French constitutional referendum, 1969
Encyclopedia
A constitutional referendum was held in France
on 27 April 1969. The reforms would have led to government decentralization and changes to the Senate. It was rejected by 52.4% of voters, and failure of the amendments led to President Charles de Gaulle
's resignation.
in the constitution as territorial collectivities. That would affect the regional circonscriptions created in 1960, and Corsica
.
The region's jurisdiction would be enlarged, in matters concerning public facilities, lodgings and, mainly, urbanization. In order to administrate the necessary actions, the region would be able to take out a loan; create contracts; create, manage or grant public organizations; and conclude conventions with other regions.
The regional councils would be composed of:
Special arrangements would be taken for the Parisian region
, Corsica
and the overseas departments.
and the Economic, Social and Environmental Council into one new senate having a consultative function and no blocking power.
The necessity of a second consultative house
representing the territorial collectivities and economic, family and intellectual organizations had been announced by de Gaulle
in his Bayoux speech, on the 16 June 1946, and mentioned again during his presidency and to Alain Peyrefitte
.
The main changes in the role of the senate would be the following:
Senators would be elected for six years, half by one election, the other half by another, both elections being staggered by three years, as has been the case since 2003. They would have to be over twenty-three, rather than the then minimum age of thirty-five.
The senate's composition would be the following:
announced that if the reforms were refused, he would resign. The opposition urged people to vote no, and the general was equally hindered by former right-wing prime minister Georges Pompidou
, who would stand as a presidential candidate if de Gaulle were to leave — reducing the fear of a power vacuum
felt by the right-wing gaulliste electorate. Also, former finance minister Valéry Giscard d'Estaing
declared that he would not vote yes. Only the UDR campaigned for a yes.
1969, at ten past midnight, and released a laconic statement from Colombey-les-Deux-Églises
:
Alain Poher
, president of the senate, became interim president of the Republic until the next elections, when Georges Pompidou
came to power.
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...
on 27 April 1969. The reforms would have led to government decentralization and changes to the Senate. It was rejected by 52.4% of voters, and failure of the amendments led to President 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 resignation.
Government decentralization
The first part of the project aimed to classify the existence of regionsRégions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
in the constitution as territorial collectivities. That would affect the regional circonscriptions created in 1960, and Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
.
The region's jurisdiction would be enlarged, in matters concerning public facilities, lodgings and, mainly, urbanization. In order to administrate the necessary actions, the region would be able to take out a loan; create contracts; create, manage or grant public organizations; and conclude conventions with other regions.
The regional councils would be composed of:
- three fifths elected regional députés (deputies) and territorial regional councillors, elected by the general councilsGeneral councils (France)The General councils are assemblies of the French departments. They are elected by universal suffrage.-List of the Presidents of the General councils:-External links:*...
(one per department, for three years) and by the municipal councils or their délégués, for six years; - two fifths regional councillors, designated by representative agencies, for six years.
Special arrangements would be taken for the Parisian region
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
and the overseas departments.
Senate reform
The second part of the project would amalgamate the SenateFrench Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the Parliament of France, presided over by a president.The Senate enjoys less prominence than the lower house, the directly elected National Assembly; debates in the Senate tend to be less tense and generally enjoy less media coverage.-History:France's first...
and the Economic, Social and Environmental Council into one new senate having a consultative function and no blocking power.
The necessity of a second consultative house
Parliament of France
The French Parliament is the bicameral legislature of the French Republic, consisting of the Senate and the National Assembly . Each assembly conducts legislative sessions at a separate location in Paris: the Palais du Luxembourg for the Senate, the Palais Bourbon for the National Assembly.Each...
representing the territorial collectivities and economic, family and intellectual organizations had been announced by 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....
in his Bayoux speech, on the 16 June 1946, and mentioned again during his presidency and to Alain Peyrefitte
Alain Peyrefitte
Alain Peyrefitte was a French scholar and politician.He was a confidant of Charles De Gaulle and had a long career in public service, serving as a diplomat in Germany and Poland....
.
The main changes in the role of the senate would be the following:
- The interimInterimInterim is an album by British rock band The Fall, compiled from live and studio material and released in 2004. It features the first officially released versions of "Clasp Hands", "Blindness" and "What About Us?" — all of which were later included on the band's next studio album Fall Heads Roll —...
president of the republicPresident of the French RepublicThe President of the French Republic colloquially referred to in English as the President of France, is France's elected Head of State....
would be the prime minister rather than the president of the senate; - Declaration of war and prorogation of a state of siege would be authorized by the national assembly;
- Senators would no longer be able to create laws;
- Law propositions and projects would be first presented to the senate, who would be able to propose their adoption, rejection or amendment, before being put before the national assembly; after this, the government or the national assembly would be able to send them on to the senate;
- Organic lawsOrganic lawAn organic or fundamental law is a law or system of laws which forms the foundation of a government, corporation or other organization's body of rules. A constitution is a particular form of organic law for a sovereign state....
would be passed only by an absolute majority in the national assembly; - Senators would no longer be allowed to question the government;
- In matters concerning the High court of justice, only the meeting of senators representing territorial collectivities would have a role (with the national assembly), rather than the senate;
- All constitutional revision propositions and projects would be passed by an absolute majority of the national assembly before being proposed as a referendum; however, these revision projects could be submitted once more to the national assembly, who would be able to ratify them only by a two-thirds majority of its members.
Senators would be elected for six years, half by one election, the other half by another, both elections being staggered by three years, as has been the case since 2003. They would have to be over twenty-three, rather than the then minimum age of thirty-five.
The senate's composition would be the following:
- 173 senators representing territorial collectivities of metropolitan FranceMetropolitan FranceMetropolitan France is the part of France located in Europe. It can also be described as mainland France or as the French mainland and the island of Corsica...
(160) and its overseas territories (DOMOverseas departments and territories of FranceThe French Overseas Departments and Territories consist broadly of French-administered territories outside of the European continent. These territories have varying legal status and different levels of autonomy, although all have representation in the Parliament of France , and consequently the...
: 7, TOMOverseas departments and territories of FranceThe French Overseas Departments and Territories consist broadly of French-administered territories outside of the European continent. These territories have varying legal status and different levels of autonomy, although all have representation in the Parliament of France , and consequently the...
: 6), elected, the regions being the electoral constituencies, by deputies, territorial regional councilors, general councilors and representatives of the municipal councils; - 4 senators representing French citizens residing abroad, appointed by the High Council of French Citizens AbroadAssembly of French Citizens AbroadThe Assembly of French Citizens Abroad is the political body that represents French citizens living outside of France. The assembly advises the government on issues involving French nationals living outside France, as well as the role of France in overseas developments...
; - 146 senators representing economic, social and cultural activities, appointed by representative agencies:
- 42 senators for the working-class;
- 30 for farmers;
- 36 for businesses;
- 10 for families;
- 8 for accredited professionals;
- 8 for higher education and research;
- 12 for social and cultural activities.
Campaign
De GaulleCharles 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....
announced that if the reforms were refused, he would resign. The opposition urged people to vote no, and the general was equally hindered by former right-wing prime minister Georges Pompidou
Georges Pompidou
Georges Jean Raymond Pompidou was a French politician. He was Prime Minister of France from 1962 to 1968, holding the longest tenure in this position, and later President of the French Republic from 1969 until his death in 1974.-Biography:...
, who would stand as a presidential candidate if de Gaulle were to leave — reducing the fear of a power vacuum
Power vacuum
A power vacuum is, in its broadest sense, an expression for a condition that exists when someone has lost control of something and no one has replaced them. It is usually used to refer to a political situation that can occur when a government has no identifiable central authority...
felt by the right-wing gaulliste electorate. Also, former finance minister Valéry Giscard d'Estaing
Valéry Giscard d'Estaing
Valéry Marie René Georges Giscard d'Estaing is a French centre-right politician who was President of the French Republic from 1974 until 1981...
declared that he would not vote yes. Only the UDR campaigned for a yes.
Results
| Choice | Metropolitan France Metropolitan France Metropolitan France is the part of France located in Europe. It can also be described as mainland France or as the French mainland and the island of Corsica... |
Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | ||
| For | 10,512,469 | 46.8 | 10,901,753 | 47.6 | |
| Against | 11,945,149 | 53.2 | 12,007,102 | 52.4 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | 635,678 | – | 643,756 | – | |
| Total | 23,093,296 | 100 | 23,552,611 | 100 | |
| Registered voters | 28,655,692 | – | 29,392,390 | – | |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver | |||||
Aftermath
Following the referendum's failure, de Gaulle resigned on the 28 AprilApril
April is the fourth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars, and one of four months with a length of 30 days. April was originally the second month of the Roman calendar, before January and February were added by King Numa Pompilius about 700 BC...
1969, at ten past midnight, and released a laconic statement from Colombey-les-Deux-Églises
Colombey-les-Deux-Églises
Colombey-les-Deux-Églises is a commune in the Haute-Marne department in north-eastern France.The municipality Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises was created administratively in 1793, and it became part of the district of Chaumont and the canton Blaise. In 1801, under the name Colombey, it passed to the...
:
I cease to exercise my functions as president of the Republic. This decision will take effect today at midday.
Alain Poher
Alain Poher
Alain Émile Louis Marie Poher was a French centrist politician, affiliated first with the Popular Republican Movement and later with the Democratic Centre. He served as a Senator for Val-de-Marne from 1946 to 1995. He was President of the Senate from 3 October 1968 to 1 October 1992 and, in that...
, president of the senate, became interim president of the Republic until the next elections, when Georges Pompidou
Georges Pompidou
Georges Jean Raymond Pompidou was a French politician. He was Prime Minister of France from 1962 to 1968, holding the longest tenure in this position, and later President of the French Republic from 1969 until his death in 1974.-Biography:...
came to power.