the revanchist ideas were strong in the france of the "belle époque" and with the scandals involving the republican governments there was a rise of the nationalist party led by general georges boulanger. boulanger was minister of war from 1886 to 1887. his appointment was a strategy of prime minister goblet to pledge the nationalists, but after the fall of his cabinet he was replaced by maurice rouvier and the general was not reconfirmed. this political error started the political phase called boulangisme (1887–1891). around the general was forming a heterogeneous group of supporters, including radical reformers like georges clemenceau and charles de freycinet; bonapartists and monarchists who wanted to overthrow the republic; socialists like édouard vaillant, who admired the general's views on workers' rights; and nationalists who desired revenge against germany. finally, boulanger personally led the league of patriots, a far-right revanchist and militarist league and benefitted from popular and financial support by workers and aristocrats, respectively.