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The '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, such as very short ministries that made policy planning difficult. France adopted the constitution of the Fourth Republic on October 13, 1946.
Some attempts were made to strengthen the executive branch of government, to prevent the unstable situation that had existed before the war, but the instability remained and the Fourth Republic saw frequent changes in government. Although the Fourth Republic oversaw an era of great economic growth in France and the rebuilding of its industry, it is best remembered for its constant political instability and inability to take bold decisions in controversial areas — most notably decolonization.

Contents

The founding of the Fourth Republic (1944-47)

Decolonization and end of the Fourth Republic

Prime Ministers

See also

Footnotes

The founding of the Fourth Republic (1944-47)

Main articles: Three Parties , Third Force (France)

Decolonization and end of the Fourth Republic

Rebellion in Algeria began soon after Indochinese independence. The government was initially successful in containing the rebellion, but the torture methods used by French military and security forces caused an enormous scandal when made public. The use of conscription also made the war extremely socially divisive. While French forces were victorious from a strictly military point of view, a large section of the public questioned the morality of maintaining colonies by force.
The instability and ineffectiveness of the Fourth Republic came to a head in the Algier crisis of 1958, when the current government suggested that it would negotiate with the Algerian nationalists. Right-wing elements in the French Army, led by General Jacques Massu seized power in Algiers and threatened to conduct a parachute assault on Paris unless Charles de Gaulle was placed in charge of the Republic ^[1]. De Gaulle did so under the precondition that a new constitution would be introduced creating a powerful presidency in which a sole executive, the first of which was to be De Gaulle, ruled for seven-year periods. These changes were introduced and the Fifth Republic was born.

Prime Ministers

Prime Ministers during the French Fourth Republic

Prime Minister	Starting	Party
Paul Ramadier	22 January, 1947	SFIO
Robert Schuman	24 November, 1947	MRP
André Marie	26 July, 1948	Radical
Robert Schuman	5 September, 1948	MRP
Henri Queuille	11 September, 1948	Radical
Georges Bidault	28 October, 1949	MRP
Henri Queuille	2 July, 1950	Radical
René Pleven	12 July, 1950	UDSR
Henri Queuille	10 March, 1951	Radical
René Pleven	11 August, 1951	UDSR
Edgar Faure	20 January, 1952	Radical
Antoine Pinay	8 March, 1952	CNIP
René Mayer	8 January, 1953	Radical
Joseph Laniel	27 June, 1953	CNIP
Pierre Mendès-France	18 June, 1954	Radical
Edgar Faure	23 February, 1955	Radical
Guy Mollet	31 January, 1956	SFIO
Maurice Bourgès-Maunoury	12 June, 1957	Radical
Félix Gaillard	6 November, 1957	Radical
Pierre Pflimlin	13 May, 1958	MRP
Charles de Gaulle	1 June, 1958	UNR
	8 January, 1959

See also

★ timeline of the French Revolution

★ French First Republic (1792 - 1804)

★ French Second Republic (1848 - 1852)

★ French Third Republic (1870 - 1940)

★ French Fifth Republic (1958 - )

Footnotes

1. France and Algeria, , Brian, Crozier, International Affairs, 1960