AHC: Post-WW2 -Have modern day France be a military dictatorship

[ghbhbhghgyygyy56777777]

Your challenge is to find a way to turn France into a military dictatorship, and have that continue into modern day. Politically/globally, everything pre-1945 stays the same, and everything is the same throughout both World Wars. Europe is divided like OTL, but it’s your choice how everything goes post the return of the goverment-in-exile. Change anything you’d like otherwise, internally and colonially.


It doesn’t have to be a full all-out Saddam/North Korea situation lol. A country with “real” democratic elements, but that everyone realizes is actually authoritarian (like OTL present day Russia or Turkey) works too. But it still has to be clearly recognized by the rest of the West as not a liberal democracy.

 

[Simon]

The main options which spring to mind are the May 1958 crisis and the Algiers putsch, or May 68 where something goes seriously wrong.

 

[Awkwardvulture]

Is there a chance of some sort of cult of personality around Charles De Gauelle, which may give him the power to override France's legislature?

 

[Desert Journeyman]

I know there was an ultra-reactionary clutch in Belgium around the time of the Katangan secession. Possibly if events had transpired differently in Central Africa, Katangese independence could have been seen to validate the notion of direct action, culminating in an attempted putsch in Brussels led by returning mercenaries. The idea would be for that event south to France, probably also connected to decolonization, as Simon has suggested, and linked to the very popular de Gaulle, per Awkwardvulture.

You might be able to prime the pump further by saying that Biafra won independence in Nigeria, leading to frayed relations between the French and the Brits, increasing French popular anxiety about their country's future in the context of Europe.

Bear in mind, however, that the Belgian mercenaries in Africa were often a loutish, despicable bunch, misfits in their own society. More than likely, any attempted putsch would fail.

 

[UCB79]

Is there a chance of some sort of cult of personality around Charles De Gauelle, which may give him the power to override France's legislature?

Under the constitution of the Fifth Republic isn’t the legislature not very powerful anyway IOTL? (It certainly is subordinate to the President). Thus, would De Gaulle even want to bother to try & obtain the power to overrule them?

 

[Byzantion]

Is there a chance of some sort of cult of personality around Charles De Gauelle, which may give him the power to override France's legislature?

De Gaulle certainly had authoritarian tendencies. But there had been more far right elements.

 

[BigBlueBox]

The best way to accomplish this is to get de Gaulle out of the picture so the OAS and its supporters can take over.

 

[GeographyDude]

De Gaulle certainly had authoritarian tendencies. But there had been more far right elements.

But later strong men may try be more De Gaulle than De Gaulle himself, that type of thing.

 

[Byzantion]

But later strong men may try be more De Gaulle than De Gaulle himself, that type of thing.

Infamous Maurice Papon had been one of these people. Had a long life aswell. But as a former collaborator he wouldn't be likely the number one in the Republic.