The Presidential Party and the Fifth Republic

Alistair Mark COLE

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

22 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Until 1986 the prevailing interpretation of the French Fifth Republic was one of encroaching presidential domination; notwithstanding some welcome revisionism occasioned by ‘cohabitation’, presidentialism continues to permeate analysis of contemporary French politics. This article attempts a comparative assessment of the presidential party as it has functioned under the first four presidents of the French Fifth Republic: de Gaulle, Pompidou, Giscard d'Estaing and Mitterrand. It is contended that each presidential party has shared certain attributes, resulting from systemic influences in France's semi-presidential system; while retaining distinct characteristics derived from its identity as a particular type of party, and from the experience of a varying political context. The opportunities and constraints faced by successful presidential parties outweigh in importance their dissimilarites, inherited from their experience of different models of party organisation and ideology. No presidential party that has fallen from grace has managed to survive unscathed, nor to recover its position of former influence.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)49-66
Number of pages18
JournalWest European Politics
Volume16
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Apr 1993

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The Presidential Party and the Fifth Republic'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this