| Ordre National du Mérite | |
|---|---|
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Awarded by  France |
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| Type | Order with 5 degrees |
| Awarded for | Distinguished civil and military achievements |
| Status | Currently awarded |
| Statistics | |
| Established | December 3, 1963 |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | Médaille militaire |
| Next (lower) | Croix de guerre 1914-1918 |
 Ribbon bar of the Order |
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The Ordre national du Mérite (in English: The National Order of Merit) is an Order of Chivalry awarded by the President of the French Republic. It was founded on December 3, 1963 by President Charles de Gaulle. The reason of the Order’s establishment was twofold: to replace the large number of ministerial Orders previously awarded by the ministries; and to create an award that can be awarded more liberally than the prestigious Légion d'honneur. The Order can be awarded to French nationals, men and women, for distinguished civil and military achievements, though of a lesser level than that required for the conferment of the Légion d’honneur. Foreigners are not admitted into the Order as such, but may receive the insignia of the Order as a mark of respect. The President of the French Republic is the Grand Master of the Order and appoints all other members of the Order, by convention, on the advice of the Government. The Order has a common Chancellor and Chancery with the Légion d’honneur. Every Prime Minister of France is made a grand cross of the order after six months of service.
Contents |
Grades
The Order has five classes, the same as the Légion d’honneur:
- Grand Cross (grand-croix) - wears the badge on a sash on the right shoulder, plus the star on the left chest;
- Grand Officer (grand officier) - wears the badge on a ribbon with rosette on the left chest, plus the star on the right chest;
- Commander (commandeur) - wears the badge on a necklet;
- Officer (officier) - wears the badge on a ribbon with rosette on the left chest;
- Knight (chevalier) - wears the badge on a ribbon on the left chest.
Insignia
The badge and the plaque of the Order were designed by the French sculptor Max Leognany.
- The badge of the Order is a six-armed 'Maltese Asterisk' (for want of a better description - see Maltese Cross) in gilt (silver for chevalier) enamelled blue, with laurel leaves between the arms. The obverse central disc features the head of Marianne, surrounded by the legend République Française. The reverse central disc has a set of crossed tricolores, surrounded by the name of the Order and its foundation date. The badge is suspended by a laurel wreath.
- The star (or 'plaque') is worn by Grand Cross (in gilt on the left chest) and Grand Officer (in silver on the right chest) respectively; it is a twelve-armed sunburst, with rays (formerly plain, now in blue enamel) between the arms. The central disc features the head of Marianne, surrounded by the legend République Française and the name of the Order, and in turn surrounded by a wreath of laurel.
- The ribbon for the badge is plain blue.
Orders abolished by the creation of the Ordre du Mérite
- Ordre du Mérite social (created 1936)
- Ordre de la Santé publique (1938)
- Ordre du Mérite commercial et industriel (1939)
- Ordre du Mérite artisanal (1948)
- Ordre du Mérite touristique (1949)
- Ordre du Mérite combattant (1953)
- Ordre du Mérite postal (1953)
- Ordre de l’Économie nationale (1954)
- Ordre du Mérite sportif (1956)
- Ordre du Mérite du Travail (1957)
- Ordre du Mérite militaire (1957)
- Ordre du Mérite civil (1957)
- Ordre du Mérite saharien (1958)
