Presidential elections under the Fifth Republic

Presidential election of 1958

Behavior the December 21st, 1958 .

The French presidential election of 1958 was the first presidential election to have taken place in France after the adoption of the Fifth Republic. It was also the first (and the last) to be held with the indirect suffrage.

In accordance with the initial text of the constitution, the president was elected by a electoral college of 81.764 Great Electors composed of the members of Parliament, general advisers and representatives of the municipal councils. Charles de Gaulle, then big favorite, will be elected as of the first turn…

Presidential election of 1965

This election is the second to take place under the Fifth Republic. It was held with the universal direct suffrage , in accordance with the referendum of October 1962 . The outgoing president, Charles de Gaulle, then at the top of its popularity, are put in ballot, with the general surprise, and whereas all observers waited with its election as of first turn, by François Mitterrand, one applicant of left… Centered on Europe and international relations as on nuclear armament ( François Mitterrand insistent on the fact that 20 atomic bombs the model last can destroy France in 12 minutes), the countryside for the second turn, within which television will occupy a very important place, will pose the foundations of the duel right-hand side/left which will become recurring at the time them elections to come. De Gaulle will be finally re-elected with a broad advance.

Presidential election of 1969

This anticipated election took place following the resignation of the president Charles de Gaulle caused by the rejection of a bearing referendum on '' the transfer of certain capacities to the areas and the transformation of the Senate ''. In spite of the efforts of the Communist party in this direction, the left, following the refusal of Gaston Defferre and Michel Rocard to take part in a coalition, will not be able to launch out plain in the race to the Elysium. Although Jacques Duclos (PCF) lack to precede it, it is the president of the Senate and president of the Republic by interim Alain Poher which will reach to the second tower vis-a-vis the ex Prime Minister Georges Pompidou, then big favorite and supported by several organizations of right-hand side, among which Republicans Independent of Valery Giscard d'Estaing. If the Socialists resigned themselves to support Poher, Duclos will refuse to invite to vote for " white bonnet or white bonnet" with the second turn. Pompidou will be finally elected with a very broad advance.

Presidential election of 1974

This anticipated election took place following the death of the president Georges Pompidou in the course of mandate. Two big favorites emergent quickly: François Mitterrand, with the head of a frightening left coalition, obtains a score impressing with the first turn, far in front of Valery Giscard d'Estaing, which outdistances itself without the least difficulty Jacques Chaban-Delmas. A crowd of small candidates share the remaining voices, and, among them, the first woman (Arlette Laguiller) candidate with the presidential election. For the first time, the line gaullist is not represented with the second turn. At the end of an animated campaign, marked by a very tight televised debate (one owes in particular in Mitterrand this reproach announced with Giscard d'Estaing to gather the line, and with Giscard d'Estaing this sentence become famous: “you do not have the monopoly of the heart”), Valery Giscard d'Estaing carries it, of accuracy, vis-a-vis François Mitterrand , with a very short advance.

Presidential election of 1981

This election took place, for the first time, under “normal” conditions, at the end of the septennate of the president Valery Giscard d'Estaing. The outgoing president arrives at the head at the first turn, and François Mitterrand is presented again in spite of the opposition of part of the PS which finds it too old and Michel Rocard prefers to him. the line gaullist, divided, knows a new breath in the person of Jacques Chirac , but it is not sufficient to precede Mitterrand (and this in spite of the fact that it is this time Ci constant neither by the Communists, nor by the radical lefts), and the second turn sees with new the two same personalities clashing at the end of passionate debates preaching moderate liberalism of a side and a State interventionist of the other. Finally François Mitterrand carries it with a clear advance. He will be the first president of left of Ve République . This election will see also the electoral death of the PCF, which will obtain its last large score with the candidature of Georges Marchais, as well as the end of the great left coalitions and of right-hand side… One will also retain the candidature of the humorist Coluche, who lined up under an apolitical color.

Presidential election of 1988

This election took place at the end of the first mandate of the president François Mitterrand. Then very popular, the socialist candidate obtains an important score as of the first turn. Although Raymond Barre is given favorite by the surveys, it is Jacques Chirac which will cross the first turn, in front of the candidate of the UDF, itself followed by Jean-Marie Le Pen which up to that point obtains a score without precedent for a party of extreme right-hand side. The abstention, as for it, does not cease increasing from one poll to another. François Mitterrand is finally re-elected vis-a-vis Jacques Chirac with an important margin in advance.

Presidential election of 1995

This election took place at the end of the second septennate of the president François Mitterrand. The line, and particularly the RPR, are then divided between two candidates: Jacques Chirac and Edouard Balladur. Balladur is then given big favorite by the surveys (a victory to the first turn is one moment considered), and everyone expects to attend a second Chirac-Balladur turn… It was to underestimate the socialist candidate, Lionel Jospin, which obtains finally the best score with the first turn. Edouard Balladur is eliminated and Jacques Chirac is elected vis-a-vis Lionel Jospin, bringing back to the capacity the line gaullist…

Presidential election of 2002

This election will be marked by a record number of 16 candidates to the first turn, like by a rate of abstentionism still never considering (passing very close to the 30%)… The Socialist party will be then victim of divisions on the left, and Lionel Jospin will be preceded by the candidate of the National front Jean-Marie Le Pen. At the end of demonstrations of great width inviting to vote in favor of Jacques Chirac, this last crushes the candidate of extreme right-hand side to the second turn with more than 82% of the votes. The Lionel Jospin Prime Minister will announce, as of the evening of the first turn, his decision to withdraw French political life after the end of the presidential election.

Presidential election of 2007

See too

Internal bonds

External bonds

Information on the presidential ballot in France
Information on the presidential elections in France
All presidential elections of Ve République Ina Files Tele

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