Clemenceau, Eugene

Eugene (1841-), a French political leader and journalist. He studied medicine at Paris, began to practice, but was drawn into local politics. When the Franco-Prussian War came on he found himself a leader of the radical party and mayor of the Montmartre section of the city. In 1876 he became the leader of the radical Republicans in the Chamber of Deputies. Clemenceau was in position more than once to head the French ministry, but as often refused, preferring to be on the offensive rather than the defensive. He suffered severely in reputation on account of the De Lesseps-Panama scandals, and failed of reelection. He is known best perhaps as the editor of La Justice, the organ of the radical party.