French legislative election, 1968
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French legislative election took place on June 23 and 30, 1968 to elect the 4th National Assembly of the Fifth Republic
In 1967, the Presidential Majority won by a short head the legislative election. One year later, May 68 events broken out. The crisis started in the student milieu. It was joined by the wage-earners, led by the trade-unions. France knew the biggest strike of its history.
By the voice of his Prime minister Georges Pompidou, President Charles de Gaulle answered: "reform yes, disturbance no". While the head of the cabinet convened trade-unions and employers'union to negociate (Grenelle Agreement), De Gaulle announced a referendum about the profit-sharing of companies. Some days later, left-wing parties reacted by a meeting in Charlety stadium and François Mitterrand's declaration of candidature to an anticipated presidential election.
After a mysterious trip in Baden-Baden, President De Gaulle canceled referendum and decided to dissolve the National Assembly. On May 30, a Gaullist gigantic demonstration took place on Champs Elysées.
The legislative election marked the end of the conflict. Pompidou campaigned about the "defense of the Republic" face to the "communist threat" and called out the "silent majority". The Gaullist Union for the Defense of the Republic became the first party of French Republic's history to obtain an absolute parliamentary majority. The left-wing opposition is sanctioned. The Federation of the Democratic and Socialist Left exploded.
This electoral result expressed a will to return order, but not a plebiscite for De Gaulle. Besides one year later, this one lost his referendum about Senate's reform and regional powers and he resigned.
Results
{| border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; text-align:right; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"
|+|- !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left colspan=2 valign=top|Parties and coalitions !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right| Abbr. !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right| Votes (1st round) !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right| % (1st round) !style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right| Seats (2nd round) |- |style="background-color:#0000C8"| |align=left| Union for the Defense of the Republic (Union pour la défense de la République) |align=right| UDR |align=right| 8 442 413 |align=right| 38.1 |align=right| 294 |- |style="background-color:#00CCCC"| |align=left| Progress and Modern Democracy (Progrès et démocratie moderne) |align=right| PDM |align=right| 2 289 849 |align=right| 10.3 |align=right| 27 |- |style="background-color:#1560BD"| |align=left| Independent Republicans (Républicains indépendants) |align=right| RI |align=right| 1 225 119 |align=right| 5.5 |align=right| 64 |- | |align=left| Miscellaneous Right-wing |align=right| DVD |align=right| 917 753 |align=right| 4.1 |align=right| 9 |- | |align=left| Total Right ("Presidential Majority" and PDM) | |align=right| 12 875 134 |align=right| 58.1 |align=right| 394 |- |style="background-color:#FF0000"| |align=left| French Communist Party (Parti communiste français) |align=right| PCF |align=right| 4 434 832 |align=right| 20.0 |align=right| 34 |- |style="background-color:#E75480"| |align=left| Federation of the Democratic and Socialist Left (Fédération de la gauche démocrate et socialiste) |align=right| FGDS |align=right| 3 660 250 |align=right| 16.5 |align=right| 57 |- |style="background-color:#DE3163"| |align=left| Unified Socialist Party (Parti socialiste unifié) |align=right| PSU |align=right| 873 581 |align=right| 3.9 |align=right| - |- | |align=left| Total Left | |align=right| 9 132 145 |align=right| 41.2 |align=right| 91 |- | |align=left| Miscellaneous | |align=right| 111 200 |align=right| 0.5 |align=right| - |- |style="background-color:#704214"| |align=left| Republican Alliance for the Progress and Liberties (Alliance républicaine pour le progrès et les libertés) |align=right| ARPL |align=right| 28 736 |align=right| 0.1 |align=right| - |- | |align=left| Total | |align=right| 22 147 215 |align=right| 100 |align=right| 485 |- |align=left colspan=6| Abstention: 20.0% (1st round); 22.2% (2nd round) |-
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