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| next_election = 1958 French legislative election
| next_election = 1958 French legislative election
| next_year = 1958
| next_year = 1958
| seats_for_election = All 595 seats to the [[French National Assembly]] <br /> 298 seats were needed for a majority
| seats_for_election = 544 seats in the [[National Assembly (France)|National Assembly]]
| election_date = 2 January 1956
| election_date = 2 January 1956
| turnout = 82.8% ({{increase}} 2.6 [[Percentage point|pp]])
| turnout = 81.98% ({{increase}} 1.79[[Percentage point|pp]])
| image_size = 130x130px
| image1 = [[File:USSR stamp M.Thorez 1965 6k.jpg|150x150px]]

| image1 = USSR stamp M.Thorez 1965 6k.jpg
| leader1 = [[Maurice Thorez]]
| leader1 = [[Maurice Thorez]]
| party1 = French Communist Party
| party1 = French Communist Party
| last_election1 = 97 seats
| leaders_seat1 = [[Seine (department)|Seine]]
| seats1 = 147
| last_election1 = 103 seats
| seat_change1 = {{increase}} 50
| seats1 = 150
| seat_change1 = {{increase}} 47
| popular_vote1 = 5,514,403
| popular_vote1 = 5,514,403
| percentage1 = 25.36%
| percentage1 = 25.89%

| image2 = <div style="width:100%;"><span style="line-height:150px; vertical-align:center; text-align:center; color:{{party color|National Centre of Independents and Peasants}}; font-size:38px;"> '''{{party shortname|National Centre of Independents and Peasants}}'''</span></div>
| image2 = {{Eppt|National Centre of Independents and Peasants|width=95|height=130}}
| leader2 = ''none''
| leader2 = ''none''
| party2 = National Centre of Independents and Peasants
| party2 = National Centre of Independents and Peasants
| last_election2 = 87 seats
| leaders_seat2 = ''none''
| last_election2 = '''96 seats'''
| seats2 = 95
| seats2 = 95
| seat_change2 = {{decrease}} 1
| seat_change2 = {{increase}} 8
| popular_vote2 = 3,259,782
| popular_vote2 = 3,259,782
| percentage2 = 14.99%
| percentage2 = 15.30%

| image3 =[[File:Guy Mollet Archief.PNG|150x150px]]
| image3 = Guy Mollet Archief.PNG
| leader3 = [[Guy Mollet]]
| leader3 = [[Guy Mollet]]
| party3 = French Section of the Workers International
| party3 = French Section of the Workers International
| last_election3 = 94 seats
| leaders_seat3 = [[Pas-de-Calais]]
| seats3 = 88
| last_election3 = '''107 seats'''
| seat_change3 = {{decrease}} 6
| seats3 = '''95'''
| seat_change3 = {{decrease}} 12
| popular_vote3 = 3,247,431
| popular_vote3 = 3,247,431
| percentage3 = 14.93%
| percentage3 = 15.25%


| image4 =
| image4 = Pierre-Henri Teitgen.jpg
| leader4 =
| leader4 = [[Pierre-Henri Teitgen]]
| party4 = Popular Republican Movement
| party4 = Popular Republican Movement
| last_election4 = 82 seats
| leaders_seat4 =
| seats4 = 71
| last_election4 = '''95 seats'''
| seat_change4 = {{decrease}} 11
| seats4 = 83
| seat_change4 = {{decrease}} 12
| popular_vote4 = 2,366,321
| popular_vote4 = 2,366,321
| percentage4 = 10.88%
| percentage4 = 11.11%


| image5 = [[File:Mendès-France Harcourt 1948.jpg|150x150px]]
| image5 = Mendès-France Harcourt 1948.jpg
| colour5 = FFBF00
| colour5 = FFBF00
| leader5 = [[Pierre Mendès France]] ([[Radical Party (France)|Radical]]), <br /> [[René Pleven]] ([[Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance|UDSR]])
| leader5 = [[Pierre Mendès France]] ([[Radical Party (France)|Radical]])<br /> [[René Pleven]] ([[Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance|UDSR]])
| party5 = [[Radical Party (France)|Radical]]-[[Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance|UDSR]]
| party5 = [[Radical Party (France)|Radical]]–[[Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance|UDSR]]
| last_election5 = –
| leaders_seat5 = [[Eure]] (Mendès France), <br /> [[Côtes-du-Nord]] (Pleven)
| seats5 = 73
| last_election5 = ''N/A'' (split from [[Rally of the Republican Lefts]])
| seats5 = '''77'''
| seat_change5 = ''New''
| seat_change5 = ''N/A
| popular_vote5 = 2,389,163
| popular_vote5 = 2,389,163
| percentage5 = 10.99%
| percentage5 = 11.22%


| image6 =
| image6 = Poujade1.webp
| colour6 = 704214
| colour6 = 704214
| leader6 = [[Pierre Poujade]]
| leader6 = [[Pierre Poujade]]
| party6 = [[Pierre Poujade|UFF]]
| party6 = [[Union for the Defense of Tradesmen and Artisans|UFF]]
| leaders_seat6 =
| last_election6 = –
| seats6 = 51
| last_election6 = ''New party''
| seats6 = 52
| seat_change6 = ''New''
| popular_vote6 = 2,483,813
| seat_change6 = {{increase}} 52
| percentage6 = 11.66%
| popular_vote6 = 2,744,562

| percentage6 = 12.62%
| map_image = Élections législatives françaises de 1956.svg
| map_caption = Results by department


| title = [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]]
| title = [[Prime Minister of France|Prime Minister]]
Line 78: Line 79:
| after_election = [[Guy Mollet]]
| after_election = [[Guy Mollet]]
| after_party = French Section of the Workers International
| after_party = French Section of the Workers International
}}{{Politics of France}}
}}

{{Politics of France}}
'''French legislative elections''' to elect the third [[National Assembly (France)|National Assembly]] of the [[French Fourth Republic|Fourth Republic]] took place on 2 January 1956 using [[party-list proportional representation]].<ref name="French Elections 1951-1969">{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/frenchpolitician0000will | url-access=registration | page=[https://archive.org/details/frenchpolitician0000will/page/63 63] | quote=French election 1956. | title=French Politicians and Elections 1951-1969 | publisher=CUP Archive | author=Williams, Philip M. | year=1970 | isbn=9780521096089}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Goguel|first=François|date=1956|title=Les élections françaises du 2 janvier 1956|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.3406/rfsp.1956.402673|journal=Revue française de science politique|volume=6|issue=1|pages=5–17|doi=10.3406/rfsp.1956.402673|issn=0035-2950}}</ref> The elections had been scheduled for June 1956; however, they were brought forward by [[Edgar Faure]] using a constitutional sanction.<ref name="Shields">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7eGJAgAAQBAJ&q=French+election+1956&pg=PA70 | title=The Extreme Right in France: From Pétain to Le Pen | publisher=Routledge | author=Shields, James | year=2007 | isbn=9781134861118}}</ref>
Legislative elections were held in [[France]] on 2 January to elect the third [[National Assembly (France)|National Assembly]] of the [[French Fourth Republic|Fourth Republic]]. The elections were held using [[party-list proportional representation]].<ref name="French Elections 1951-1969">{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/frenchpolitician0000will | url-access=registration | page=[https://archive.org/details/frenchpolitician0000will/page/63 63] | quote=French election 1956. | title=French Politicians and Elections 1951-1969 | publisher=CUP Archive | author=Williams, Philip M. | year=1970 | isbn=9780521096089}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Goguel|first=François|date=1956|title=Les élections françaises du 2 janvier 1956|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.3406/rfsp.1956.402673|journal=Revue française de science politique|volume=6|issue=1|pages=5–17|doi=10.3406/rfsp.1956.402673|issn=0035-2950}}</ref> The elections had been scheduled for June 1956; however, they were brought forward by [[Edgar Faure]] using a constitutional sanction.<ref name="Shields">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7eGJAgAAQBAJ&q=French+election+1956&pg=PA70 | title=The Extreme Right in France: From Pétain to Le Pen | publisher=Routledge | author=Shields, James | year=2007 | isbn=9781134861118}}</ref>


The previous legislative elections in 1951 had been won by the [[Third force (France)|Third Force]], a coalition of center-left and center-right parties, but it was divided about denominational schools question and, when faced with the colonial problem, the governments had gradually moved towards the right. A part of the [[Rally of the French People]] (RPF), the Gaullist party, joined the majority in opposing the leadership of [[Charles de Gaulle]], who then retired.
The previous legislative elections in 1951 had been won by the [[Third force (France)|Third Force]], a coalition of center-left and center-right parties, but it was divided about denominational schools question and, when faced with the colonial problem, the governments had gradually moved towards the right. A part of the [[Rally of the French People]] (RPF), the Gaullist party, joined the majority in opposing the leadership of [[Charles de Gaulle]], who then retired.
Line 88: Line 89:
The far-right, led by [[Pierre Poujade]], re-appeared at about the same time. He was a critic of "[[fiscalism]]", and leader of a shopkeepers and craftsmen's movement. Many voters seemed tired of the political system's numerous ministerial crises, and he had much support in the rural areas, which were in decline.
The far-right, led by [[Pierre Poujade]], re-appeared at about the same time. He was a critic of "[[fiscalism]]", and leader of a shopkeepers and craftsmen's movement. Many voters seemed tired of the political system's numerous ministerial crises, and he had much support in the rural areas, which were in decline.
The anticipated legislative elections took place when Faure was defeated by the National Assembly. Even though the [[French Communist Party]] re-emerged as the country's most popular party (for the last time in its history), it did not join the government. A coalition was formed behind Mendès-France and advocated a peaceful resolution of the Algerian conflict. This [[Republican Front (France)|Republican Front]] was composed of the [[French Section of the Workers' International]] (SFIO, socialist party) of [[Guy Mollet]], the [[French Radical Party|Radical Party]] of Pierre Mendès-France, the [[Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance]] of [[François Mitterrand]] and the [[National Centre of Social Republicans]] of [[Jacques Chaban-Delmas]]. Faure was excluded from the Radical Party – in response he transformed the [[Rally of the Republican Lefts]] (which had been abandoned by those groups which had now joined the Republican Front) into a party that he led, and he campaigned with the center-right parties.
The anticipated legislative elections took place when Faure was defeated by the National Assembly. Even though the [[French Communist Party]] re-emerged as the country's most popular party (for the last time in its history), it did not join the government. A coalition was formed behind Mendès-France and advocated a peaceful resolution of the Algerian conflict. This [[Republican Front (French Fourth Republic)|Republican Front]] was composed of the [[French Section of the Workers' International]] (SFIO, socialist party) of [[Guy Mollet]], the [[French Radical Party|Radical Party]] of Pierre Mendès-France, the [[Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance]] of [[François Mitterrand]] and the [[National Centre of Social Republicans]] of [[Jacques Chaban-Delmas]]. Faure was excluded from the Radical Party – in response he transformed the [[Rally of the Republican Lefts]] (which had been abandoned by those groups which had now joined the Republican Front) into a party that he led, and he campaigned with the center-right parties.
The French Communist Party remained the largest party and the Republican Front obtained a relative majority in order to end the Algerian War.
The French Communist Party remained the largest party and the Republican Front obtained a relative majority in order to end the Algerian War.


The Poujadists won 52 seats versus predictions of six to eight,<ref name="sep19560211">{{Cite magazine |date=1956-02-11 |title=France Needs Some Drastic Political Surgery |url=https://archive.org/details/the-saturday-evening-post-1956-02-11/page/n11/mode/2up |magazine=The Saturday Evening Post |type=editorial |language=en |page=10 |access-date=2020-03-24}}</ref> and the press stated that they held the balance of power. Media reception was mixed, with the result welcomed by communist supporters and condemned by papers such as ''[[The Times]]'', ''[[Le Figaro]]'',<ref name="Shade of Hitler">{{cite news | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article138116278 | title=Shade of Hitler Seen in French Election Vote. | work=[[Canberra Times|The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995)]] | date=5 January 1956 | access-date=20 April 2014 | author=AAP/Reuters}}</ref> and ''[[The Saturday Evening Post]]''.{{r|sep19560211}}
The Poujadists won 51 seats versus predictions of six to eight, including a young [[Jean-Marie Le Pen]],<ref name="sep19560211">{{Cite magazine |date=1956-02-11 |title=France Needs Some Drastic Political Surgery |url=https://archive.org/details/the-saturday-evening-post-1956-02-11/page/n11/mode/2up |magazine=The Saturday Evening Post |type=editorial |language=en |page=10 |access-date=2020-03-24}}</ref> and the press stated that they held the balance of power. Media reception was mixed, with the result welcomed by communist supporters and condemned by papers such as ''[[The Times]]'', ''[[Le Figaro]]'',<ref name="Shade of Hitler">{{cite news | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article138116278 | title=Shade of Hitler Seen in French Election Vote. | work=[[Canberra Times|The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995)]] | date=5 January 1956 | access-date=20 April 2014 | agency=AAP/Reuters}}</ref> and ''[[The Saturday Evening Post]]''.{{r|sep19560211}}


The coalition cabinet was led by the Socialist leader [[Guy Mollet]].<ref name="Shields" /> At the beginning he was also supported by the Communists, but pressure from the ''[[pieds-noir]]'' in Algeria incited him into leading a very repressive policy against the Algerian nationalists. This policy was criticized by Vice-Prime Minister Mendès-France and other members of the cabinet, who resigned, thus splitting the Republican Front. Mollet and his successors floundered in the conflict until May 1958.
The coalition cabinet was led by the Socialist leader [[Guy Mollet]].<ref name="Shields" /> At the beginning he was also supported by the Communists, but pressure from the ''[[pieds-noir]]'' in Algeria incited him into leading a very repressive policy against the Algerian nationalists. This policy was criticized by Vice-Prime Minister Mendès-France and other members of the cabinet, who resigned, splitting the Republican Front. Mollet and his successors floundered in the conflict until May 1958.


==Results==
==Results==
{{Election results
{{election table|title=}}
|image={{Parliament diagram|background=#F8F9FA
|-
|n1=147|p1=French Communist Party
! style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:left;vertical-align:top;" colspan=2 |Parties and coalitions
|n2= 88|p2=French Section of the Workers' International
! style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:right;" | Abbr.
|n3= 73|p3=Rally of Republican Lefts
! style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:right;" | Votes
|n4= 16|p4=National Centre of Social Republicans
! style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:right;" | %
|n5= 71|p5=Popular Republican Movement
! style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:right;" | Seats
|n6= 95|p6=Moderates|c6={{party color|National Centre of Independents and Peasants}}
! style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:right;" | +/- %
|n7= 51|p7=Union for the Defense of Tradesmen and Artisans|c7=#704214
|-
|n8 = 3|p8=Independent politician}}
|style="background-color:#1E90FF"|
|party1=[[French Communist Party]]|votes1=5514403|seats1=147
| style="text-align:left;" | [[National Centre of Independents and Peasants]] (''Centre national des indépendants et paysans'')
|party2=Moderates|votes2=3259782|seats2=95|color2={{party color|National Centre of Independents and Peasants}}
| style="text-align:right;" | CNIP
|party3=[[French Section of the Workers' International]]|votes3=3247431|seats3=88
| style="text-align:right;" | 3,259,782
|party4=[[Union for the Defense of Tradesmen and Artisans]]|votes4=2483813|seats4=51|color4=#704214
| style="text-align:right;" | 15.30
|party5=[[Republican Front (French Fourth Republic)|Republican Front]] ([[Radical Party (France)|Radical Party]]–[[Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance|UDSR]])|votes5=2389163|seats5=73|sspan5=2|color5={{party color|Rally of Republican Lefts}}
| style="text-align:right;" | 95
|party6=[[Radical Party (France)|Radical Party]]–[[Rally of Republican Lefts|RGR]]–[[Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance|UDSR]] (non-[[Republican Front (French Fourth Republic)|Front]])|votes6=838231|seats6=|color6={{party color|Rally of Republican Lefts}}
| style="text-align:right;" | +1.66
|party8=[[Popular Republican Movement]]|votes8=2366321|seats8=71
|-
|party9=[[National Centre of Social Republicans]] (non-Front)|votes9=585764|seats9=16|sspan9=2
|style="background-color:#00CCCC"|
|party10=[[National Centre of Social Republicans]]|votes10=256587|seats10=
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Popular Republican Movement]] (''Mouvement républicain populaire'')
|party11=Far-right|votes11=260749|seats11=0
| style="text-align:right;" | MRP
|party12=Miscellaneous|votes12=98600|seats12=3
| style="text-align:right;" | 2,366,321
|invalid=647160
| style="text-align:right;" | 11.11
|electorate=26772255
| style="text-align:right;" | 83
|source=Mackie & Rose,<ref>Thomas T. Mackie & Richard Rose (1982) ''The International Almanac of Electoral History'', Macmillan, pp132–134</ref> [https://books.google.com/books?id=FBLYCQAAQBAJ&pg=PT62 Becker]
| style="text-align:right;" | -1.49
|-
|style="background-color:#FBEC5D"|
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Rally of Left Republicans]] (''Rassemblement des gauches républicaines'')
| style="text-align:right;" | RGR
| style="text-align:right;" | 838,321
| style="text-align:right;" | 3.94
| style="text-align:right;" | 14
| style="text-align:right;" | -6.23
|-
|style="background-color:#C9A0DC"|
| style="text-align:left;" | [[National Centre of Social Republicans]] <small>outside Republican Front</small>(''Centre national des républicains sociaux'')
| style="text-align:right;" | CNRS
| style="text-align:right;" | 585,764
| style="text-align:right;" | 2.75
| style="text-align:right;" | 22
| style="text-align:right;" | -17.98
|-
|
| style="text-align:left;" | '''Total "Centre-Right"'''
|
| style="text-align:right;" | '''7,050,188'''
| style="text-align:right;" | '''33.10'''
| style="text-align:right;" | '''214'''
|-
|style="background-color:#E75480"|
| style="text-align:left;" | [[French Section of the Workers' International]] (''Section française de l'Internationale ouvrière'')
| style="text-align:right;" | SFIO
| style="text-align:right;" | 3,247,431
| style="text-align:right;" | 15.25
| style="text-align:right;" | 95
| style="text-align:right;" | -0.14
|-
|style="background-color:#FFBF00"|
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Radical Party (France)|Radical Party]] (''Parti radical'') and [[Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance]] (''Union démocratique et socialiste de la Résistance'')
| style="text-align:right;" | PR/UDSR
| style="text-align:right;" | 2,389,163
| style="text-align:right;" | 11.22
| style="text-align:right;" | 77
| style="text-align:right;" | +1.05
|-
|style="background-color:#C9A0DC"|
| style="text-align:left;" | [[National Centre of Social Republicans]] (''Centre national des républicains sociaux'')
| style="text-align:right;" | CNRS
| style="text-align:right;" | 256,587
| style="text-align:right;" | 1.20
| style="text-align:right;" | 0
| style="text-align:right;" | -20.73
|-
|
| style="text-align:left;" | '''Total "[[Republican Front (France)|Republican Front]]"'''
|
| style="text-align:right;" | '''5,893,181'''
| style="text-align:right;" | '''27.67'''
| style="text-align:right;" | '''172'''
|-
|style="background-color:#FF0000"|
| style="text-align:left;" | [[French Communist Party]] (''Parti communiste français'')
| style="text-align:right;" | PCF
| style="text-align:right;" | 5,514,403
| style="text-align:right;" | 25.89
| style="text-align:right;" | 150
| style="text-align:right;" | -0.38
|-
|style="background-color:#704214"|
| style="text-align:left;" | [[Pierre Poujade|Union and French Fraternity]] (''Union et fraternité française'')
| style="text-align:right;" | UFF
| style="text-align:right;" | 2,744,562
| style="text-align:right;" | 12.88
| style="text-align:right;" | 52
| style="text-align:right;" | +12.88
|-
|
| style="text-align:left;" | Miscellaneous
|
| style="text-align:right;" | 98,600
| style="text-align:right;" | 0.46
| style="text-align:right;" | 7
|-
|
| style="text-align:left;" | '''Total'''
|
| style="text-align:right;" | '''21,300,934'''
| style="text-align:right;" | '''100'''
| style="text-align:right;" | '''595'''
|-
|
| style="text-align:left;" | Abstention: 17.2%
|}

{{Bar box
|title=Popular vote
|titlebar=#ddd
|width=600px
|barwidth=350px
|bars=
{{Bar percent|PCF|{{party color|French Communist Party}}|25.89}}
{{Bar percent|CNIP|{{party color|National Centre of Independents and Peasants}}|15.30}}
{{Bar percent|Radical Party-UDSR-RGR|#E57F00|15.16}}
{{bar percent|SFIO|{{party color|French Section of the Workers' International}}|15.25}}
{{Bar percent|Poujadists|#8B4513|12.88}}
{{bar percent|MRP|{{party color|Popular Republican Movement}}|11.11}}
{{Bar percent|CNRS|blue|3.95}}
{{Bar percent|Others|gray|0.46}}
}}
}}


==References==
==References==

{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}

{{French elections}}
{{French elections}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:French Legislative Election, 1956}}
[[Category:Legislative elections in France]]
[[Category:Legislative elections in France|1956]]
[[Category:1956 elections in France|Legislative]]
[[Category:1956 elections in France]]

Latest revision as of 14:55, 6 December 2024

1956 French legislative election
← 1951 2 January 1956 1958 →
544 seats in the National Assembly
Turnout81.98% (Increase 1.79pp)
  First party Second party Third party
 
CNI
Leader Maurice Thorez none Guy Mollet
Party PCF CNIP SFIO
Last election 97 seats 87 seats 94 seats
Seats won 147 95 88
Seat change Increase 50 Increase 8 Decrease 6
Popular vote 5,514,403 3,259,782 3,247,431
Percentage 25.89% 15.30% 15.25%
  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Leader Pierre-Henri Teitgen Pierre Mendès France (Radical)
René Pleven (UDSR) 		Pierre Poujade
Party MRP Radical–UDSR UFF
Last election 82 seats – –
Seats won 71 73 51
Seat change Decrease 11 New New
Popular vote 2,366,321 2,389,163 2,483,813
Percentage 11.11% 11.22% 11.66%
Results by department
Prime Minister before election

Edgar Faure
PRV

Elected Prime Minister

Guy Mollet
SFIO

This article is part of a series on
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Legislative elections were held in France on 2 January to elect the third National Assembly of the Fourth Republic. The elections were held using party-list proportional representation.[1][2] The elections had been scheduled for June 1956; however, they were brought forward by Edgar Faure using a constitutional sanction.[3]

The previous legislative elections in 1951 had been won by the Third Force, a coalition of center-left and center-right parties, but it was divided about denominational schools question and, when faced with the colonial problem, the governments had gradually moved towards the right. A part of the Rally of the French People (RPF), the Gaullist party, joined the majority in opposing the leadership of Charles de Gaulle, who then retired.

The defeat in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in May 1954 caused a political crisis.[3] The Radical Pierre Mendès-France became leader of the cabinet and ended the First Indochina War. He also began the process of independence for Morocco and Tunisia, but from November 1954 on, France was confronted by the Algerian War. In February 1955, Mendès-France was replaced, at the head of the cabinet, by his rival in the Radical Party, Edgar Faure. This one led a more repressive policy in Algeria.

The far-right, led by Pierre Poujade, re-appeared at about the same time. He was a critic of "fiscalism", and leader of a shopkeepers and craftsmen's movement. Many voters seemed tired of the political system's numerous ministerial crises, and he had much support in the rural areas, which were in decline.

The anticipated legislative elections took place when Faure was defeated by the National Assembly. Even though the French Communist Party re-emerged as the country's most popular party (for the last time in its history), it did not join the government. A coalition was formed behind Mendès-France and advocated a peaceful resolution of the Algerian conflict. This Republican Front was composed of the French Section of the Workers' International (SFIO, socialist party) of Guy Mollet, the Radical Party of Pierre Mendès-France, the Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance of François Mitterrand and the National Centre of Social Republicans of Jacques Chaban-Delmas. Faure was excluded from the Radical Party – in response he transformed the Rally of the Republican Lefts (which had been abandoned by those groups which had now joined the Republican Front) into a party that he led, and he campaigned with the center-right parties. The French Communist Party remained the largest party and the Republican Front obtained a relative majority in order to end the Algerian War.

The Poujadists won 51 seats versus predictions of six to eight, including a young Jean-Marie Le Pen,[4] and the press stated that they held the balance of power. Media reception was mixed, with the result welcomed by communist supporters and condemned by papers such as The Times, Le Figaro,[5] and The Saturday Evening Post.[4]

The coalition cabinet was led by the Socialist leader Guy Mollet.[3] At the beginning he was also supported by the Communists, but pressure from the pieds-noir in Algeria incited him into leading a very repressive policy against the Algerian nationalists. This policy was criticized by Vice-Prime Minister Mendès-France and other members of the cabinet, who resigned, splitting the Republican Front. Mollet and his successors floundered in the conflict until May 1958.

Results

[edit]
147
88
73
16
71
95
51
3
PartyVotes%Seats
French Communist Party5,514,40325.89147
Moderates3,259,78215.3095
French Section of the Workers' International3,247,43115.2588
Union for the Defense of Tradesmen and Artisans2,483,81311.6651
Republican Front (Radical Party–UDSR)2,389,16311.2273
Radical Party–RGR–UDSR (non-Front)838,2313.94
Popular Republican Movement2,366,32111.1171
National Centre of Social Republicans (non-Front)585,7642.7516
National Centre of Social Republicans256,5871.20
Far-right260,7491.220
Miscellaneous98,6000.463
Total21,300,844100.00544
Valid votes21,300,84497.05
Invalid/blank votes647,1602.95
Total votes21,948,004100.00
Registered voters/turnout26,772,25581.98
Source: Mackie & Rose,[6] Becker

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Williams, Philip M. (1970). French Politicians and Elections 1951-1969. CUP Archive. p. 63. ISBN 9780521096089. French election 1956.
  2. ^ Goguel, François (1956). "Les élections françaises du 2 janvier 1956". Revue française de science politique. 6 (1): 5–17. doi:10.3406/rfsp.1956.402673. ISSN 0035-2950.
  3. ^ a b c Shields, James (2007). The Extreme Right in France: From Pétain to Le Pen. Routledge. ISBN 9781134861118.
  4. ^ a b "France Needs Some Drastic Political Surgery". The Saturday Evening Post (editorial). 11 February 1956. p. 10. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  5. ^ "Shade of Hitler Seen in French Election Vote". The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995). AAP/Reuters. 5 January 1956. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  6. ^ Thomas T. Mackie & Richard Rose (1982) The International Almanac of Electoral History, Macmillan, pp132–134
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