Home > Le Figaro

The Parisian paper was founded as a satirical weekly in 1825, taking its name and motto from Le Barbier de Seville, a play by Pierre Beaumarchais. (The motto, "Sans la liberté de blâmer, il n'est point d'éloge flatteur" translates as "Without the freedom to criticise, there is no praise".) It was published somewhat irregularly until 1854, when it was taken over by Hippolyte de Villemessant. By 1866 it had gained the greatest circulation of any newspaper in Francie; its first daily edition, that of 16 November 1866 sold 56,000 copies. Albert Wolff, Émile Zola and Jules Claretie were among the paper's early contributors.

On March 16, 1914, Gaston Calmette , the editor of Le Figaro, was assassinated by Henriette Caillaux, the wife of the former Prime Minister of FranceThe Prime Minister of France Premier ministre de la France is the functional head of the Cabinet of France. In the Fifth Republic the chief political figure in France is the President with the Prime Minister having secondary importance. However when there after he published a letter that cast serious doubt on her husband's integrity.

In 1922 Le Figaro was purchased by perfume millionaire François CotyFrancois Coty ( May 3, 1874 July 25, 1934) was a French perfume manufacturer and the founder of the right wing paramilitary group Solidarite Francaise. Coty was born Corsican, with the last name Spoturno. Coty, Francois Coty, Francois.. In 1975 Le Figaro was bought by Robert HersantRobert Hersant ( January 30, 1920 April 21 1996) was a French newspaper magnate with right-wing political views. Robert Hersant founded the rightist political party Jeune Front in 1940. He was sentenced in 1947 to 10 years of national indignity for collab. As of 2004, Le Figaro is controlled by Serge DassaultSerge Dassault (born 4 April 1925) is a French entrepreneur. He is the son of Marcel Dassault, from which he inherited the Dassault Group (see also Dassault Aviation). His group owns 82% of Socpresse, which controls many French newspapers (including Le Fi, a conservative businessman and politician best known for controlling the aircraft manufacturer Dassault AviationFormerly named Societe des Avions Marcel Bloch or "MB", the Dassault Aviation is a French aircraft manufacturer of military, regional and business jets. It has also operated under the name Dassault-Breguet''. It was founded by Marcel Dassault. Shareholder. This ownership of a major national newspaper by a person who also controls a major military supplier, as well as being a mayorA mayor ( Latin major "better") is the chief executive official of a city, town, or village. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs as to the powers and responsibilities of a mayor, as well as the means of becoming mayor. The French from the ruling political party UMP, and whose son Olivier Dassault is a member of the French National Assembly for the same party, was highly controversial inside and outside the newspaper.[1]