General Georges Boulanger turned toward a pro-monarchist and anti-Republican stance primarily due to political pragmatism, a need for funding and electoral support, and personal alienation from the moderate republican government that dismissed him. While initially supported by the left, he became a “man of the hour” for all sides opposing the Third Republic, leading to secret deals with royalists to fund his movement and advance his political ambitions.

Following his removal as Minister of War, Boulanger needed resources to sustain his growing popularity and electoral campaign. Monarchists, who were desperate to topple the Third Republic, provided large sums of money – notably from the Duchesse d'Uzès – and coordinated support in exchange for his promise to help restore the monarchy.

After becoming too popular and threatening to the moderate government – largely due to his nationalistic “revanche” rhetoric against Germany – Boulanger was dismissed from his ministry, sent to a provincial command, and later retired from the army. This forced him into the camp of the opposition.

Boulangism was a populist movement that brought together far-left radicals, nationalists, Bonapartists, and royalists. To unite these disparate groups, Boulanger became anti-Parliamentary, attacking the “opportunist” republican leadership as corrupt.

Despite entering politics under radical republican backing, Boulanger was fundamentally an authoritarian and a populist rather than a committed republican. His primary goal was to take power, leading him to adopt whatever political stance was necessary, eventually aligning with the right-wing elements that supported him.

Between 1887 and 1888, secret agreements were made with royalist leaders to back him in elections in exchange for supporting a potential restoration of the throne.

By 1889, Boulanger was essentially a “tool” for monarchist, Bonapartist, and right-wing nationalist forces aiming to destroy the parliamentary Republic, despite his earlier popularity among working-class voters on the left.

Ultimately however, the real love of Boulanger’s life was his mistress, Madame de Bonnemains and he killed himself, by her grave in Ixelles Cemetery in Brussels, Belgium on 30 September 1891, aged 54. His mistress had passed away from tuberculosis on 16 July 1891.