FR

Sadi Carnot, President during the Third Republic (1837-1894, Year of Entry: 1857)

After his time at École Polytechnique, Sadi Carnot graduated from École des Ponts in 1863, and became Chief Engineer of the Haute-Savoie region. He designed the Thiou sluice gate, a well-known system for regulating the water outlet of Lake Annecy. But then his career took a political turn. He held positions as Deputy of the Côte d'Or, Secretary of the Republican Left, Minister of Public Works in the Ferry cabinet in 1880, then Chairman of the Democratic Left, Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies and Minister of Public Works. He then served as President of France from 1887 until his assassination by an Italian anarchist in 1894. During his career, Sadi Carnot had to cope with the Panama scandals and the period of unrest from supporters of General Boulanger. He also helped found the Franco-Russian alliance and is the only French president buried in the Panthéon.