French Fourth Republic
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The Fourth Republic was the republican government of France between 1946 and 1958, governed by the fourth republican constitution. It was in many ways a revival of the Third Republic, which was in place before World War II, and suffered many of the same problems. France adopted the constitution of the Fourth Republic on 13 October 1946.
The Fourth Republic oversaw an era of great economic growth in France and the rebuilding of the nation's social institutions and industry after the war, and was largely responsible for the development of the institutions of European unity which changed the continent permanently. Some attempts were made to strengthen the executive branch of government to prevent the unstable situation that had existed before the war, but the instability remained and the Fourth Republic saw frequent changes in government. Additionally, the government proved unable to make effective decisions regarding decolonization. As a result, the Fourth Republic collapsed and a coup d'état subsequently legitimized by a referendum led to the establishment of the Fifth Republic, which was introduced on 5 October 1958.
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Founding of the Fourth Republic (1944-47)
European Unity
The creation of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was first proposed by French foreign minister Robert Schuman and French economic theorist Jean Monnet on 9 May 1950 as a way to prevent further war between France and Germany. Though the United Kingdom was invited too, its Labour government - then preparing for a re-election fight - did not join the initiative.[1] It was formally established in 1951 by the Treaty of Paris, signed not only by France and Germany, but also by Italy and the three Benelux states: Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Between these states the ECSC would create a common market for coal and steel. The ECSC was governed by a 'High Authority', checked by bodies representing governments, MPs and an independent judiciary.
The ECSC was superseded, on 25 March 1957, by the Treaty of Rome which established the European Economic Community (which would, in 1993, become the European Union through the Treaty of Maastricht).
Decolonization and end of the Fourth Republic
Rebellion in Algeria began soon after Indochinese independence. The government was initially successful in containing the rebellion, but the torture methods used by French military and security forces caused an enormous scandal when made public.[citation needed] The use of conscription also made the war extremely socially divisive. While French forces were victorious from a strictly military point of view, a large section of the public questioned the morality of maintaining colonies by force.[citation needed]
The instability and ineffectiveness of the Fourth Republic came to a head in the Algiers crisis of 1958, when the current government suggested that it would negotiate with the Algerian nationalists. Right-wing elements in the French Army, led by General Jacques Massu, seized power in Algiers and threatened to conduct a parachute assault on Paris unless Charles de Gaulle was placed in charge of the Republic.[2] De Gaulle did so under the precondition that a new constitution would be introduced creating a powerful presidency in which a sole executive, the first of which was to be De Gaulle, ruled for seven-year periods. These changes were introduced and the Fifth Republic was born.
Prime Ministers
| Prime Minister | Starting | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Paul Ramadier | 22 January 1947 | SFIO |
| Robert Schuman | 24 November 1947 | MRP |
| André Marie | 26 July 1948 | Radical |
| Robert Schuman | 5 September 1948 | MRP |
| Henri Queuille | 11 September 1948 | Radical |
| Georges Bidault | 28 October 1949 | MRP |
| Henri Queuille | 2 July 1950 | Radical |
| René Pleven | 12 July 1950 | UDSR |
| Henri Queuille | 10 March 1951 | Radical |
| René Pleven | 11 August 1951 | UDSR |
| Edgar Faure | 20 January 1952 | Radical |
| Antoine Pinay | 8 March 1952 | CNIP |
| René Mayer | 8 January 1953 | Radical |
| Joseph Laniel | 27 June 1953 | CNIP |
| Pierre Mendès-France | 18 June 1954 | Radical |
| Edgar Faure | 23 February 1955 | Radical |
| Guy Mollet | 31 January 1956 | SFIO |
| Maurice Bourgès-Maunoury | 12 June 1957 | Radical |
| Félix Gaillard | 6 November 1957 | Radical |
| Pierre Pflimlin | 13 May 1958 | MRP |
| Charles de Gaulle | 1 June 1958 | UNR |
| 8 January 1959 |
Footnotes
- ^ Dell, Edmund (1995). The Schuman Plan and the British Abdication of Leadership in Europe. Oxford: Clarendon Press.[page needed].
- ^ Crozier, Brian; Mansell, Gerard (July 1960). "France and Algeria". International Affairs 36 (3): 310. doi:.
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