Federation of the Democratic and Socialist Left
Encyclopedia
The Federation of the Democratic and Socialist Left (Fédération de la gauche démocrate et socialiste or FGDS) 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. It was composed of:
Before the beginning of the 1965 presidential campaign, the non-Communist left was divided. The Socialist Gaston Defferre
proposed the creation of a "Great Federation" gathering the center-left and the center-right parties in order to resist to the Gaullist
domination over the country and to the leading role of the French Communist Party
(PCF) over the opposition. He wanted to be its candidate for the presidency. However, this project failed in due to the objections of the Socialist and Christian-Democrat leaders.
Then, François Mitterrand proposed to be candidate with a strategy of union between the left-wing forces, including the PCF. This one accepted to support his candidature. Nevertheless, in order to talk on an equal footing with the Communists, he advocated the constitution of a federation of the left-wing non-Communist forces. This strategy was confirmed by the relatively good electoral result of Mitterrand, who succeeded to prevent a re-election of De Gaulle in the first round, and obtained 45% of the votes against him in the second round. Furthemore, the PCF/FGDS electoral agreements permitted to shrink the Gaullist parliamentary majority after the 1967 legislative election
. But the FGDS was divided about question of the relations with the PCF which demanded the elaboration of a common programme.
During the May 68 events, François Mitterrand announced his candidature for an anticipated presidential election. He thought Charles de Gaulle
would resign after the crisis. Finally, de Gaulle dissolved the National Assembly
and his followers won the June 1968 legislative election
. Held as responsible for the failure, Mitterrand resigned in November 1968 and the FGDS dissolved itself. Mitterrand then undertook to conquer the Socialist Party (PS) which succeeded to the SFIO in 1969.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
left-wing non-Communist
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...
forces. It was founded to support 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...
's candidature 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...
and to couter-balance the Communist preponderance over the French left. It was composed of:
- the SFIOSection française de l'Internationale ouvrièreThe French Section of the Workers' International , founded in 1905, was a French socialist political party, designed as the local section of the Second International...
Socialist party led by Guy MolletGuy MolletGuy 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:... - the Radical PartyRadical-Socialist Party (France)The Radical Party , is a liberal and centrist political party in France. The Radicals are currently the fourth-largest party in the National Assembly, with 21 seats...
headed by René BillèresRené BillèresRené Billères was a French politician.Billères served as a Radical-Socialist deputy for the Hautes-Pyrénées from 1946 till 1973 and Senator for the same department from 1973 till 1983... - the Democratic and Socialist Union of the ResistanceDemocratic and Socialist Union of the ResistanceThe Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance was a French political party found at the Liberation and in activity during the Fourth Republic...
(UDSR) - the Convention of Republican InstitutionsConvention of Republican InstitutionsThe ' was a socialist and republican party in France led by François Mitterrand. The CIR, founded in 1964 transformed from a loosely organized club to a formal political party by the time of Mitterrand's candidacy in the 1965 election...
(CIR) of François MitterrandFrançois MitterrandFrançois 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... - the Union of Socialist Groups and ClubsUnion of Socialist Groups and ClubsThe Union of Socialist Groups and Clubs was a socialist club in France led by Jean Poperen after he was expelled from the Unified Socialist Party. The UGCS joined the Federation of the Democratic and Socialist Left before merging into the new PS at the Issy-les-Moulineaux Congress....
(UGCS) of Jean PoperenJean PoperenJean Poperen was a French politician.Poperen joined the Communist Party at 18, and was also a member of the Union of Communist Students. He left the PCF after the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 and became a founding member of the Unified Socialist Party in 1960... - the Union of Clubs for the Renewal of the LeftUnion of Clubs for the Renewal of the LeftThe ' 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....
of Alain SavaryAlain SavaryAlain Savary was a French Socialist politician, deputy to the National Assembly of France during the Fourth and Fifth Republic, chairman of the Socialist Party and a government minister in the 1950s and in 1981, when he was nominated by President François Mitterrand as Minister of National...
Before the beginning of the 1965 presidential campaign, the non-Communist left was divided. The Socialist Gaston Defferre
Gaston Defferre
Gaston Defferre was a French socialist politician.-Biography:Lawyer and member of the French Section of the Workers' International political party, he was a member of the Brutus Network, a Resistance Socialist group during World War II...
proposed the creation of a "Great Federation" gathering the center-left and the center-right parties in order to resist to the Gaullist
Gaullist Party
In France, the Gaullist Party is usually used to refer to the largest party professing to be Gaullist. Gaullism claimed to transcend the left/right rift...
domination over the country and to the leading role of 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) over the opposition. He wanted to be its candidate for the presidency. However, this project failed in due to the objections of the Socialist and Christian-Democrat leaders.
Then, François Mitterrand proposed to be candidate with a strategy of union between the left-wing forces, including the PCF. This one accepted to support his candidature. Nevertheless, in order to talk on an equal footing with the Communists, he advocated the constitution of a federation of the left-wing non-Communist forces. This strategy was confirmed by the relatively good electoral result of Mitterrand, who succeeded to prevent a re-election of De Gaulle in the first round, and obtained 45% of the votes against him in the second round. Furthemore, the PCF/FGDS electoral agreements permitted to shrink the Gaullist parliamentary majority after the 1967 legislative election
French legislative election, 1967
French legislative elections took place on 5 and 12 March 1967 to elect the 3rd National Assembly of the Fifth Republic.In December 1965, Charles de Gaulle was re-elected President of France in the first Presidential election by universal suffrage. However, contrary to predictions, there had been a...
. But the FGDS was divided about question of the relations with the PCF which demanded the elaboration of a common programme.
During the May 68 events, François Mitterrand announced his candidature for an anticipated presidential election. He thought 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....
would resign after the crisis. Finally, de Gaulle dissolved the National Assembly
French National Assembly
The French National Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of France under the Fifth Republic. The upper house is the Senate ....
and his followers won the June 1968 legislative election
French legislative election, 1968
- National Assembly by Parliamentary Group:...
. Held as responsible for the failure, Mitterrand resigned in November 1968 and the FGDS dissolved itself. Mitterrand then undertook to conquer the Socialist Party (PS) which succeeded to the SFIO in 1969.