Politics in France since 1958

After Charles de Gaulle had passed the constitution of the Fifth Republic in 1958, France was ruled by governments of the right succession until 1981. During the 1960s, the parties of the left had rather poor results in elections nationwide. Successive governments generally applied the program Gaullist national independence, and modernization in a way intrusive . The Gaullist government, however, has been criticized electric cigarette for its brutality [ref. required] : while the elections were free, the state had a monopoly on radio broadcasting and television and sought to impose his views [ref. needed] on the news (though this monopoly was not absolute, botox brisbane since there were radio stations which broadcasts from neighboring countries). Social policy of de Gaulle was fundamentally conservative. In May 1968 , a series of strikes by workers and student revolts shook France. But the excitement did not result in an immediate change of government, the right to be triumphantly re-elected in the election of June 1968. The electorate swung to the 1969 referendum on the reform of the senate, in a move widely regarded [ref. needed] a weariness of the French to wedding ring De Gaulle. In 1981, François Mitterrand ‘s Socialist Party candidate, was elected president with a program of far-reaching reforms, the Joint Programme . After ensuring a majority in parliament after the general elections of that engagement ring year, his government botox brisbane led a program of economic and social reforms. In 1983, high inflation and the economic crisis led to a reversal of economic policy, known under the term “turning point of rigor” – the leftist government made a commitment to reform tax policy and control spending, and privatization of the major French banks. Although the majority of nationalization were canceled in 1984, or mining jobs by subsequent governments (both left and right), the social reforms undertaken were maintained. Since then, the government alternated between left-wing coalition (composed of the Socialist Party and the Communist Party , and more recently Les Verts ), and a right-wing coalition (composed by the Union for French Democracy and the Rally for the Republic of Jacques Chirac , later replaced by the Union for a Popular Movement ). The 1980s and 1990s have also seen the emergence of the National Front of Jean-Marie Le Pen , the party accusing the immigration , especially norfolk island holidays immigration from countries of North Africa such as the Algeria of the increase of unemployment and crime 1 . Since the 1980s, unemployment remained high at about 10% of the workforce, regardless of the policies to fight [ref. needed] . In addition, electronic cigarette crime has changed during this period, with a sharp increase in juvenile crime and acts of incivility, although the extent of its increase is debatable [ref. needed] . Problems in the suburbs – a euphemism describing the disadvantaged suburban housing areas, often with a high proportion of immigrant population – remain a concern. The presence of Jean-Marie Le Pen in the second e cigarette round of the 2002 presidential election was attributed, in large part to server monitoring the feeling of insecurity [ref. needed] . Political institutions  President of the Republic Prime minister National Assembly Senate Political parties and movements  Main article: French political parties and movements . Major political parties  Leftmost  Main article: Far left . Workers’ struggle  : the name by which this is the Internationalist Communist Union (UCI). The UCI is a Trotskyist party from a split of the Fourth International from 1939 . His spokeswoman, Arlette Laguiller , received 1.34% of the locksmith votes in the last presidential election (2007). New Anti-Capitalist Party (NPA): Anti-Capitalist Party affiliated to the Fourth International . Some of their former members, including Alain Krivine , were excluded from the January 1966 PCF 2 for their radicalopposition to Stalinism. His spokesman, Olivier Besancenot , received 4.08% of the votes auto insurance quote in the last presidential election (2007). Independent Workers Party (POI): Anti-Capitalist Party and Eurosceptic , stemming largely from the free ipad Workers’ Party . The candidate supported by the PT in 2007, Gerard Schivardi , received 0.34% of the votes at the last presidential election. Left  Main article: Left (politics) . Socialist Party  : heir to the SFIO iPhone Unlock , the party in its present form was collected by François Mitterrand and the way claims to be progressive and social democratic. Its current chief secretary (acting) is Harlem Désir since the nomination of Martine Aubry at the primary socialist. Its candidate in the 2007 presidential election was Ségolène Royal . The latter, in the 2007 presidential STD Testing election, receiving 25.87% of the vote, coming 2 e . She reached the second round, and lost, with 46.94% of the vote against the UMP candidate Nicolas Sarkozy . The Socialist Party is currently the leading opposition force in the country, holding the parliamentary groups of the most important in terms of numbers after those of the UMP in both Houses of Parliament. The PS is also well established in local authorities, currently head 20 out of 22 regional councils in France and a majority of councils with the support of other parties in parliamentary left. French Communist Party  : after experiencing its heyday after Denver Divorce Attorney the Second World War , it is since 1981 a marked decline. Its candidate in the first round of the presidential election of 2007, Marie-George Buffet , got 1.93% of the vote. mining jobs The PCF, oldest party of the parliamentary left has always been a staunch ally of the Socialist Party since 1974, during which the Union of the Left was formed at the initiative of leaders socialist, communist and radical left of the time. With multiple localized electoral strongholds, the PCF is the third party of the National Assembly in terms of numbers, where its members sit alongside the green in the group policy Left Democratic and Republican , while its sitting senators with those of the Left Party in the Communist group, Republican senators and citizens of the Left Party . The CPF is leading the councils of the Val de Marne and the Allier , with the support of the PS. Radical Left Party  : movement resulting from the division in 1971, the Radical Socialist party , the dominant political party for much of the Third Republic . Very weak electorally speaking, the PRG must rely on its alliances with the Socialist Party to retain some seats in the National Assembly and local parliaments and local authorities. It is relatively well established in Corsica and especially in Midi-Pyrenees , where he leads respectively councils of Haute-Corse and Tarn-et-Garonne . Senators of PRG sit alongside those of the Radical Party valoisien the group RDSE , while its members are related to the group SRC . Europe Ecology – The Greens  : main environmental groups. Its candidate in the presidential election of 2007 was Dominique Voynet , web hosting review who collected 1.57% of the votes in the first round. Often allied with other parties in the parliamentary left, they can not count on any regular electoral stronghold, voters are evenly distributed throughout the territory. If the greens have so far had very limited success in the presidential and legislative elections, they collect usually do Denver Divorce Attorney well in regional elections (12.18% in 2010) and the European elections (16.28% in 2009), as well as in several major cities in municipal elections. Its members sit with the Communist Party within the group of the Left Democratic and Republican senators while its attached to the Socialist Group. Citizen and Republican Movement  : Merger of Citizens’ Movement , the Socialist Party split, and the Storage Containers Pole Republican , who supported the election of Jean-Pierre Chevenement during the 2002 presidential election, this party is a set of trends claiming republicanism left. The MRC has always been a party “marginal” at the national level, and must rely, as PRG, its alliances with the Socialist Party to keep a few mandates in parliament and local authorities. His deputy is related to SRC Group to the National Assembly, while the Senator, Mr. Chevenement, sits on the group RDSE. Left Party  : Socialist Party split claiming republicanism left and environmentalism, gradually joined by several independent personalities and political groups (including the March-Republican Left) and former members of the PS and the Greens . Led by MEP Jean-Luc Mélenchon , the PG auto insurance quote has three deputies, members of the group of the Left Democratic and Republican senators and two members of the Communist group, Republican senators and citizens of the Left Party. Centre [ modify ] Main article: Centrism in France . Democratic Movement (or modem): confederation of several centrist parties including the Union for hcg diet plan French Democracy , the independent movement that claims of centrism was created by François Bayrou following the 2007 presidential election. Wanting out of the split left / right, it emits no preferences generally in terms of electoral engagement ring alliances, turning, if necessary, as well as to the PS to the UMP for the municipal and cantonal elections of 2008. The Modern Left  : created in 2007 by Jean-Marie Bockel , former member of the Socialist Party to support the work of Nicolas Sarkozy soon after his election as president denver injury lawyer . Claiming of social liberalism, the party wants to be a loyal ally, but distinct from the UMP . It is a founding member parties of the Republican Alliance, environmental and social in 2011. The New Centre  : created by parliamentarians, former members of the UDF , who asked to vote Nicolas Sarkozy during the two rounds of presidential elections in 2007. Unlike the Democratic Movement, the New Centre claims to Cell Phone Accessories be an integral part of the presidential majority of Nicolas Sarkozy, rejecting instant payday loans any idea of alliance with the Left Bankruptcy to remain an ally and a loyal support of the UMP. Marginal electorally speaking (2% of the vote in parliamentary elections in 2007 ), it must train its parliamentary group at the National Assembly in its alliances with the UMP. It is reinforced by hosting disappointed with the modem, as Jean-Marie Cavada , or UMP, as Hervé de Charette . It is a founding member parties of the Republican Alliance, environmental and social in 2011. Right  Main auto insurance quotes article: Right (politics) . Union for a Popular Movement  : Fusion of the Gaullist party Rally for the Republic and Liberal Democracy, and several former members of the UDF who supported Jacques Chirac during the presidential campaign of 2002, the UMP is the first major party uniting most of the French forces of the lines. Inspired Gaullist , is currently its secretary general Jean-Francois Cope . Its former president, Nicolas Sarkozy , is now president, having won the second round (53.06% of votes) of the 2007 presidential election . Radical Party  : the oldest French political party founded in 1901, currently chaired by Jean-Louis Borloo . Republican Party of inspiration, secular and social, associated with the UMP , he wants to be the social wing. Christian Democratic Party  : Training conservative claiming to be Christian social doctrine , founded by and for Christine Boutin , candidate for the French presidential election of 2002 . Rather chiropractic marketing close to the electronic cigarette center-right economic and social matters, the PDC, however, adopts a very conservative positions on social issues and changing attitudes, not unlike those of the Movement for France . This is a party associated with the UMP as the Radical Party. Movement for France  : party sovereigntist and conservative chaired by Philippe de Villiers , presidential candidate in 1995 (4.7%) and 2007 (2.2%). Storage Containers It has a large pool of votes in Vendee , electoral stronghold of Philippe de Villiers. At the national level, the MPF is campaigning for the respect for the sovereignty of France against the European Union (opposition to the Lisbon Treaty …), national identity (pride in being French …) but also defends the family (as opposed to gay marriage …) and free enterprise (lower payroll taxes …). Locally, the MPF is associated with other right-wing parties, including the UMP and the New Centre. Hunting, fishing, nature and traditions  : Training independent cna certification claiming the defense of rurality . Founded in 1989, is led by corporate clothing Frédéric Nihous . Rather weak electorally speaking, CPNT has had some success hcg diet plan in the late 1990s and early 2000s, making its entry in several regional councils at the regional elections of 1998 and getting six seats in Parliament in the European elections of 1999 with 6.8% of the votes cast. Jean Relevant Life Policy Saint-Josse gather on its name 4.2% of the votes cast in the first round of the 2002 presidential election . He knows from rather poor results, its candidate for president in 2007, Frédéric Nihous, obtaining only 1.15% of the votes cast in the first round. Long away from the traditional right, CPNT joined in the summer of 2009 the Liaison Committee of the presidential majority . National Centre of Independents and Peasants  : the oldest political party in the French right, founded in 1949, currently chaired by the Annick Roscoät . Liberal on economic issues (removal of 35 hours, lower costs) and conservative on social issues (defense of the family). Very strong in the IV th Republic and the beginnings of V e (120 members, two presidents), the INC is in the tradition of political Independents and now claims seven parliamentarians, Christian Vanneste . Various Right  Main article: Various Right . Standing the Republic  : Training was founded by Nicolas Dupont-Aignan , former UMP, claiming the sovereignty movement and Gaullism . M. Dupont-Aignan is currently MP and head of the National Assembly as a non-registrant. Far right  Wire Cart Covers Main article: Far Bankruptcy Right in France . National Front  : Party nationalist and populist , listed at the far right of the political spectrum , founded in 1972 by Jean-Marie Le Pen , who led until 2011. Marginal until the mid-1980s, the FN became an actor incoutournable of French politics since 1984, during which he made ​​his first big electoral breakthrough in the European elections , bringing nearly 11% of the vote and more than 2 million voters. All national consultations will eventually results in NF ranging from 9 to about 15% of the votes cast. During the 1986 legislative elections , the FN won 35 seats in the National Assembly , taking advantage of the introduction of proprotionnelle representation . Return to FPTP two-round elections for its political isolation and then let him continually at the gates of Parliament despite strong results and constantly growing in terms of votes. During the French presidential election of 2002 , Jean-Marie Le Pen was a surprise by qualifying for the second round, where he was defeated by Jacques Chirac , re-elected with over 82% of the votes cast. The scores of FN, however, remain relatively high thereafter (including the regional elections of 2004) until 2007, during which Le Pen suffered a major setback in the first casino round of the presidential election (10.4% of the votes), while the Storage Bins FN will then face a real electoral defeat in parliamentary elections, collecting just over 4% of the votes cast at national level. DNR  : Division of the National Front, founded and directed since then by Bruno Megret . The MNR will effectively compete with the FN in the early years (3.4% in the European elections in 1999 , against 5.7% for the FN), but will be quickly marginalized, unable to get Mégret including only 2.3% of votes cast in the first round of the presidential election of 2002. It weighs a little over 0% of votes nationwide. Chronicle of the political  1950 and 1960, the state-UDR  The political system is marked by the French polarization of political forces on the basis locksmith of splitting the left / right . At the beginning of the Fifth Republic, the political left was organized around the French Communist Party (PCF) and the reformist left government, in which the Socialist Party (PS) become hegemonic since its foundation in 1969. On the right, the parties of the movement Gaullist , unified in 1967 in the Democratic Union for the Fifth Republic (UDR) long occupied a largely dominant position, car shipping but steadily offset by the liberal right mainly embodied by the Independent Republicans and small movement of the center-right , heirs of the Popular Republican Movement (MRP), as the Centre Democrat or Progress and Modern Democracy . The
relationship between these formations within the two blocks are often conflicting, but the use of FPTP in two rounds for the election of deputies and presidentialisation regime with, in 1961 , the election of the President of the Republic direct universal suffrage helps to maintain the polarization. The line through the sensitivity Gaullist dominate politics quite extensively until the early free ipad 1970s, Charles de Gaulle and Georges Pompidou largely being successively elected to the engagement rings presidency of the Republic, with the support of the National Assembly perpetual, where the Gaullist party remains the leading force until 1981. 1970s: the bipolar quadrille  The year 1970 will mark the first major upheaval of the French political landscape. The elections of 1973 marked a significant reflux of Gaullism in favor of the center-right, largely realized when Valéry Giscard d’Estaing , head of the Independent Republicans, became president of the Republic at the expense of the Gaullist Jacques Chaban-Delmas . It’s the end of the “State-UDR.” On the left, the combined PS and the PCF to the small movement of the Radical Left (MRG) as part of the Union of the Left in 1972. This alliance will allow the left to strengthen its sole candidate in the presidential election of 1974, the first secretary of the Socialist Party Francois Mitterrand , norfolk island holidays narrowly missing victory in the second round (49.2% of the vote). On the right, the balance of power is to rebalance the foundation by Mr. Giscard d’Estaing in 1978 of the Union for French Democracy (UDF) party uniting the forces of non-Gaullist right and center-right. This new party puts an end to the hegemony Gaullist right, the UDR, transformed into Rally for the Republic (RPR) in December 1976 under the leadership of Jacques Chirac , but remained slightly stronger electorally speaking. The Chicago Criminal Lawyer party system thus organized on casino the basis of a ‘bipolar quadrille’, with four parties of equal importance: on the left, the PCF and the PS, right, the RPR and the UDF. This new situation is particularly well illustrated by the results of parliamentary elections in 1978 Storage Bins , during which the right narrowly retains its majority in the National Assembly despite brilliant victories of the left in local elections. 1980′s heavy decline of communism and the emergence of the extreme right  In 1981, the election of François Mitterrand to the Presidency of the Republic once again upsets the balance of power within the French party system. During this election and legislative thereafter, the Communist Party lost much of its audience left for the benefit of the Socialist Party, which becomes very large majority in the National Assembly alone. The year 1980 will mark the advent of a new era in French cna certification politics. If the right balance of power remains unchanged, the PCF initiates an abrupt one inexorable decline, the PS gradually becoming hegemonic in the web hosting review camp of the Left government. Disappointment vis-à-vis the policies of the first socialist government, which in 1982 abandoned their stimulus Keynesian in favor of a plan of economic hardship much less ambitious, dissatisfied with much of the electorate who takes refuge in The protest vote. At the 1984 European elections , the Front National (FN), training populist classified at the far right of the political spectrum , makes a phenomenal breakthrough, from a near zero to over 10% of votes cast. This success was realized in 1986 when the FN sending 32 deputies to the National Assembly , then elected in proportional representation . Rejected by the traditional t shirt printing right, the FN is excluded from the alliance game and will never be able to get more than one seat in the Assembly after the restoration of the vote from the legislative majority in 1988. This will not prevent his election and media audience to grow, Jean-Marie Le Pen gaining over 14% of the votes cast in the first round of the presidential election of 1988 . The FN is gradually gaining ground as an alternative third political force, outside the traditional polarization between right and left. 1990s, the partisan fragmentation  The year 1990 begins under the sign of the alternation. While the second term of President Mitterrand to an end, the left is laminated by the RPR-UDF alliance in the elections of 1993 . This period was marked by a ski accessories consolidation of the FN and the breakthrough movement environmentalists , especially the Greens and Ecology Generation , who are entering several regional councils after the regional elections of 1992 and achieve excellent scores legislation of 1993. This success was short-lived, and only manage to win the green sustainable in the political landscape with scores hovering around 4%. The traditional political class lost more ground during the 1995 presidential election , in which Jean-Marie Le Pen reached 15%, while the extreme left , represented by the candidate of Workers’ Struggle Laguiller , performs a breakthrough with more than 5% of the vote. This new recomposition of political forces forced the Socialist Party to deal with competing formats on the left, including its small splitting of the Citizens’ Movement (MDC) led by Jean-Pierre Chevenement . During the 1997 legislative elections , the Plural Left led by the Socialist Lionel Jospin , bringing PS, PCF, Green, MDC and Radical Socialists , invests a narrow majority of 55% of the seats. PS, with a relative majority, must deal with the other forces of the majority and plural form Jospin in mind a coalition government including all its components. While the results are quite satisfactory, the payday loan alliance will fall away in 2002 at the end of the legislature. On the right, the UDF is facing a split in 1998 orchestrated by some forty members of his tendency liberal , who go based Liberal Democracy (DL). Despite his caucus result, the party will remain marginal, depending on its alliances with the RPR and UDF refocused. The Movement for France (MPF), another division of the UDF in 1994 at the initiative electric cigarette of MP Philippe car shipping de Villiers , will remain in the shadows until its merger in 1999 with the Rally for France (RPF ) of the former RPR Charles Pasqua , on the occasion of European elections , in which their list gets 13% of the vote before the RPR-DL list of Nicolas Sarkozy . It will be a short term success, the movement burst in 2000 when Mr. de Villiers decided to split to reestablish the MPF, which regains its previous hearing, while the rest of the RPF in the dark marginalization. Another small party founded by former members of the traditional right-wing parties, hunting, fishing, nature and traditions (CPNT), known to the late 1990s an ephemeral success, getting six elected at the denver martial arts 1999 European with nearly 7% of the vote and making his entry into several regional councils in the regional 1992 and 1998 . Despite the score by its leader Jean Saint-Josse in the presidential election of 2002 (4.2%), CPNT experience a sudden ebb in the polls that followed, during which the party will lose all its elected regional and European. 2000s, changes uncertain  The year 2000 will be the scene of dramatic changes. The 2002 presidential election was marked by a fragmented political landscape taking unprecedented. In the first round, Jean-Marie Le Pen, benefiting from a new intake of votes (nearly 17% of votes) and ahead of Lionel Jospin, a victim of the scattered voices on the left. The far left, whose candidate Arlette Laguiller and Olivier Besancenot capitalize 10% of the vote, gaining momentum. The PCF, which had hitherto remained at around 9%, falls to 3.3% with the candidacy of Robert Hue . With applications from Chevènement for the MDC and Christiane Taubira the Radical Left Party , Jewish Wedding Gifts the Socialist electorate scattered at the expense of the candidate Jospin. In the second round, Jacques Chirac, benefiting from the Cell Phone Accessories rejection of the far-right Jean-Marie crush Le Pen with 82% of the vote. Based on this unexpected new life, the right is reorganized, with the launch between the two rounds of the Union for the Presidential Majority (UMP) at the initiative of Jacques Chirac. The UMP, the RPR merger and Liberal Democracy (UDF split occurred in 1998 at the initiative of forty members) and having been reinforced by a majority of managers and elected members of the UDF became the first great party of the right French government. During the 2002 legislative elections , the UMP, largely successful, is the hegemony on the right, the “new UDF” of François Bayrou fleeing a score of seats. Local elections that will denver martial arts follow the return of the Socialist Party’s domination of the entire left, contributing to converge gradually to a party server monitoring system where two-party system , although the hearing retained by engagement rings the smaller parties (the PCF, the Greens and the PRG on the left, the right UDF), the two major forces to continue to evolve as part of the e cigarette polarization. During the 2007 presidential election , the UMP and the PS reinforcing and candidates competing in the second round in a more traditional scheme in 2002. Small candidates to the left of PS are rolled, getting scores much lower than they had obtained in 2002. Jean-Marie Le Pen, in competition with the campaign marked the right of the UMP candidate Nicolas Sarkozy , falls to 10.4%, while Francois Bayrou, focusing his speech on a desire to form a centrist independent from right, reaches over 18% of the vote. The transformation of the UDF Democratic Movement scrabble word finder (Modem), however, will payday loan not realize this success, the new Nutrisystem discount code 2012 party with a score significantly lower in parliamentary elections that will follow (7.6%). However the FN collapses again, and with 4.3%, is definitely in a position to influence the political debate. Local elections that follow confirm this trend. The French political landscape is currently organized on the basis of an opposition left / right marked with two large strong parties, the UMP and the PS, making up with several small parties close to their sensitivity. The last municipal elections were the scene of a marginalization of instant payday loans the FN, obtaining good scores for lists led by left parties other than the PS (PCF, especially green and Revolutionary Communist League (LCR) in several large cities) and the failure of the strategy of autonomy of the modem, forced to deal with the PS and the UMP when possible, fought when submitting Medifast coupon independent lists. The 2009 European elections , marked by a historically low turnout of 40.6%, were the occasion of several reclassifications of the French political spectrum. The UMP has emerged with nearly 28% of the vote, well ahead of PS, 16.5%, faces competition from Europe ecology , environmentalist rally initiated by the green (16.3%). This election was also an opportunity for a new setback for the modem that gets a poor score of 8.5%, well below the performance achieved by the UDF in 2004. Left, the Left Front initiated by the Communist Party and the new Left Party founded by former members of the minority PS gets 6.5% of the vote, while the extreme left is growing significantly, with the breakthrough of the New Anti-Capitalist Party (NPA), the successor of the LCR, which gets 5% of the vote (Workers’ Struggle is 1.2%). The FN, who benefits normally this type of election, remains low at only 6.3% of the vote before the lists Libertas combining the Movement for France and CPNT , 4.8%, again compared with net reflux scores obtained by the MPF alone in suits brisbane previous elections. Minority currents, particularly the independent ecologist Alliance and training Gaullist “  Standing the Republic  Relevant Life Policy , “also get significant scores (3.6 and 1.8%). The 2010 regional elections were won by the left wins 21 of the 22 metropolitan areas. This is mainly due to a return of the National Front , which makes 11.4% of the vote and remained in twelve regions. The cantonal elections of 2011 were also won by the left which totals 49% of the vote. The UMP is the big loser of this election, as it represents only 17% of the STD Testing vote. The National Front , meanwhile continues to rise and produces 15% of the vote. Now all eyes are worn into the 2012 presidential election . There is a growing participation of low voter to various elections, especially since the last 2007 parliamentary , municipal 2008 , 2009 European , 2010 regional or cantonal 2011 where abstention has seen figures ever achieved in the V th Republic. Only the presidential election How to lose weight seems to resist chiropractic marketing this recurring phenomenon. In the Senate elections of 2011 , while the Senate is now renewed by half, the left increased by twenty-five seats, and now holds an absolute majority in the upper assembly, with 177 against 171 in the Senate right . Heads of State and politicians

The executive and legislative branches of the V th Republic (simplified) Members of the XII legislature Rankings chronological and alphabetical French politicians. Political events  Presidential elections 1958 (indirect universal ballot) 1965 1969 (following the resignation of Charles de Gaulle ) 1974 (following the death of Georges Pompidou ) 1981 1988 1995 2002 2007 Elections Political history

Political regimes  Old Regime  Under the old regime , that is to say, before the French Revolution , France was a monarchy . Royal dynasties: Merovingian Carolingian Capetians Direct Capetians Valois Valois direct Valois Orleans Valois Angoulême Capetian House of Bourbon Post-revolutionary regimes  Political regimes in France since the fall of absolute monarchy: Constitutional Monarchy (1791-1792) First Republic (1792-1804) First Empire (1804-1814 and 1815) Restoration (1814-1815 and 1815-1830) July Monarchy (1830-1848) Second Republic (1848-1852) Second Empire (1852-1870) Third Republic (1870-1940) French State (1940-1944) Free France (1941-1944) Provisional Government of the French Republic (1944-1946) Fourth Republic (1946-1958) Fifth Republic (since 1958) Main article: French Constitutions . International Relations

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FOOD CULTURE IN FRANCE

France is located in Western Europe and is the 20th most populous country in the world. The capital of France is Paris and the official language is French. It is also the first language of the country and is spoken by most of the population. Religions practiced commonly in France are Roman Catholic, protestants, Jewish and Muslim.  French culture has different aspects regarding families, foods, rituals, ceremonies etc.

When talking about culture food remains a very important part of the French society. French people are fond of eating good food and making good food.  Many might have heard about the French cuisine and the varieties of food offered by French cuisine. The idea of French cuisine was developed in the 20th century that included dishes that became popular not only regionally but internationally as well. Over the years the French cuisine has undergone a lot of changes to adapt to the flavors of people.  Knowledge of French cuisine spread all among the west and thus people all around the world developed a taste of this country’s food.

Normally the French food consists of three meals. There is breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast is usually a light and quick meal that often consists of breads, jams and jelly followed by tea or coffee.  Then the lunch consists of a number of courses which includes different dishes. The dishes in these courses vary in the matter of choices. Dinner often consists of three courses. Cheese and wine are also an essential part of French meals.

French cuisine offer a variety of dishes however the dishes may vary in taste due to regional influences in terms of ingredients and cooking. Mediterranean French use olive oil, herbs and tomatoes in a lot of dishes. Similarly the northwest France cooking style is different as they use butter, sour cream and apples. The cuisine of north east France has an influence of German cuisine. In south of France vegetables and fruits seems to be the most vital part of cooking. Therefore the differences in region also offer a difference in the variety and tastes of foods. Italian cuisine is also said to have a lot of influence in the development of French cuisine. Many flavors and ingredients  of Italian food can be seen influencing the French foods.

Normally four cooking styles are practiced in France. First one is classical French cuisine that includes all the classical French dishes that were once believed to be regional. The Is haute cuisine which consists of food that is elegant and generally rich in flavors. Cuisine Nouvelle is another style that was developed in 1970 which had food that was different from classical cooking. It had new tastes and new cooking styles. The fourth style is cuisine de terroir which mainly focuses local food traditions. French cuisine involves traditional style cooking as well as modern style cooking. It requires some basic techniques that should be learned in order to master the art of French cuisine.