President Mitterand 1965-1996

What if Mitterand had been President of France from 1965 to his death in 1996?

What PODs would be required?

What effects would this have on France, and (of course) the rest of the world?
 

Hendryk

Banned
What PODs would be required?
For starters, the POD would have to be after 1958, since in the IVth Republic the president was a figurehead with a short shelf life, because of chronic governmental instability.

One possibility, for what it's worth, would be the POD I once called "A Hundred Magic Bullets". On August 22, 1962, a cell from the terrorist organization OAS (created by radical Pieds-Noirs to fight against Algerian independence) ambushed de Gaulle's motorcade and opened fire on his car with automatic weapons. In OTL, although some 150 rounds were fired, none of them hit and de Gaulle escaped unharmed. So, have one bullet find its way to its intended target, and France finds itself without a president.

In such circumstances, the chairman of the Senate would have become acting president pending elections (in 1962, that man would have been Gaston Monnerville, incidentally a colored man from Guyana). One could imagine that the chaos caused by de Gaulle's assassination, coming on top of the trauma of defeat in Algeria and the messy repatriation of over a million European settlers, might somehow lead to elections being delayed for three years. At that point, Mitterrand, presenting himself as the natural alternative to the political status quo, could get a majority of the vote (in OTL he got 44% in the run-off against de Gaulle, which was considered a honorable score given the latter's popularity).

As to how and why he'd stay in power such a long time, I don't really have an idea. There are no formal term limits in the Vth Republic, but the voters would probably tire of him after his second term.
 
For starters, the POD would have to be after 1958, since in the IVth Republic the president was a figurehead with a short shelf life, because of chronic governmental instability.

One possibility, for what it's worth, would be the POD I once called "A Hundred Magic Bullets". On August 22, 1962, a cell from the terrorist organization OAS (created by radical Pieds-Noirs to fight against Algerian independence) ambushed de Gaulle's motorcade and opened fire on his car with automatic weapons. In OTL, although some 150 rounds were fired, none of them hit and de Gaulle escaped unharmed. So, have one bullet find its way to its intended target, and France finds itself without a president.

In such circumstances, the chairman of the Senate would have become acting president pending elections (in 1962, that man would have been Gaston Monnerville, incidentally a colored man from Guyana). One could imagine that the chaos caused by de Gaulle's assassination, coming on top of the trauma of defeat in Algeria and the messy repatriation of over a million European settlers, might somehow lead to elections being delayed for three years. At that point, Mitterrand, presenting himself as the natural alternative to the political status quo, could get a majority of the vote (in OTL he got 44% in the run-off against de Gaulle, which was considered a honorable score given the latter's popularity).

As to how and why he'd stay in power such a long time, I don't really have an idea. There are no formal term limits in the Vth Republic, but the voters would probably tire of him after his second term.

It depends though...

The Pod could be a different sort of system. If the president had less power then maybe he´d be able to sit a lot longer. Symbolic presidents that only have a very limited function can sit nearly forever.

But in such a France, Mitterand would go for the primeminister.

I think being president for 30 years is verging on ASB though. But still, as voters go, I think French voters aren´t too keen on switching presidents, until recently. I mean, the Gaullists held power really long, and very few presidents don´t get reelected at least once. In general they seem to last longer than f.x. American presidents. (But of course there is the two term limit).
 
Symbolic presidents that only have a very limited function can sit nearly forever.

Not really. As an example, the Bundespräsident is limited to two five year terms.

The only way, realistically, that you could get Mitterand in office that long would be under some form of authoritarian rule.
 
Not really. As an example, the Bundespräsident is limited to two five year terms.

The only way, realistically, that you could get Mitterand in office that long would be under some form of authoritarian rule.

Hmm... I´ll name the Icelandic president as an example, 16 years is the average length and generally they can sit as long as they feel like since usually the voters don´t feel like switching.

But it´s a very non-powerish post, where the president essentially replaces the role of a king in Scandinavia. I.e. he is expected to visit the countrysides, hold parties for foreign visitors and sign laws.

The limit here is artificial.
 
how to stay Mitterand as President of France ?

let face it he is only president of france have 2 term with 14 years
and he not taking election race for 3 term in 1994, because of his prostate cancer.

Mitterand had be President alrady in 1965
next reelection is for 1972 so wat happen in that time

France get his:
French first satellite "Asterix" in space (with French Rocket)
Force de Frappe (nuclear strike force)
French H-Bomb
and the May revolution of 1968 (In OTL he was on side of the strikers)

so in 1972 Mitterand get re-elected for second term, mostly because of those "Succsess"

His second term
he and Chancellor of West Germany Willy Brand arm in arm at Verdun
starting a new phase of Franco-German Partnership
1973 oil crisis
beginn construction of a Channel tunnel by the British and French governments
(OTL 20 January 1986. The Franco-British Channel Fixed Link Treaty was signed by the two governments)
Carnation Revolution in Portogal and death of Franco in Spaine
( He supported the enlargement of the Europe Community to Spain and Portugal )

his personal Problems with Chancellor of West Germany Helmut Schmidt
the revolution in Iran
launch of Europa III or Ariane 1 Rocket ?

1979 French presidential election
can he win ? that depence on opposition if they get Valéry Giscard d'Estaing or Jean-Marie Le Pen as Candidate
Mitterand can re-elected with narrow margin

he has to face Margaret Thatcher as Prime minister of UK
new West Germany Helmut Kohl.
the high-speed TGV train

for 1986 French presidential election.
after 21 Year of Office Voters wandet new faces as president
its depence how Mitterand play with opposition to be re-elected.
 
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