July 1, 1901 on the contract of association effectively banished the regular clergy from France. Waldeck-Rousseau remained president of the Council until June 3, 1902.