23 juillet 1889
18 juin 1973
Georges Bonnet, né à Bassillac (Dordogne) le 23 juillet 1889 et mort à Paris le 18 juin 1973, est un homme politique français, député radical-socialiste de la Dordogne de 1924 à 1940 et de 1956 à 1968 et plusieurs fois ministre entre 1925 et 1940.
Fils de François Gaston Bonnet et de Catherine Berthe Texier, il épouse en 1920 Odette Pelletan, fille d'André Pelletan et petite-fille d'Eugène Pelletan, ce qui le fait entrer de plain-pied dans le monde de l'« aristocratie républicaine ».
Licencié en droit, licencié ès lettres, diplômé d'études supérieures de philosophie, il est brillamment reçu au concours d'auditeur au Conseil d'État, en 1913. Mobilisé comme maréchal-des-logis en août 1914, il termine la guerre comme lieutenant d'artillerie avec la Croix de guerre et celle de Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur.
Après l'armistice, il est nommé directeur des services de la démobilisation.
Délégué de la France à la Conférence de la Paix, dont il est l'un des secrétaires, il approche les grands hommes d'État étrangers qui participent à la préparation du traité de Versailles, notamment Wilson et Lloyd-Georges.
Chef de cabinet du sous-secrétaire d'État aux Postes, Télégraphes et Téléphones, Louis Deschamps, de 1919 à 1921, il est nommé chef de la délégation française à la Conférence de l'Union postale de Madrid, et fait adopter le franc-or comme monnaie internationale.
Ainsi introduit dans le monde politique, il se présente aux élections générales législatives du 16 novembre 1919 dans son département natal ; il figure en deuxième position sur la liste de concentration économique et républicaine, mais essuie un échec. Il prend sa revanche aux élections générales suivantes où il est élu le 11 mai 1924, sur la liste d'Union des gauches.
Le scrutin uninominal ayant été rétabli, il est battu le 22 avril 1928 dans la circonscription de Nontron. Son absence de la vie parlementaire est de courte durée. Le 24 février 1929, il emporte, à une élection partielle, le siège laissé vacant dans la première circonscription de Périgueux par l'élection de Félix Gadaud au Sénat ; il est par la suite réélu aux renouvellements du 1er mai 1932 et du 26 avril 1936.
Georges Bonnet sera quinze fois ministre. Il est nommé le 17 avril 1925 sous-secrétaire d'État à la Présidence du Conseil dans le deuxième cabinet Painlevé. Il organise les services de la présidence du Conseil, jusque là embryonnaires, rétablit la paix religieuse en Alsace-Lorraine et crée le Conseil économique. Le 29 octobre de la même année, il devient ministre du Budget dans le troisième cabinet Painlevé. Il est ensuite successivement ministre des Pensions dans le deuxième cabinet Herriot du 19 juillet 1926, ministre du Commerce et de l'Industrie dans le premier cabinet Chautemps du 21 février 1930, ministre des P.T.T. dans le cabinet Steeg du 13 décembre 1930, ministre des Travaux publics dans le cabinet Paul-Boncour du 18 décembre 1932. Il est ministre des Finances dans le premier cabinet Daladier du 31 janvier 1933, le premier cabinet Sarraut du 26 octobre 1933 et le deuxième cabinet Chautemps du 26 novembre 1933.
C'est en qualité de ministre des Finances qu'il créé la loterie nationale qui devait survivre à tous les évènements, et obtient du Parlement le vote de mesures de redressement financier qui, à trois reprises, en février, en mai, et en décembre 1933, réduisent de plusieurs milliards le déficit budgétaire.
Il est à nouveau ministre du Commerce et de l'Industrie dans le quatrième cabinet Laval du 7 juin 1935 et le deuxième cabinet Sarraut du 24 janvier 1936. Il prépare, à ce titre, l'exposition internationale de 1937, approuve les plans du Palais de Chaillot et signe le premier traité de commerce avec les États-Unis.
Entre-temps, il est délégué à la Conférence de Lausanne qui le nomme président de celle de Stresa en 1932.
En 1933, il prend la tête de la délégation française à la Conférence de Londres.
Nommé en janvier 1937 ambassadeur de France à Washington, il informe le président Roosevelt du danger imminent de la guerre et lui demande de ne pas laisser voter la loi de neutralité par le Congrès.
Lors de la crise financière de 1937, il est rappelé en France pour prendre le ministère des Finances et de l'Économie nationale dans le troisième cabinet Chautemps formé le 22 juin pour « sauver le franc », selon l'expression de Paul Reynaud. Grâce aux pleins pouvoirs que lui accorde le Parlement, il rétablit la situation financière.
En janvier 1938 le président Albert Lebrun fait appel à lui pour former une nouvelle équipe. Assuré du concours de Joseph Caillaux et d'Henri Bérenger, il lance un appel radiodiffusé au pays et lui demande de consentir à l'Union nationale face à la guerre qui menace. Il demande au président Lebrun de prendre l'engagement de dissoudre la Chambre au cas où le Gouvernement serait renversé. Mais le Président refuse de lui donner cette assurance et il renonce à former un cabinet. Il consent malgré tout à entrer dans le quatrième cabinet Chautemps, en qualité de ministre d'État chargé de la coordination de l'action économique et financière.
Il est ensuite nommé ministre des Affaires étrangères dans le troisième cabinet Daladier formé en avril 1938. Il reçoit les souverains anglais au Quai d'Orsay et signe plusieurs accords internationaux notamment les accords franco-espagnols et franco-turcs. Il multiplie les efforts en vue d'éviter la guerre en 1938 (accords de Munich) et en 1939. Sa politique visant à tendre la main à l'Italie et à l'Allemagne lui vaudra d'être poursuivi après la Libération.
Après la déclaration de guerre (septembre 1939) il quitte le Quai d'Orsay pour la place Vendôme où il assume les fonctions de Garde des Sceaux dans le même cabinet jusqu'en mars 1940.
Georges Bonnet participe au mois de juin, à Bordeaux, où le Gouvernement s'est réfugié, aux pressions des « pacifistes » contre le départ des autorités en Afrique du Nord. Il appelle à l'Union sacrée autour de Philippe Pétain et c'est sans surprise que le 10 juillet 1940, à Vichy, il vote les pouvoirs constituants au Maréchal, comme la majorité de ses collègues du Parlement. Proche du nouveau pouvoir, G. Bonnet ne réside cependant que très peu à Vichy et se retire le plus souvent en Dordogne auprès de son épouse, très malade. En janvier 1941, G. Bonnet est nommé pour siéger au Conseil national nouvellement créé. Il en est révoqué au début de l'année 1943 alors qu'il prend de plus en plus de distance avec le régime. Les Allemands le qualifient alors d' « attentiste ». Inquiété à la fois par la Résistance et par les Nazis qui enquêtent sur lui, G. Bonnet décide de s'exiler et trouve refuge en Suisse à partir du 5 avril 1944.
Il ne rentre en France qu'en 1951. Il est élu conseiller général du canton de Champagnac, puis maire de Brantôme (1955-1965). En 1956, il entre à nouveau au Palais-Bourbon, élu sur la liste radicale aux élections générales du 2 janvier. Il quitte l'Assemblée en 1968.
Outre une riche carrière politique, Georges Bonnet exerça également la profession d'avocat et rédigea près d'une quinzaine d'ouvrages, essentiellement des souvenirs dont Vingt ans de vie politique et Dans la tourmente publiés en 1969 et 1971.
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