Léon Blum was the first socialist and the first Jewish prime minister of France. Elected in 1936 amid the rise of Adolf Hitler, he opposed fascism and set to work reforming the French economy by promoting workers’ rights: He instituted wage increases, a standard 40-hour work week, paid vacation, and the right to bargain and strike. Blum saw all citizens as equal, and championed the pursuit of freedom and peace throughout his political career.