French presidential election, 1969

The French presidential election 1969 took place on 1 and 15 June 1969. When she emerged winner of the Gaullist Georges Pompidou.

Starting position

The choice was made ​​necessary by the resignation of Charles de Gaulle on 28 April 1969. The President was in a referendum failed (53.5 percent against), the territorial by recognizing the regions as collectivity should promote decentralization.

For the Gaullists former Prime Minister Georges Pompidou approached. Because of economic growth under his tenure ( 1962-1968 ) and the coping of May 1968, he was very popular among conservatives. The Parti Communiste français offered the Socialist Section Française de l' International ouvrière due to the difficult situation the establishment of a common candidate, but what they refused. Then the PCF joined with Jacques Duclos, the SFIO with Gaston Defferre. Was supported Defferre of Pierre Mendès -France. Due to the surprising candidacy of centrist interim president Alain Poher the chances of the left bearing were further reduced. Poher had led the opponents of the planned reform of de Gaulle. The two candidates Michel Rocard of the left-wing socialist Parti Socialiste and Alain Krivine unifié of the Trotskyist Revolutionary Communist League were close to the '68 movement, Krivine was much more radical.

Results

First round

With more than twenty percent of the vote Duclos achieved the best result of the Communists in a presidential election in France in general. Defferre suffered greatly under the two-sided competition ( Poher, Duclos ) and came only five percent of the vote.

Second Round

With a comfortable majority Pompidou was elected president of France. This post he held on 20 June 1969 until his death on 2 April 1974.