Jean Preval
Jean Dogo Preval | |
|---|---|
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| 5th President of Carucere | |
| In office 15 October 1972 – 11 August 1984 | |
| Premier | Jacque D. Smith |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Victorin Lurel |
| Lieutenant-Général of the Provincial Guard | |
| In office 19 March 1944 – 15 October 1948 | |
| Governor | Pierre Belain |
| Preceded by | Henri Arron |
| Succeeded by | Office destablished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 January 1914 Bijazozau, Colony of Saint Brendan, Viceroyalty of the New Aurean |
| Died | 11 August 1985 (aged 81) Kingston, Carucere |
| Nationality | Carucerean |
| Political party | Carucerean National Congress |
| Spouse | Sherlyne Chen |
| Occupation | Activist, Politician, military commander |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Gaullica  Arucian Federation  United Provinces  Carucere |
| Branch/service | Special Reserve Police (1931-1933) Provincial Guard of Carucere (1938)-(1947) |
| Years of service |
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| Rank | Commander of the Guard |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards |
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Jean Dogo Preval LK (18 January 1914 – 11 August 1985) was a Carucerean soldier, activist, and politician who served as the fourth President of Carucere. He was the country's first Medi head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election. His government focused on dismantling the colonial institutions and establishing the political and economic institutions for an independent country. Ideologically an Carucerean nationalist and Carucerean progressive, he served as the de facto leader of the Carucerean National Congress (BNK) party.
Born to a Bahian father and a Gausan mother, he was conscripted into the Gaullican colonial forces at the outbreak of the Great War. After the Great War, Preval served in the islands' militia under the Arucian Federation and later the United Provinces; he participated in the Arucian theater during the Solarian War where he was appointed as head of the province's guard. However he was barred from service in 1946 due to his pro-independence political activities. He arose to prominence for his nationalist political activities in opposition to the the United Provinces and his efforts to build a unified opposition to the Democratic-led government after independence. Preval arose as a major political figure after publishing the People's Charter for Change, Peace, and Progress in 1968. Preval's opponents attempted to sideline him by electing him as President in 1970, then a purely ceremonial office, but political chaos allowed him to perform a soft coup a year after and assumed emergency powers.
Preval served as President of Carucere for twelve years from 1970 until 1982. During his Presidency, Preval pursued wide ranging economic and political reforms; including the ratification of a new constitution and the diversification of the country's economy away from an agricultural plantation economy. He identified himself as a progressive and sought to promote a unified cultural identity, although it was ultimately not successful. After Preval announced that he would not stand for a fourth term, he continued to be a prominent figure in Carucerean politics until his death in 1985.
Widely regarded to be the "Father of the Nation", his Presidency, constitution, and political philosophy has left a lasting legacy in Carucere. Nevertheless he has been accused of authoritarianism, strongman rule, and economic mismanagement. In 2013, a poll by the The Strait Times ranked him as the greatest political figure in the country's history.