Alain Savary
Encyclopedia
Alain Savary was a French Socialist politician, deputy to the National Assembly of France during the Fourth
and Fifth Republic
, chairman of the Socialist Party
(PS) and a government minister in the 1950s and in 1981, when he was nominated by President François Mitterrand
as Minister of National Education
.
by the German army, he enlisted in the Resistance
. He organized the rallying of Saint-Pierre et Miquelon to the Free French Forces
and became its governor. After the war, he participated to the restoring of the Republican State.
A member of the French Section of the Workers' International (socialist party, SFIO)], he was deputy for Saint-Pierre et Miquelon throughout most of the Fourth Republic
, from 1944 to 1946 and from 1951 to 1958. In 1956, he was nominated Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in Guy Mollet
's cabinet, but resigned due to his opposition to the repressive policy of Mollet in Algerian War (1954–62) and to the arrest of Ahmed Ben Bella
. He left the SFIO in 1958, because of the party's support for Charles de Gaulle
's comeback and for the new Constitution
elaborating a presidential regime (the Fifth Republic
).
With Pierre Mendès-France
, he founded the dissident Autonomous Socialist Party (PSA) which became, in 1960, the Unified Socialist Party
(PSU). However, he left it in 1967 and founded the Union of Clubs for the Renewal of the Left
, which joined the Federation of the Democratic and Socialist Left
(FGDS) which supported left-wing candidate François Mitterrand
at the 1965 presidential election
. Then, he returned to the "old socialist house" when it was replaced by the Socialist Party
(PS).
, he succeeded him to the leadership of the party in 1969. As First Secretary of the PS, he promised to begin an "ideological dialogue" with the French Communist Party
(PCF), which was the largest left-wing party in France at the time. Yet, he was faced with growing pressure from internal opponents who reproached him to remain dependent on Mollet's followers and to not pursue the renewal of the party. Two years later, during the Epinay Congress
, he was overthrown by François Mitterrand
, who proposed an alliance with the Communists based on a Common Program.
Deputy for Haute Garonne in 1973, then Minister of National Education
in 1981, he resigned three years later, after the failure of his bill to limit the financing of private schools. Indeed, in July 1984, President Mitterrand decided to withdraw the Savary Bill due to large demonstrations by the supporters of private schools.
French Fourth Republic
The French Fourth Republic was the republican government of France between 1946 and 1958, governed by the fourth republican constitution. It was in many ways a revival of the Third Republic, which was in place before World War II, and suffered many of the same problems...
and Fifth Republic
French Fifth Republic
The Fifth Republic is the fifth and current republican constitution of France, introduced on 4 October 1958. The Fifth Republic emerged from the collapse of the French Fourth Republic, replacing the prior parliamentary government with a semi-presidential system...
, chairman of the Socialist Party
Socialist Party (France)
The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement...
(PS) and a government minister in the 1950s and in 1981, when he was nominated by President François Mitterrand
François Mitterrand
François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand was the 21st President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra, serving from 1981 until 1995. He is the longest-serving President of France and, as leader of the Socialist Party, the only figure from the left so far elected President...
as Minister of National Education
Minister of National Education
Minister of National Education can refer to:* Minister of National Education * Minister of National Education * Minister of National Education * Minister of National Education...
.
Life
In 1940, as soon as France was occupiedBattle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
by the German army, he enlisted in the Resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
. He organized the rallying of Saint-Pierre et Miquelon to the Free French Forces
Free French Forces
The Free French Forces were French partisans in World War II who decided to continue fighting against the forces of the Axis powers after the surrender of France and subsequent German occupation and, in the case of Vichy France, collaboration with the Germans.-Definition:In many sources, Free...
and became its governor. After the war, he participated to the restoring of the Republican State.
A member of the French Section of the Workers' International (socialist party, SFIO)], he was deputy for Saint-Pierre et Miquelon throughout most of the Fourth Republic
French Fourth Republic
The French Fourth Republic was the republican government of France between 1946 and 1958, governed by the fourth republican constitution. It was in many ways a revival of the Third Republic, which was in place before World War II, and suffered many of the same problems...
, from 1944 to 1946 and from 1951 to 1958. In 1956, he was nominated Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in Guy Mollet
Guy Mollet
Guy Mollet was a French Socialist politician. He led the French Section of the Workers' International party from 1946 to 1969 and was Prime Minister in 1956–1957.-Early life and World War II:...
's cabinet, but resigned due to his opposition to the repressive policy of Mollet in Algerian War (1954–62) and to the arrest of Ahmed Ben Bella
Ahmed Ben Bella
Mohamed Ahmed Ben Bella was a soldier and Algerian revolutionary, who became the first President of Algeria.-Youth:...
. He left the SFIO in 1958, because of the party's support for Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
's comeback and for the new Constitution
Constitution of France
The current Constitution of France was adopted on 4 October 1958. It is typically called the Constitution of the Fifth Republic, and replaced that of the Fourth Republic dating from 1946. Charles de Gaulle was the main driving force in introducing the new constitution and inaugurating the Fifth...
elaborating a presidential regime (the Fifth Republic
French Fifth Republic
The Fifth Republic is the fifth and current republican constitution of France, introduced on 4 October 1958. The Fifth Republic emerged from the collapse of the French Fourth Republic, replacing the prior parliamentary government with a semi-presidential system...
).
With Pierre Mendès-France
Pierre Mendès-France
Pierre Mendès France was a French politician. He descended from a Portuguese Jewish family that moved to France in the sixteenth century.-Third Republic and World War II:...
, he founded the dissident Autonomous Socialist Party (PSA) which became, in 1960, the Unified Socialist Party
Unified Socialist Party (France)
The Unified Socialist Party was a socialist political party in France, founded on April 3, 1960. It was originally led by Édouard Depreux , and by Michel Rocard .- History :...
(PSU). However, he left it in 1967 and founded the Union of Clubs for the Renewal of the Left
Union of Clubs for the Renewal of the Left
The ' was a socialist club in France led by Alain Savary.The UCRG included clubs led by Alain Savary and Pierre Bérégovoy. The UCRG joined the Federation of the Democratic and Socialist Left before merging into the new PS at the Alfortville Congress....
, which joined the Federation of the Democratic and Socialist Left
Federation of the Democratic and Socialist Left
The Federation of the Democratic and Socialist Left was a conglomerate of French left-wing non-Communist forces. It was founded to support François Mitterrand's candidature at the 1965 presidential election and to couter-balance the Communist preponderance over the French left...
(FGDS) which supported left-wing candidate François Mitterrand
François Mitterrand
François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand was the 21st President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra, serving from 1981 until 1995. He is the longest-serving President of France and, as leader of the Socialist Party, the only figure from the left so far elected President...
at the 1965 presidential election
French presidential election, 1965
The 1965 French presidential election was the first presidential election by direct universal suffrage of the Fifth Republic. It was also the first presidential election by direct universal suffrage since the Second Republic in 1848. It was won by incumbent president Charles de Gaulle who resigned...
. Then, he returned to the "old socialist house" when it was replaced by the Socialist Party
Socialist Party (France)
The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement...
(PS).
In the PS
Reconciled with Guy MolletGuy Mollet
Guy Mollet was a French Socialist politician. He led the French Section of the Workers' International party from 1946 to 1969 and was Prime Minister in 1956–1957.-Early life and World War II:...
, he succeeded him to the leadership of the party in 1969. As First Secretary of the PS, he promised to begin an "ideological dialogue" with the French Communist Party
French Communist Party
The French Communist Party is a political party in France which advocates the principles of communism.Although its electoral support has declined in recent decades, the PCF retains a large membership, behind only that of the Union for a Popular Movement , and considerable influence in French...
(PCF), which was the largest left-wing party in France at the time. Yet, he was faced with growing pressure from internal opponents who reproached him to remain dependent on Mollet's followers and to not pursue the renewal of the party. Two years later, during the Epinay Congress
Epinay Congress
The Epinay Congress was the third national congress of the French Socialist Party , which took place on 11, 12 and 13 June 1971, in the town of Épinay-sur-Seine, in the northern suburbs of Paris...
, he was overthrown by François Mitterrand
François Mitterrand
François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand was the 21st President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra, serving from 1981 until 1995. He is the longest-serving President of France and, as leader of the Socialist Party, the only figure from the left so far elected President...
, who proposed an alliance with the Communists based on a Common Program.
Deputy for Haute Garonne in 1973, then Minister of National Education
Minister of National Education
Minister of National Education can refer to:* Minister of National Education * Minister of National Education * Minister of National Education * Minister of National Education...
in 1981, he resigned three years later, after the failure of his bill to limit the financing of private schools. Indeed, in July 1984, President Mitterrand decided to withdraw the Savary Bill due to large demonstrations by the supporters of private schools.