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| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1547 |
| Jurisdiction | Government of France |
| Headquarters | Hôtel du ministre des Affaires étrangères, 37 Quai d'Orsay, Paris 7e |
| Agency executive |
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| Website | diplomatie |
| This article is part of a series on |
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 Franceportal |
The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (French : Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères, MEAE) is the ministry of the Government of France that handles France's foreign relations. Since 1855, its headquarters have been located at 37 Quai d'Orsay, close to the National Assembly. The term Quai d'Orsay is often used as a metonym for the ministry. Its cabinet minister, the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs (French : Ministre de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères) is responsible for the foreign relations of France. The current officeholder, Jean-Noël Barrot, was appointed in September 2024. (For a brief period in the 1980s from 1984 to 1986, the office was titled Minister for External Relations.)
Contents
- Central administration
- Secretaries of State (1547–1723)
- Minister for Foreign Affairs (1718–1791)
- Ministers of Foreign Affairs (1791–2007)
- Consulate and First Empire
- First Restoration and the Hundred Days
- Second Restoration
- July Monarchy
- Second Republic
- Second Empire
- Third Republic
- Vichy Regime
- Free French Commissioners
- Fourth Republic
- Fifth Republic
- Ministers of Foreign and European Affairs (2007–2012)
- Ministers of Foreign Affairs and International Development (2012–2017)
- Ministers of Europe and Foreign Affairs (2017–present)
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- External links
In 1547, royal secretaries became specialised, writing correspondence to foreign governments and negotiating peace treaties. The four French secretaries of state where foreign relations were divided by region, in 1589, became centralised with one becoming first secretary responsible for international relations. The Ancien Régime position of Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs became Foreign Minister around 1723; [1] it was renamed Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1791 in the aftermath of early stages of the French Revolution. All ministerial positions were abolished in 1794 by the National Convention and reestablished with the Directory.
