François Mitterrand , born the October 26th 1916 with Jarnac (Charente) and dead the January 8th 1996 with Paris, was a statesman French, 4th President of the V {{E}} République and 21e President of the French Republic of the May 21st 1981 with the May 17th 1995.

It holds the record of longevity (14 years) to the head of the French Republic.

Biography

Origin and family

See also: Mitterrand

François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand was born in a middle-class Catholique and preserving family from Charente. His/her father, Joseph, were engineer of the Company Paris Orleans, then industrial vinegar manufacturer and chair federation of the trade unions of vinegar manufacturers. It has three brothers (Robert, polytechnician, Jacques, general, and Philippe) and four sisters: Marie-Josèphe, Marchioness of Corlieu, Colette, wife of the Landry captain, Genevieve, Mrs. Eugene Delachenal, Antoinette, Mrs. Ivaldi.

  • 1925-1934 : Secondary studies with the Saint-Paul college of Angouleme where François Mitterrand becomes member of JEC, structure coed of the catholic Action.

  • 1934-1935 : It militates approximately a year with the Volontaires nationals, youth movement of the Cross-of-fire of the colonel of Rocque. It takes part in the demonstrations against “the invasion wog” in February 1935 then with those against the professor of Droit Gaston Jèze, after the nomination of this last as legal adviser of the Négus of Ethiopia, in January 1936. It cultivates thereafter family or friendly relations with members of the Hood. It is a critical time literary and written on the contemporary company and the policy in the Revue Montalembert and the daily newspaper the Echo of Paris of Henri de Kerillis, near to the Parti social French. It in particular written an article considering it regrettable there that the Latin Quarter was let invade by the “outside”. “From now on, the Latin Quarter is this complex of colors and sounds if désaccordés that one with the impression to find this Tower of Babel in which we do not want to believe. ” It also publishes the March 18th 1936, a report of the conference given by Marcel Griaule on the Ethiopia, concluding in particular that It is always useful to know the history of so particular people, and, at the same time, if similar with the others, because, at the bottom, it is not the color or the shape of the hair which gave some value to the hearts. . It would have also worried about the Expansionnisme Nazi at the time of the Anschluss in one of its articles.

  • 1937-1939 : Military service in the colonial infantry.

  • 1938 : It binds with Georges Dayan (Juif and Socialiste) after having saved it aggressions of anti-semites of the French Action and becomes his best friend. In September, it is built-in for its military service in the 23 {{E}} regiment of colonial infantry.

  • September 1939: To the engagement of the France in the Second world war, whereas it finishes its lawyer studies with Paris, it is sent on the Ligne Maginot with the rank of Sergent-chef, near Montmédy.

Political career

Mode of Vichy and Resistance

See also: François Mitterrand and the Second world war, François Mitterrand and the extreme line

  • June 14th 1940: the Mitterrand sergeant is made prisoner by the German Armée.

  • 1941 : after eighteen months in the Stalag S and two unfruitful attempts, he escapes in December and returns to France.
  • 1942 - 1943: work with the French Légion of the combatants and volunteers of the national revolution as a Contractuel of the Vichy government then as from June with the Police station with the reclassification of the prisoners of war where it will support the supply of False-papers to help the escapes.
    • June-August 1942: take part in meetings with the Château of Montmaur where the first bases of its network of Résistance are thrown.
    • October 15th 1942: receipt by the marshal Pétain with several persons in charge of the Committee of mutual aid to the prisoners repatriated To combine it.

  • 1943 :

    • Resignation in January of the Police station, following the replacement of Maurice Pinot by Andre Masson. It starts to take Morland like pseudonym.
    • February: cofonde the national Gathering of the prisoners of war with Maurice Pinot.
    • Spring 1943: decorated with the Order of francisque the (n° 2202).
    • Be 1943: François Mitterrand passes to clandestinity, tracked by the Gestapo, the Sicherheitsdienst and the Milice.
    • November 1943: it goes to London then to Algiers where it meets the general de Gaulle and the Général Giraud.
  • 1944
    • February 1944: direct to France the National movement of the prisoners of war and deportees which unifies all the resistance networks of prisoners of war.
    • August 1944: take part in the release of Paris where it seizes the seat of the general police station to the Prisoners of war.
    • October 1944: it assembles with Jacques Foccart the operation Viacarage whose objective is the release of the concentration and prison camps

Provisional government and Fourth Republic

Rise, slip towards the left and colonial liberalism (1944-1954)

A little later François Mitterrand takes part in the Gouvernement of the general secretaries wanted by the general de Gaulle before the installation of the provisional government with Paris.

Invited with “floor” in front of the workshop “the Gregoire Abbot”, affiliated with the maconnic cabin Big room of France (GLF), it is expelled manu militari at the request of Jean Pierre-Bloch, which cannot tolerate the presence of a person decorated with the Francisque in a cabin.

The October 27th 1944, it marries Danielle Gouze.

In 1945, François Mitterrand and André Bettencourt bear witness in favor of the founder of the group L'Oreal, but so collaborator and former financier of the Hood, Eugene Schueller. François Mitterrand (briefly) is then engaged as general president-director of the Editions of the Roundabout (and director of the magazine Your Beauty) pertaining to the group founded by Schueller.

In February 1946, François Mitterrand adheres to the democratic and socialist Union of the Resistance (UDSR), which it then chairs of 1953 1965 and which offers a first political laboratory to him.

The November 10th 1946, François Mitterrand is elected appointed Nievre with the head of a list “Unit and republican action”, with the program anticommunist.

In 1949, it is elected general adviser of the canton of Montsauche. He is re-elected in 1955, 1961, 1967 and 1973. In 1947 François Mitterrand becomes the youngest minister of France with the wallet of the War veterans in the government of the Socialiste Paul Ramadier. In the years which follow, it holds several ministerial wallets, of which those of Information, the France from overseas, and the delegated minister with the Council of Europe.

In May 1948, among 800 deputy (whose Konrad Adenauer, Winston Churchill, Harold Macmillan, Paul-Henri Spaak, Albert Cope and Altiero Spinelli), it takes part in the Congrès of $the Hague, at the origin of the European Mouvement, to which it adheres.

In 1950 overseas, Rene Pleven appoints it Minister for the . It is in favor of the introduction of a Franco-African union where the overseas territories would enjoy a negotiated autonomy and freely agreed and endeavors to improve the fate of the Africans, still subjected to a very hard mode. It is then treated of “surplus stores merchant of empire”: it attracts itself as of this time a sharp hostility on behalf of the colonists and of RPF, the party gaullist of the time, which is expressed in particular by the voice of Jacques Foccart, Edouard Frederic-Dupont and Maurice Bayrou. It takes part in the negotiations started by Rene Pleven to legalize the African democratic Rassemblement and to connect deputies GDR with the UDSR. In order to consolidate this liberal policy, “François Mitterrand raises the governor Laurent Péchoux, who had been named by his predecessor Paul Coste-Floret to dismantle GDR. François Mitterrand alienates MRP then. ”

In August 1951, the popular Republican movement obtains from Rene Pleven that François Mitterrand leaves the ministry for Outre-Mer. Not forming part of the government more, François Mitterrand becomes president of the parliamentary group and reinforces his influence on the UDSR, and obtains the election, at the position of secretary general, of one his partisans, Joseph Perrin. For as much, there remains honest in Rene Pleven, remained president of the Council.

In 1952, it deals with the Tunisian file in the government of Edgar Faure and outlines an internal plan of autonomy. But the Faure government is reversed six weeks only after its formation. The colonial matter liberals (i.e. those which refuse systematic repression, and preach the equal rights between colonists and colonized, then autonomy, even independence if she is claimed with force by the population and a credible interlocutor) are temporarily isolated capacity.

After the formation of the government of Antoine Pinay, François Mitterrand criticizes the systematic participation of the UDSR in the governments and request a centring on the left. He denounces with the Parliament the policy of oppression of the government and defends with strength the right of the Tunisians to autonomy.

In 1953, it becomes deputy Ministre with the the Council of Europe, but resigns quickly because of its hostility to the repression carried out to the Morocco and in Tunisia; he recommends with respect to these countries, like for the Indo-China, a more liberal policy. He signs, with personalities like Albert Camus, Alain Savary or Louis Vallon, the France-Maghreb Proclamation, asking that “be implemented all the legal means so that the principles of the human rights are applied without distinctions in North Africa”.

The November 23rd 1953, it is elected president of the UDSR by the management committee. It then supports a liberal line for overseas: stop of the war of Indo-China, constitution of a unit Franco-African, federal then confederal (what amounts granting autonomy, even independence-association with the colonized territories). It publishes in the same moment At the borders of the French Union. Indo-China-Tunisia , prefaced by Pierre Mendès France. He decides for the independence of Indo-China (with, if possible, an association) and for a recasting of the bonds with the African countries: defense, the currency and the foreign politics must concern the French Union, with a full association of the Africans to the decisions; the other fields must concern the autonomy of the local populations. More generally, the election of François Mitterrand marks an evolution of the UDSR towards positions on the left, however that the new president of the party “positions consequently to reach the Matignon hotel”.

In the storm of the war of Algeria (1954-1958)

In 1954, it is named Minister of Interior Department in the Gouvernement Pierre Mendès France. He is then opposed to the independence of Algeria. Its attempts to transfer the Léonard general governor and the director of the Mosque of Paris, then to increase SMIG Algeria, meet the hostility of the colonists and the administration.

Of 19 to the October 23rd 1954, it goes to Algeria, where it meets a clear hostility on behalf of the partisans of French Algeria.

The November 5th of this same year, with the platform of the National Assembly, whereas the first conflicts of the Guerre of Algeria burst, it declares: The Algerian rebellion can find only one form final: the war. .

In November 1954, the government announces a strong increase in the social investments in Algeria in agriculture and education, and intends to prepare equality of the citizens '' of the chances equal to all those, whatever their origin, which are born on the Algerian ground. François Mitterrand, Minister of Interior Department, authorize Germaine Tillion then to carry out a survey in the zone of insurrection, so, inter alia, to announce the possible police exactions. In agreement with the president of the Council, it amalgamates the police force of Algiers with that of Paris. The decrees of the January 20th 1955, which put an end to the autonomy of the police force of Algeria, contribute to allow the change of two hundred agents suspected of acts of torture or to have encouraged it. Among them, the director of the General informations of Algiers. The preserving colonial matter deputies criticize this decision firmly. According to François Mitterrand, suppression of it hateful system is at the origin of the fall of the government Mendès-France, one month later (letter with Pierre Mendès-France, August 31st, 1959). In any event, the senator Henri Borgeaud, spokesperson of pied-noir, had thus threatened: If you amalgamate the police forces, we will vote against your government.

François Mitterrand assists Pierre Mendès France in the negotiations which lead to the autonomy of the Tunisia and of the Morocco.

In 1956, it is named Minister of Justice in the Gouvernement Guy Mollet. François Mitterrand takes part in work of the government, which grants independence to Tunisia and Morocco, autonomy in the Black Africa. On the Algerian question, he firmly criticizes (into private) the repressive drift which follows the failure of the attempt at liberalization, in February 1956. Nevertheless, it is him which is charged by the Council of Ministers, to defend the bill giving the special capacities to the army. Nevertheless, François Mitterrand remains with the government, because he wants to reach the presidency of the Council where, he thinks, his room for maneuver would be broader, where he could thus make more liberal the Algerian policy.

In very an other field, it makes adopt the statute of the Agency France-Press (AFP).

After the resignation of Guy Mollet, François Mitterrand refuses to take part in a government, unless directing it. He does not reach that point, although the president Rene Coty seriously planned to call upon him.

June 1st, 1958, he refuses to vote confidence with Charles de Gaulle, thus explaining his vote:

When, the September 10th 1944, the de Gaulle general was presented before the provisional Consultative Assembly resulting from the combat of outside or Resistance, it had close to him two companions who were called the honor and the fatherland. His/her companions of today, that it undoubtedly did not choose, but which followed it up to now, name the takeover by force and sedition. In right, the de Gaulle general will hold this evening his capacities of the national representation; in fact, it holds them already takeover by force.

In September 1958, it invites to vote not with the Référendum on the Constitution, which nevertheless is adopted with a very vast majority, then promulgated the October 4th 1958.

François Mitterrand is beaten with the legislative elections the November 30th 1958 (legislature put on leave until the installation of the new institutions in January 1959).

Summary of its governmental functions

Fifth Republic

Political survival and first attempts at union of the left (1959-1971)

In March 1959, it is elected Maire Castle-Chinon (it remains it until May 1981), and a month later senator of the Nievre. It is registered with the group of the democratic Gauche.

In October 1959, takes place the forgery Attentat of the Observatory in which François Mitterrand is implied and who leads it to being accused for Outrage with Magistrat. The law of Amnistie of 1966 puts an end to the procedure.

The May 18th 1962, François Mitterrand has to testify with discharge with the lawsuit general Salan by Jean-Louis Tixier-Vignancour. The testimony of Mitterrand related to the “Affaire of the Bazooka”, attempted murder perpetrated against the Salan general the January 16th 1957 and which had made a death, colonel Rodier. Mitterrand supported the thesis of Salan in connection with the plot gaullist fomented (more or less indirectly, it is according to) by Michel Debré (of other personalities like Roger Frey and Alain Griotteray were also quoted like taking also more or less share with the plot). This thesis of the plot gaullist fomented directly by Debré was taken again by Mitterrand in a leading article of the Courrier of Nievre . The authors and silent partners of the attack, Philippe Castille, Michel Fechoz and Rene Kovacs in particular, had justified their action by the need for replacing the Salan general, considered with Pierre Mendès France as the liquidator of Indo-China, by a general authentically favorable to French Algeria. For François Mitterrand, Raoul Salan keeps the right to challenge some of his indicters which, to correct awkwardness to have missed it, made of him later its accomplice in the events of May 1958 which brought back the de Gaulle general to the capacity . Part of the left was caught some then in Mitterrand, reproaching him for being intervened in a settling of score within the French line, to have been until greeting Salan in its box and for having taken seat in the middle of its partisans.

The November 25th 1962, Mitterrand finds its seat of Député of the Nievre and gives up that of senator.

At the time of the Referendum of 1962, it invites to vote against the election of the President of the Republic to the direct suffrage. Yes carries it with 62,25  % of the votes cast (46,66  % of the registered voters).

In 1964, he becomes president of the general advice of the Nievre. It takes the head of the Convention of the republican institutions (CIR) and publishes the permanent Coup d'etat , which reinforces its position of opponent of left to Charles de Gaulle.

In 1965, although representative of a political small formation (the CIR), he is the one applicant of the left to the presidential election. Its result is unhoped-for (in second position with ten million voice) just like that of the center candidate Jean Lecanuet (15  % of the votes). François Mitterrand then receives the support for the second turn of all the left but also of the centrist Jean Monnet, the moderate conservative Paul Reynaud and of part of the Extreme-right-hand side: Jean-Louis Tixier-Vignancour and of the partisans of OAS. At the evening of the second turn, Mitterrand is beaten with the score of 45,51% of the votes compared with 54,49% with the de Gaulle general.

Extremely of this result (nobody thought that de Gaulle could lose, nor of even being put in ballot), it takes the head of the Fédération of the democratic and socialist left (FGDS), which gathers the noncommunist left (primarily the SFIO, the radical party, the CIR and various clubs). It also forms the first Contre-gouvernement in France, in 1966, experiment which lasts only one year. With the legislative elections of March 1967, the uninominal system with two turns and the new provision which raises the threshold and eliminates from the second turn all the candidates not having obtained with the first turn at least 10  % of the registered voters, support the outgoing majority vis-a-vis an opposition heteroclite (PC, PS and centrists of Jacques Duhamel) and divided. But with 194 seats, the whole of the left parties (FGDS, Communist party) manages to gain 63 seats, the Communist party remaining the main force of left with 22,5  % of the votes. Nevertheless, the government coalition is renewed with a majority reduced to only one seat with the National Assembly (247 seats out of 487 including 231 seats in metropolis). In Metropolis, with the first turn, the whole of left (FGDS, PSU, PC) even more voice obtains than the only governing parties gaullists and giscardiens (46  % against 42,6  %) whereas the democratic Center of Duhamel moves back of three points with 7  % of the voices. But with the exceptional rate in France of 38  % of the votes (in rise of two points compared to the preceding poll), the Union for Ve republic remains the first party of France.

The May 28th 1968, it declares: it is appropriate as of now noting the vacancy of the capacity and organizing the succession. This declaration makes following the absence of the de Gaulle general, party to consult the general Massu in Germany and more generally at a real vacancy of the capacity. He proposes the name of Mendès France to form the provisional government and announces that he is candidate with the presidency of the Republic, if an anticipated election would take place. De Gaulle indeed announced that it would organize a referendum, and that it would resign if the not carried it (an idea to which the General finally gave up).

The speech of May 30th of De Gaulle counterpart in a dry way. The anticipated legislative elections of June 1968 show a tidal wave gaullist (293 seats for only the UNR and 61 seats with the independent republicans) and a majority ever seen on the right since the national Bloc of 1919 whereas the left crumbles from 194 to 91 deputies. François Mitterrand manages however to save his seat of deputy.

In 1969, discredited, Mitterrand cannot be presented to the presidency of the Republic: Guy Mollet refuses to grant the support of the SFIO to him. The left, represented by Gaston Defferre for the Socialists and Jacques Duclos for the Communists, is eliminated from the second turn of the presidential election, which sees the victory of Georges Pompidou vis-a-vis the centrist Alain Poher.

First secretary of the PS (1971-1981)
In June 1971, at the time of the congress of Épinay, the Convention of the republican institutions amalgamates Socialist party (created in 1969 to replace SFIO). François Mitterrand is elected First secretary of the PS, with the support of the left wing of the party, CERES carried out by Jean-Pierre Chevènement, and that of two powerful federations, the North of Pierre Mauroy, the Rhone delta of Gaston Defferre. As brought it back Pierre Mauroy in his Memories, François Mitterrand initially did not plan to become First secretary: this task was to be allocated to the leader of North, and François Mitterrand itself was to exert a role comparable with that of Leon Blum between 1921 and 1938. But Augustin Laurent claimed that Pierre Mauroy was his successor with the town hall of Lille without exerting national responsibilities.

In June 1972, it signs the common Program of government with the Communist party of Georges Marchais and the Mouvement of the radical lefts of Robert Fabre.

In March 1973, with the legislative elections, the Socialist party obtains almost as much voice than the Communist party with the first turn and more with the second, putting fine at a superiority which went back to 1946. The cantonal elections which take place in September of the same year confirm this evolution. In addition, the PSU falls from 4 to 2% compared to 1968. With the congress of the PS held in Grenoble the same year, the final motion of François Mitterrand obtains 96% of the voices.

The April 2nd 1974 is announced the death of Georges Pompidou, president of the Republic in exercice.
The May 19th 1974, one applicant of the left to the presidential election, François Mitterrand loses vis-a-vis Valery Giscard d'Estaing with 49,2  % of the voices to the second turn.

During the summer 1974, François Mitterrand goes incognito on the Larzac to a festival gathering several thousands of militants fighting against the extension of the close military camp. Recognized by crowd, it is the target of invectives and stone jets. Non-violent peasants surround it, protect it then look after it. Seven years after, elected president in 1981, it will cancel the project of extension of the military camp and will return their grounds to the peasants.

With the cantonal elections of March 1976 and with the municipal elections of March 1977, the PS largely precedes PCF.

In September 1977 takes place the rupture of the Union of the left, the Communists putting of the conditions exorbitant at the actualization of the common Program.

With the legislative elections of March 1978, the left which was majority with the first turn nevertheless is beaten by line (UDF-RPR). Always according to Lacouture, Aron and Mitterrand, this defeat is largely ascribable with the roueries of the Communist party. Michel Rocard calls then into question François Mitterrand and the direction of the Socialist party.

In April 1979, it is combined with the CERES of Jean-Pierre Chevènement against Michel Rocard (the second left) to gain the congress of Metz of the Socialist party.

In January 1981, with the extraordinary congress of Creteil, it is designated as candidate of the PS and adopts the “110 Proposals” like program.

The April 24th 1981, with the first turn of the presidential elections, François Mitterrand pursues the outgoing president with 25,85  % of the voices against 28  % for Valery Giscard d'Estaing. Jacques Chirac is third with 18  % of the votes.

At the evening of the May 10th 1981, François Mitterrand is elected president of the Republic with 51,76% of the votes cast against 48,24% with Valery Giscard d'Estaing. The support of Jacques Chirac for the outgoing president remained extremely ambiguous: he states to be able to vote, with personal capacity, that for Valery Giscard d'Estaing but refuses to give a call to vote.

Presidency of the Republic (1981 - 1995)
; ; First septennate (1981 - 1988)

See also: First presidential mandate of François Mitterrand

The May 21st 1981, the septennate of the new president opens by a ceremony with the the Pantheon. Then it names its first government directed by Pierre Mauroy.

The following day, it dissolves the National Assembly. The elections which follow, June 14th and 21st 1981, give him the absolute majority with the Parlement. A second government of Pierre Mauroy makes enter four communist ministers. Many social reforms are then adopted.

On the economic plan, the septennate is marked initially by a wave of Nationalization S and by a policy of control of the Inflation, inflected towards the austerity starting from the Turning of the rigor, passage to a Culture of government.

The septennate is completed in 1988 under the first Cohabitation of the V {{E}} République.

; Government Mauroy (May 1981 - July 1984)

  • 1981:
    • national Reforms:
      • Increase in SMIC of 10  %, of the family benefits and housing of 25  %, handicapped 20  %.
      • Suppression of the Court of state security and abolition of the Capital punishment.
      • Abrogation of the Law known as “anti-riot”, which established in particular the principle of a collective criminal responsibility.
      • Authorization of the private local radios.
      • First festival of the music.
      • Regularization of the immigrants without papers which exert a work and can prove it.
      • Creation of the wealth tax (removed in 1987, restored in 1988 under the name of STF, Solidarity tax on fortune).
      • First freeze the prices
      • First of the four devaluations of the franc (the others will follow in 1982,1983 and 1986)
    • Politics foreign
      • Discours of Cancun. The exorde of Mitterrand:

" Hello, With the maltreated priests,
With the imprisoned trade unionists,
With the unemployed who sell their blood to survive,
With the Indians pursued in their forests,
With the workers without rights,
With the peasants without grounds,
With resistant without armes".

  • 1982 :

    • National policy
      • Nationalization of banks (the first 36 deposit banks, like Paribas and Suez) and of great industry groups (CGE, PUK, Rhône-Poulenc, Saint-Gobain, Thomson).
      • Week 39 hours (legal duration of work).
      • 5th week of paid vacations.
    • Ordinances on the office plurality employment-retirement, part-time work, and the professional insertion of the young people from 16 to 18 years.
      • Retirement at 60 years.
      • Fine of the indexing of the wages on the prices.
      • Auroux Laws on the law the labor
      • Law Quilliot on the rights and the duties of the financial backers and tenants.
      • Loi-cadre Removes iron on decentralization.
      • Creation of the zones of priority education (ZEP).
      • Creation of the High ranking authority for the audio-visual communication (ancestor of current the SCUMS).
      • Hardening of the exchange control.
      • Abrogation of the offense of homosexuality
      • Creation of the antiterrorist cell of the Elysium
    • Politics foreign
      • First visit of a Head of French State in Israel. Speech of the Knesset in which François Mitterrand declares that Irreducible right to life belongs to Israel and calls with the respect of the rights of the Palestinians of Gaza and the West Bank.

  • 1983 :

    • Interior policy
      • Third government of Pierre Mauroy.
      • 1st plan of " rigueur" in March (“turning of the rigor”).
      • Abrogation of the law Peyrefitte, known as Safety and Freedom.
      • Law Roudy on the wage equality between men and women in the companies.
      • Law Badinter on the compensation for the victims of crimes and offenses.
    • Politics foreign
      • Crisis of the euromissiles: support of François Mitterrand for the installation of missiles Pershing 2 in Germany to make counterweight with the Soviet missiles. Speech of the Bundestag on the balance of the forces on January 20th, 1983: Only the balance of the forces can lead to good relationships with the Eastern European countries, our historical neighbors and partners. But the maintenance of this balance implies in my eyes that whole areas of Europe are not deprived of parade vis-a-vis nuclear weapons directed against them. In October, in Brussels, he declares: I am me also against the euromissiles, only I note that the pacifist ones are with the West and the euromissiles in the East.
      • August 1983, Manta operation reinforcing the French intervention with the Chad.
      • Attack of Drakkar the October 23rd 1983 with Beirut. Fifty-eight French soldiers and two hundred thirty-nine marine American are killed. François Mitterrand goes to Lebanon as of the following day.
  • 1984 :
    • iron and steel Interior policy
      • Crisis in north: plan of “modernization”. Closing or reconversion of the old coal mines, acceleration of the process initiated since the years 1960.
      • European Elections: Opening of the National front
      • Law on professional training.
      • Abandonment of the Savary bill on teaching following the demonstrations for “free teaching”.
    • Politics foreign and européenne'
      • semi-annual Presidency by France of the European Community.
      • François Mitterrand goes in Soviet Union and publicly defends there the human rights and the protestors, in particular Andreï Sakharov.

; Government Fabius (July 1984 - March 1986)

  • July-December 1984:
    • New government of Laurent Fabius, end of the participation of the Communists in the government.
    • September 1984: Free-Libyan agreement on total and concomitant evacuation of Chad who will not be respected by the Libya.
    • Liberalization of audio-visual, creation of the first private television channels (of which Canal+).
    • New statute for Polynesia.
    • November 1984: beginning of bloody confrontations in New Caledonia.
    • Commemoration of the battle of Verdun, where celebrates it handshake between president Mitterrand and the chancellor Helmut Kohl takes place.
  • 1985 :
    • Interior policy
      • Inauguration of Géode to the park from the Villette in Paris.
      • Law Mountain
      • Introduction of the mode of Poll proportional to the legislative elections envisaged the following year.
      • Law limiting the office plurality of the mandates.
      • Reform of the Penal code.
    • Politics foreign and européenne'
      • Launching of Eureka, Europe of technology.
      • “Doctrines Mitterrand” granting asylum to the former Italian gauchists not continued for crimes of blood and which explicitly gave up violence
      • Affaire of Rainbow Warrior
      • Ratification of the European Convention of the human rights, which prohibits in particular the re-establishment of the capital punishment.
  • January-March 1986:
    • Signature of the Single act.
    • Inauguration of the Quoted of sciences and industry in Paris.
    • Law littoral
    • Beginning of the operation Sparrowhawk, in Chad against the GUNT pro-Libyan.

; Government Chirac (March 1986 - May 1988)

  • March-December 1986:
    • union of the right RPR - UDF gains the legislative elections. Jacques Chirac form a new government. It is the Cohabitation. The National front obtains 35 deputies.
    • Promulgation of the law removing the administrative authorization of dismissal.
    • 1st top of the Francophonie.
    • Inauguration of the Museum of Orsay
    • Privatizations of banks and state enterprises.
    • Ordinances of February 1st, 1986 relating to the freedom of the prices and competition.
    • Vague of terrorist attacks to the autumn 1986 clerks by the network Fouad Ali Salah.
    • Demonstrations coeds against the " Project Devaquet " of reform of the University.

  • 1987 :

    • Inauguration of the Institute of the Arab world.
    • Arrest of the militants of the terrorist group Direct action then arrests of the members of the network Fouad Ali Salah
    • Privatization of TF1 and creation of M6
    • Rupture (provisional) of the diplomatic relations with Iran in July after the refusal of the Iranian embassy to give to the French authorities, an interpreter of the embassy of Iran suspecté to be implied in the wave of terrorist attacks.
    • September 1987: referendum in New Caledonia on the maintenance within the Republic, boycotted by FLNKS (98,3  % against independence, 40  % of abstention).
    • Celebrations of the Millenium capétien in the basilica of Saint-Denis by François Mitterrand.
  • 1988 :
    • Inauguration of the pyramid of the Louvre.
    • Law on the financing of the presidential and legislative electoral campaigns, following a proposal of François Mitterrand.
    • April 22nd: In New Caledonia, attacks gendarmerie of Fayawé (island of Ouvéa) by a commando Canaque, killing four gendarmes and fascinating as an hostage the others. The May 5th, attack of the cave of Ouvéa by the gendarmerie: 21 dead (two soldiers and nineteen freedom fighters calédoniens).

; ; Second septennate (1988 - 1995)

See also: Second presidential mandate of François Mitterrand

Although it knows, since November 1981, that it is reached of a Cancer of the prostate, it announces its candidature for a second septennate the March 22nd 1988 for the newspaper of Antenna 2. Information relating to this cancer will not be revealed that well later in a book the Great Secrecy , published by its attending physician. This book will be, exceptional thing in a democracy, interdict during several years. It revives the controversy of the confidentiality of the health condition of the Head of the State that François Mitterrand had however stated to want to make public.

The May 8th, François Mitterrand is re-elected by carrying the presidential election against Jacques Chirac with 54  % of the voices.

The second septennate of François Mitterrand is marked by the introduction of RMI and CSG, the celebrations of the bicentenary of the Revolution, engagement in the first war of Iraq, the Référendum on the Traité of Maastricht but also by the political matters, the disease of the President, the public revelation of the existence of his/her hybrid daughter Mazarine Pingeot and the disclosures on " its jeunesse".

; Government Rocard (May 1988 - May 1991)

It names Prime Minister Michel Rocard and dissolves the National Assembly. The group socialist and related gains a relative majority then, the Communists refuse a governmental alliance. The socialist governments are constrained with a play of rocker between the communist group and the moderate elements of the opposition, especially the Union of the center (UDC, autonomous parliamentary group resulting from the UDF).

  • 1989 :

    • Business Pechiney
    • Inauguration of the Large Louvre.
    • Inauguration of the Opéra Bastille.
    • Inauguration of the large arch of Defense.
    • Law Jospin on State education
    • Law Joxe on immigration: abrogation of measurements of the law Pasqua and reinforcement of the recourse to provision of the immigrants.
    • Widening of the possibilities to set in motion a procedure of revision of a legal judgment.
    • Law of Amnesty for the New Caledonia.

  • 1990 :

    • reticent Support for the German unification, obtained after the guarantee of the recognition of the Oder-Neisse border by the chancellor Helmut Kohl.
    • Signature of the Convention of Schengen.
    • Speech of Baule.
    • Decision of the Operation Noroît for the Rwanda beginning October.
    • Creation of BERD.
    • Creation of the generalized Social contribution (CSG).
    • Suppression of the exchange control.
    • the administration of postal and telecommunications authorities is transformed into two public corporations: La Poste and France Telecom.
    • Plane Jospin for the colleges.
    • Law Gayssot prohibiting the remarks negationnists and reinforcing the legislation against the Racism.
    • Law Arpaillange on the Financing of the political parties.

  • 1991 :

    • Five-year plan for the universities, known as “University 2000”.
    • New statute for the Corsica . Concept of populate Corsican, component of French people invalidated by the constitutional council.
    • Regulation of the phone-tappings: prohibition of administrative listenings, controls legal listenings.
    • Participation of France in the First war of the Gulf.

; Government CRESSON (May 1991 - March 1992) In May 1991, it replaces Michel Rocard by Edith Cresson which quickly deteriorates her image by awkward remarks on the English (“of homosexual”) and the Japanese (“of the ants”). His remark “the Stock Exchange, I have anything of it to wax” exhausted his credibility still more. It yields the place ten months later to Pierre Bérégovoy.

  • 1991 :

    • Interior policy
      • Edith Cresson first woman Prime Minister.
      • Delocalization of a score of public agencies in Parisian suburbs or province, of which the National school of administration (ENA) to Strasbourg.
      • the Military service is brought back to 10 months.
      • Law Évin against the Nicotinism and the Alcoholism.
      • Revelation of the business Urba (secret funding of the socialist party)
    • Politics foreign and European
      • Refusal of public meeting with Boris Eltsine, elected president of Russia, in order to spare the Soviet authorities.
      • In August, François Mitterrand and the whole world is confronted with the putsch of Ianaëv in Soviet Union and with sequestration in the Crimea of Mikhail Gorbatchev. President Mitterrand then states to want to await the intentions of “new the Soviet leaders”.

; Government Bérégovoy (March 1992 - March 1993)

  • 1992:
    • Interior policy
      • Law Joxe on the Town and country planning.
      • Recasting of the Penal code (completed in 1994).
      • Creation of the Code of consumption.
        • Moratory
      • on the nuclear tests.
    • International policy and European
      • June 28th: François Mitterrand goes to Sarajevo, then under the seat of the Serb army.
      • September: the Treated of Maastricht, signed in February, is ratified with very a small majority by Référendum.

  • 1993 :

    • Law Fir tree on the financing of the political parties and the fight anticorruption.
    • Law Neiertz instituting an offense of obstacle to the Voluntary interruption of pregnancy (IVG) and dépénalisant the car-abortion.

May 1st, 1993, Pierre Bérégovoy commits suicide. The May 4th, at the time of its funerals, François Mitterrand denounces those which could deliver to the dogs the honor of a man , aiming at the media in general.

; Government Balladur (March 1993 - May 1995) François Mitterrand cannot prevent the right from very largely gaining the legislative elections in 1993: the group socialist and related counts nothing any more but 67 Député S). The president names then Edouard Balladur with the head of the government: it will be its last Prime Minister.

  • 1993 :

    • Second cohabitation. Victoire of the right-hand side to the legislative elections. Edouard Balladur, Fine Prime Minister
    • of the policy of “nor-nor”. Return of the Privatization S.
    • Suicide of Pierre Bérégovoy on May 1st
    • To the Rwanda, withdrawal of the forces of the Operation Noroît in December.
    • Assassination of Rene Bousquet, former prefect of police of the mode of Vichy.
    • Business OM-VA implying Bernard Tapie, former minister for the city (1992-1993) and to which François Mitterrand gives all his support.

Summary of its Prime Ministers

End of mandate and death

In May 1995, François Mitterrand completes its second septennate and, the December 31st, listening the wishes of its successor as a ordinary citizen, as he had announced one year earlier. He becomes also member of right to the French constitutional council but he refuses to sit there

He dies the January 8th 1996 of sound Cancer of the prostate. Its funerals, the January 11th 1996, will give the opportunity to see side by side its two families, official and semi-official. It rests with Jarnac, Charente, in the family vault.

Mandate of Deputy

Mandate of senator
  • 1959 - 1962: senator of Nievre, registered voter to the group of the Democratic Left

Mandate Buildings

Political office
  • 1953 - 1965: national president of the UDSR
  • 1965 - 1968: chair Federation of the democratic and socialist left
  • 1970 - 1971: chair praesidium of the Convention of the republican institutions
  • 1971 - 1981: first secretary of the socialist party
  • 1972 - 1981: vice-president of the International Socialist

Honorary decorations and titles

Additional details

Speech

  • Speech of François Mitterrand 1987
  • Speech of François Mitterrand 1988
  • Speech of François Mitterrand 1995

Nicknames

  • “the Old man”. Nickname given within the PS, in particular by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, probably in imitation of the use of the trotskists to call Trotsky thus.
  • “Uncle”. Nickname given by the Duck connected . It would come for some from a code name that François Mitterrand would have had during the Second world war, for others from the televisual irruption from its nephew Frederic Mitterrand, that Roland Topor will caricature in his emission Téléchat . The former adviser in communication of François Mitterrand, Gerard Sticks, explains in his book the Adviser of the Prince that Tonton was the nickname given to the president by the agents in charge of his personal safety, this nickname was then diffused with an aim of replacing the nickname “  Vieux  ” which was up to that point generally used. It was taken again then by socialist sympathizers such Renaud which gave this nickname for title of a song devoted to the president. In a recent emission, the advertizing executive Jacques Séguéla claimed that this nickname came from the advertizing executive himself, which was charged with the publicity campaign of the elections of 1981.
  • “God”. Celebrate counterpart of the Bébête Show: Call me God! , by Kermitterrand. According to Georges-Marc Benamou in the last Mitterrand , François Mitterrand had suspended a counterpart of the Kermitterrand puppet to the tap of the shower of its private apartment of the Elys3ee palace.
  • “The Mite” or “the old mite”. Nickname given by detractors.
  • “Florentin”. His/her friends give him the nickname of “Florentin” in reference to the art of dodging, illustrated under the Renaissance by natives of Florence like Laurent Splendid the or Machiavel. For its detractors, the nickname evokes more the intrigue and cynicism policies. The inventor of this nickname seems to have been François Mauriac, his faithful friend and one of his literary references.
  • “the prince”. cf Florentin above.
  • “The sphinx”
  • “Fanch Mitt”. Nickname given in Brittany.
  • Mimi Amoroso : because of its relation, in love or friendly, with the singer Dalida, who had supported it during the presidential campaign of 1981.

Homages

  • Various:

    • Two songs of Renaud:
      • Uncle , being a portrait of the Mitterrand man at the end of his life,
      • Baltic , which returns to homage to Baltique the bitch of the president who was prohibited of entry at the time of the ceremony of funerals with Notre-Dame de Paris and which remained on the square, held by Michel Charasse.
    • Two blogs signed of François Mitterrand appeared during the presidential campaign of 2007 as well as a HQ “Votez Mitterrand” inviting “the forces of the spirit to assist from laic and socialist France”. Stephan Edelson her campaign director had even made print ballot papers. One found of it a first in a ballot box of 8th and three others in the 10th district of Paris.

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