Molé, Louis Mathieu, Comte

Molé, Louis Mathieu, Comte (lwē mätyö` kôNt môlā`), 1781–1855, French politician. He was made a count and minister of justice by Emperor Napoleon I and later served in several cabinets under King Louis XVIII. King Louis Philippe appointed him foreign minister (1830) and premier (1836–39). Molé was Louis Philippe's personal favorite for the post of premier, since he was willing to follow the king's lead, a policy that earned him criticism from both the right and left in the chamber of deputies. Because of this opposition Molé persuaded the king to dissolve the chamber and to order new elections. A large majority voted in favor of the parliamentary opposition, and Molé resigned. He was active in the Second Republic (1848–52) but retired after the coup of Louis Napoleon (later Napoleon III) in 1851.