Common program

Signed the June 26th 1972 by the Socialist party, the Communist party and the radical lefts, the common Programme envisaged a great upheaval in the fields economic, political and soldier in France. The victory of François Mitterrand with the presidential elections of 1981 leads it into practice to put part of this program. As from 1983, part of the reforms already carried out will be cancelled.

Projects

improvement of the living and working conditions with the 35 hours week
the fight against unemployment
the nationalization of key sectors of the French economy
a policy of peace with the abandonment of the nuclear deterrent force, the reduction of the military service in 6 months, and the dissolution of NATO and the Warsaw Pact sources of international tensions.
a rehandling of State education …

Realization

Signed by the PS, the PC and the Movement of the Radical lefts in 1972, this union marks the return of the left in the French landscape of after 1958 and the beginning of the hegemony of the PS. It made it possible in particular François Mitterrand to be the one applicant of the left in 1974 (except Arlette Laguiller) and the union to gain a majority of municipality to the elections of March 1977. But as of September, vis-a-vis a higher bid of the PC (surely under the pressure of the USSR), Robert Fabre, president of the radical lefts, suspend the negotiations. In spite of a rabibochage of the three parties between the two turns of legislative of 1978, the French make the “good choice” (cf speech of president Giscard d'Estaing of Verdun-on-the-Doubs) and the line keeps the majority with the National Assembly.

The economic disaster

See also: Turning of the rigor

Set up starting from the election of François Mitterrand in May 1981, the common Program led to a loss of confidence and an important escape of capital.

Vis-a-vis this crisis and this economic “disaster”, the president must reconsider his economic reforms; Pierre Bérégovoy, Minister for the Economy, Finances and the Budget of the Government Laurent Fabius, privatize certain sectors. The financial markets are partially dérégulés. The majority of the companies nationalized between 1981 and 1984 are privatized under the Gouvernement Jacques Chirac between 1986 and 1988; as from 1984, France leaves a very nationalized economic operation and more adopts an operation of social economy of market.

This project, from an economic standpoint, will have marked the French history from its resounding failure; it will be one of the causes of the weakness of the left during the following years.

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