LIBERATION AND THE FOURTH REPUBLIC
France was under the rule of the Provincial Government of the French Republic from 1944 and 1946. The French Committee of National Liberation declared itself, the French provincial government on June 2, 1944.
For reforming the institutions, a constituent assembly was formed on October 21, 1945.
After returning to Paris, de Gaulle made the announcement that the citizens of the country would determine their future governmental system. After Germany was defeated, Gaulle scheduled a combined referendum. Elections were scheduled for October.
It was the first time in French history that women were granted suffrage. 96 per cent of the votes cast was against the return to the prewar regime. Everyone wanted a change in regime. Charles de Gaulle finally resigned on January 20, 1946.
The first constitutional bill was rejected on May 5, 1946. A new constituent assembly was elected on June 2.
MAJOR REFORMS IN THE FOURTH REPUBLIC
In the Fourth Republic many reconstruction efforts were taken. Granting women the right to vote was one of the steps taken. Steps were taken to create the Ecole National d'Administration. Social security and family benefit were also introduced. Another major step was the signing of the Treaty of Rome. Another aim was to reconstruct the country, particularly in the cities that had been bombed.
WEAKNESSES OF THE FOURTH REPUBLIC
The Fourth Republic saw governmental instability. A new government came to power, every six months. The successive governments could not gather enough support in Parliament. This instability can be attributed to the fact that the Constitution had proportional representation. This acted as a hindrance in the emergence of a clear and stable majority.
The Fourth Republic fought two major wars of decolonisation. These were the Indochina War and the Algerian War.
