[3] An advocate of social reforms[3] and a Catholic supporter of the Republic following the publication of the papal encyclical Au milieu des sollicitudes, he was elected deputy on 3 September 1893, and reelected on 22 May 1898, holding office until 31 May 1902.

"[7] He believed voting to be a "necessary civic experience for all members of a democracy"[8] supporting the election of senators by universal suffrage and proportional representation for deputies.

[10] Established by Jacques Piou in 1901, it was opposed to arbitrary anti-clerical measures, supporting freedom of association, education and religion.

[11] In the 1902 elections Dussaussoy ran on this platform and was narrowly defeated by Louis Mill of the Ligue d'union républicaine.

[3] He called for workers' pensions with an age limit set at 55 or 60, for family benefits and for legislation to assist trade unions, cooperatives and mutual aid societies.

[13] For example, in a 1907 pamphlet the Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau declared that if women were given the vote France would return to the Middle Ages.

[10] In November 1907 the General Council of the Seine yielded to pressure from the leading French feminist Hubertine Auclert and gave its support to the bill.

The former prime minister René Viviani gave an eloquent speech in its support, and the chamber voted in its favour by 344 to 97.

The Senate brought up many of the old arguments against giving women the vote, such as the effect on the status of the husband as head of the family.