French legislative election, 1951
Encyclopedia
Legislative elections were held in France on 17 June 1951 to elect the second National Assembly
of the Fourth Republic
.
After the Second World War, the three parties which took a major part in the French Resistance
to the German occupation dominated the political scene and government: the French Communist Party
(PCF), the French Section of the Workers' International (SFIO, socialist party) and the Christian democratic Popular Republican Movement
(MRP). The forces associated with the Third Republic
and the 1940 disaster (the Radical Party and the classical Right) were considered as archaic and were the losers of the post-war elections.
Nevertheless, after the proclamation of the Fourth Republic
, the 1947 strikes and the beginning of the Cold War
, the Three-parties
alliance split. In spring 1947, the Communist ministers were dismissed. In the same time, Charles de Gaulle
, symbol of the Resistance, founded his Rally of the French People
(RPF) which campaigned for constitutional reform and criticized the "parties' regime" as a rebirth of the defunct Third Republic.
The Socialists and the Christian-Democrats allied with the Rally of the Republican Lefts (composed of the Radicals and the Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance
, UDSR) and right-wing groupings to form the Third Force
. This coalition defended the regime against the opposition of the Communists on the one hand, and the Gaullists on the other. But this diverse alliance did not lead to a stable executive power. Indeed, its components advocated opposing policies on the economy, the finances of the state, secularism (laïcité
) and denominational schools. This discontent was beneficial to the Communists and the Gaullists.
On March 1951, Henri Queuille
(Radical Party), became head of the cabinet. His Vice-Prime Ministers were Georges Bidault
(MRP), Guy Mollet
(SFIO) and René Pleven
(UDSR). In order to limit the number of seats won by the Communists and the Gaullists, an electoral reform was passed. The proportional representation
system was conserved but if an alliance of parties obtained more of 50% of votes in a given constituency, it won all the seats. The promoters of the electoral reform knew the Communists and the Gaullists were so different from allie contrary to the parties of the Third Force
. They hoped the alliance of the pro-government parties would reach the 50% threshold in a maximum of constituencies, whereas the PCF and the RPF would be eliminated of representation.
Whilst the PCF and the RPF were the two largest parties in terms of the popular vote, the Third Force
remained the parliamentary majority. Due to the ballot system, the Communist Party, which won more votes than any other party, was only third in terms of the number of seats won. In the winning coalition, the SFIO and the MRP lost support whereas the Radicals and the classical Right made gains. However, due to continuing internal divisions (about the denominational schools, the budget and the colonial question) the problem of the stability of the executive was not resolved.
On August 1951, René Pleven replaced Henri Queuille as Prime Minister and the Socialists left the cabinet.
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 ....
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...
.
After the Second World War, the three parties which took a major part in the French 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...
to the German occupation dominated the political scene and government: 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), the French Section of the Workers' International (SFIO, socialist party) and the Christian democratic Popular Republican Movement
Popular Republican Movement
The Popular Republican Movement was a French Christian democratic party of the Fourth Republic...
(MRP). The forces associated with the Third Republic
French Third Republic
The French Third Republic was the republican government of France from 1870, when the Second French Empire collapsed due to the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, to 1940, when France was overrun by Nazi Germany during World War II, resulting in the German and Italian occupations of France...
and the 1940 disaster (the Radical Party and the classical Right) were considered as archaic and were the losers of the post-war elections.
Nevertheless, after the proclamation 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...
, the 1947 strikes and the beginning of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, the Three-parties
Three-parties
The Three-Parties Alliance was a coalition which governed in France from 1944 to 1947, and was composed of the French Communist Party , the French Section of the Workers' International and the Christian Democrat Popular Republican Movement , which to begin with contained the regrouped Gaullists...
alliance split. In spring 1947, the Communist ministers were dismissed. In the same time, 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....
, symbol of the Resistance, founded his Rally of the French People
Rally of the French People
The Rally of the French People was a French political party, led by Charles de Gaulle.-Foundation:...
(RPF) which campaigned for constitutional reform and criticized the "parties' regime" as a rebirth of the defunct Third Republic.
The Socialists and the Christian-Democrats allied with the Rally of the Republican Lefts (composed of the Radicals and the Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance
Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance
The Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance was a French political party found at the Liberation and in activity during the Fourth Republic...
, UDSR) and right-wing groupings to form the Third Force
Third Force (France)
The Third Force was a French coalition during the Fourth Republic which gathered the French Section of the Workers' International party, the Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance centre-right party, the Radicals, the Christian democrat Popular Republican Movement and other centrist...
. This coalition defended the regime against the opposition of the Communists on the one hand, and the Gaullists on the other. But this diverse alliance did not lead to a stable executive power. Indeed, its components advocated opposing policies on the economy, the finances of the state, secularism (laïcité
Laïcité
French secularism, in French, laïcité is a concept denoting the absence of religious involvement in government affairs as well as absence of government involvement in religious affairs. French secularism has a long history but the current regime is based on the 1905 French law on the Separation of...
) and denominational schools. This discontent was beneficial to the Communists and the Gaullists.
On March 1951, Henri Queuille
Henri Queuille
Henri Queuille was a French Radical politician prominent in the Third and Fourth Republics. After World War II, he served three times as Prime Minister.He was the son of a noblewoman.-First ministry :...
(Radical Party), became head of the cabinet. His Vice-Prime Ministers were Georges Bidault
Georges Bidault
Georges-Augustin Bidault was a French politician. During World War II, he was active in the French Resistance. After the war, he served as foreign minister and prime minister on several occasions before he joined the Organisation armée secrète.-Early life:...
(MRP), 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:...
(SFIO) and René Pleven
René Pleven
René Pléven was a notable French politician of the Fourth Republic. A member of the Free French, he helped found the Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance , a political party that was meant to be a successor to the wartime Resistance movement...
(UDSR). In order to limit the number of seats won by the Communists and the Gaullists, an electoral reform was passed. The proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
system was conserved but if an alliance of parties obtained more of 50% of votes in a given constituency, it won all the seats. The promoters of the electoral reform knew the Communists and the Gaullists were so different from allie contrary to the parties of the Third Force
Third Force (France)
The Third Force was a French coalition during the Fourth Republic which gathered the French Section of the Workers' International party, the Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance centre-right party, the Radicals, the Christian democrat Popular Republican Movement and other centrist...
. They hoped the alliance of the pro-government parties would reach the 50% threshold in a maximum of constituencies, whereas the PCF and the RPF would be eliminated of representation.
Whilst the PCF and the RPF were the two largest parties in terms of the popular vote, the Third Force
Third Force (France)
The Third Force was a French coalition during the Fourth Republic which gathered the French Section of the Workers' International party, the Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance centre-right party, the Radicals, the Christian democrat Popular Republican Movement and other centrist...
remained the parliamentary majority. Due to the ballot system, the Communist Party, which won more votes than any other party, was only third in terms of the number of seats won. In the winning coalition, the SFIO and the MRP lost support whereas the Radicals and the classical Right made gains. However, due to continuing internal divisions (about the denominational schools, the budget and the colonial question) the problem of the stability of the executive was not resolved.
On August 1951, René Pleven replaced Henri Queuille as Prime Minister and the Socialists left the cabinet.
Results
Parliamentary Groups
| Party | Seats | |
|---|---|---|
| Rally of the French People Rally of the French People The Rally of the French People was a French political party, led by Charles de Gaulle.-Foundation:... |
121 | |
| French Section of the Workers' International | 107 | |
| 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... |
103 | |
| Popular Republican Movement Popular Republican Movement The Popular Republican Movement was a French Christian democratic party of the Fourth Republic... |
95 | |
| Radical Party | 74 | |
| Independent Republicans Independent Republicans The Independent Republicans were a French liberal-conservative political group founded in 1962, which became a political party in 1966 . The leader was Valéry Giscard d'Estaing.... |
53 | |
| National Center of Independents and Peasants | 43 | |
| Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance The Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance was a French political party found at the Liberation and in activity during the Fourth Republic... |
16 | |
| Non-inscrits | 12 | |
| African Democratic Rally African Democratic Rally The African Democratic Rally was a political party in French West Africa, led by Félix Houphouët-Boigny. Founded in Bamako in 1946, the RDA quickly became one of the most important forces for independence in the region. Initially a Pan-Africanist movement, the RDA ceased to function as a... |
3 | |
| Seats not elected (TOM) | 2 | |
| Total | 625 | |
Sources
See also
- French legislative election, 1951 (Guinea)French legislative election, 1951 (Guinea)Elections to the National Assembly of France were held in Guinea on 17 June 1951. The number of seats Guinea had in the Assembly had increased from two to three...
- French legislative election, 1951 (Algeria)French legislative election, 1951 (Algeria)Elections to the National Assembly of France were held in Algeria on 17 June 1951. There were 30 seats for Algeria out of 625 at the National Assembly and 14 at the Council of the Republic ....
- French legislative by-election, 1954 (Guinea)