What was the Boulanger Affair?

The Boulanger affair happened after General Boulanger had won such overwhelming support in the French elections that his supporters pressed him to stage a revolt and make himself leader of France.

But Boulanger - never a great leader or strategist - could not make his mind up and finally sought refuge with his mistress Marguerite Crouzet, where he kept himself incommunicado. The moment passed and the French Government re-took the initiative, forbidding Boulanger to participate in further elections.