He studied law and became an advocate at Nérac, beginning his public career there as municipal councilor (1868), afterwards mayor (1871), and as councillor-general of the department of Lot-et-Garonne (1871).

In the Chamber he sat with the Opportunist Republican parliamentary group, Gauche républicaine, signed the protestation of 18 May 1877, and was re-elected five months later.

His ministry had to face the question of the expulsion of the pretenders to the throne of France, owing to the proclamation by Prince Napoléon (January 1883).

[2] Fallières, who was ill at the time, was not able to face the storm of opposition, and resigned when the Senate rejected his project.

The following November, however, he was chosen as minister of public instruction by Jules Ferry, and carried out various reforms in the school system.