Fulbert Youlou

Fulbert Youlou
Fulbert Youlou in 1963
1st President of the Republic of the Congo
In office 15 August 1960 – 15 August 1963
Vice President	Stéphane Tchichelle Jacques Opangault
Preceded by	None
Succeeded by	Alphonse Massemba-Débat
2nd Prime Minister of the Republic of the Congo
In office 8 December 1958 – 21 November 1959
Preceded by	Jacques Opangault
Succeeded by	Post abolished, 1959–1963; Alphonse Massemba-Débat
Personal details
Born	(1917-07-19)19 July 1917 Madibou, Moyen-Congo
Died	6 May 1972(1972-05-06) (aged 54) Madrid, Spain
Nationality	Congolese
Political party	Democratic Union for the Defence of African Interests

Abbé Fulbert Youlou (19 July 1917 – 6 May 1972) was a laicized Brazzaville-Congolese Roman Catholic priest, nationalist leader and politician, who became the first President of the Republic of the Congo on its independence.

In August 1960, he led his country into independence. In December 1960 he organised an intercontinental conference in Brazzaville, in the course of which he praised the advantages of economic liberalism and condemned communism. Three years later, he left power.^[1] Youlou disappointed many from the North when he imposed a single party system and imprisoned union leaders in August 1963; this led to the revolution of the "Trois Glorieuses." Charles de Gaulle despised him and France refused to assist him.^[2] He resigned in the face of overwhelming opposition to his governance.