You won’t find a bigger fan of Charles de Gaulle than me, not so much for his politics but for his understanding of power and how to use it. A man who took his country from the shame of the Vichy regime to a permanent seat at the UN in 5 years is a giant.
He was also offered a virtual dictatorship of France on 3 occasions and refused.
But his constitution is a mess. Apparently de Gaulle thought that the president would always have a majority in parliament, even though the constitution doesn’t and couldn’t make that a necessity of holding power.
You have to think that with all the political problems that have hit France. Unpopular presidents, far too many one term presidents, presidents with a parliament led by another party and therefore unable to push through reforms and now the rise of the far right, that it can not all be the fault of the quality of presidents. It can’t be, not over 60 years, the system does not work. The constitution needs to change.
Unfortunately changing it now that the far right look to be the next government is far too late and asking for disaster.
80 years after defeating Petain and Vichy, they are back and de Gaulle’s constitution is one of the reasons they will now regain the levers of power.
Economics, trade and Brexit, not necessarily in that order but the dog always comes first.
By Jonty Bloom Media
I've lived in France for 41 years and I agree with all the sentiments expressed. The 5th Republic has always been a weird hybrid tailor-made for de Gaulle - and it didn't really work for him either. It's also been hijacked by the rise of the extreme right so that people on the left are often forced to vote against their convictions just to keep the bastards out. At least the two-round electoral system allows that.
Succinct…. but France’s history is far more than the last 80 years as you know.