Parties and Democracy in France: Parties Under Presidentialism Parties Under Presidentialism

This title was first published in 2000: The Presidency has been the principal political focus of the French Fifth Republic and the new component of French democracy. This book looks at how the Presidency has shaped political parties and party systems, as well as how they have interacted with the new institution. The Presidency has acted as a unifying force, bringing together coalitions of parties to provide a political basis for presidential power, but has also been a divisive factor. Parties draw on longstanding traditions of French political life and the Presidency can provoke destructive rivalry as well as constructive coalition-building. Presented here is a discussion of the contemporary French party system - its dynamics, successes and failures. Written in an accessible style, it is intended for students of French studies and political parties, as well as comparative politics.

Acknowledgements, Abbreviations and Acronyms, Introduction: Fourth Republic to Fifth Republic: ‘aller-retour'?, 1. The Impact of the Presidency, 2. Party System Fragmentation, 3. Rassemblement pour la Republique: A Presidential Party, 4. Union pour la Democratic Frangaise: The Endurance of the Temporary, 5. Centre Politics: Force Democrate - French Christian Democracy,'Liberalisme' - Democratic Liberate, and the Radical Party, 6. Front National: Renovation of the Extreme Right, 7. French Communism: The Patriotic Reflex, 8. French Socialism: Between Gradualism and the Great Leap Forward, Conclusion: Parties and Presidential Democracy, Appendix I. The 1997 French General Elections, Appendix II, The RPR, Appendix III. A Note on UDF (Union pour la Democratic Francaise) Structure in 1996, References, Further Reading, Index

David Bell