President of France Valéry Giscard d'Estaing

1 president of france

1.1 domestic policy
1.2 foreign policy
1.3 1981 presidential election

president of france
domestic policy

in 1974 giscard elected president of france, defeating socialist candidate françois mitterrand 425,000 votes—still closest election in french history. @ 48, fourth youngest president in french history @ time, after louis-napoléon bonaparte , jean casimir-perier. in 2017, emmanuel macron, @ age of 39, became youngest president in history of france. promised change in continuity . made clear desire introduce various reforms , modernise french society, important part of presidency. instance reduced 21 18 age of majority , pushed development of tgv high speed train network , minitel, precursor of internet. promoted nuclear power, way assert french independence. in 1975 invited heads of government west germany, italy, japan, united kingdom , united states summit in rambouillet, form group of 6 major economic powers (now g7, including canada). economically, giscard’s presidency saw steady rise in personal incomes, buying power of workers going 29% , old age pensioners 65%.

giscard billed himself conservative likes change, , tried project less monarchical image had been case past french presidents. wore ordinary business suit inauguration , eschewed traditional motorcade down champs-elysées in favour of strolling down street. took ride on métro, ate monthly dinners ordinary frenchmen, , invited garbage men paris have breakfast him in Élysée palace. however, when learned frenchmen cool display of informality, giscard became aloof , distant opponents attacked him being far removed ordinary citizens.

in home policy, president’s reforms worried conservative electorate , gaullist party, law simone veil legalizing abortion. although said had deep aversion against capital punishment , giscard claimed in 1974 campaign apply death penalty people committing heinous crimes. did not commute 3 of death sentences had decide upon during presidency (although did in several other occasions), keeping france last country in european union apply death penalty. these executions last ever in france and, had executions not resumed in united states, last in western world, case until 1979 when john spenkelink executed florida. death sentences continually handed out in france remaining 4 years of giscard s term commuted in 1981, when capital punishment abolished.

a rivalry arose prime minister jacques chirac, resigned in 1976. raymond barre, called best economist in france @ time, succeeded him. led policy of strictness in context of economic crisis ( plan barre ).

unexpectedly, right-wing coalition won 1978 legislative election. nevertheless, relations chirac, had founded rally republic (rpr), became more tense. giscard reacted founding centre-right confederation, union french democracy (udf).

foreign policy

in 1975 giscard pressured future king of spain juan carlos leave chilean dictator augusto pinochet out of coronation ceremony stating if pinochet attended not. having been told juan carlos not attend coronation, pinochet left spain having attended funeral of francisco franco during visit. although france received many chilean political refugees, secretly collaborated pinochet. french journalist marie-monique robin has shown how valéry giscard d estaing s government secretly collaborated videla s junta in argentina , augusto pinochet s regime in chile.

valéry giscard d estaing meeting president of west germany walter scheel in 1975

in 1977, in opération lamantin, ordered fighter jets deploy in mauritania , go war against polisario guerrillas fighting against mauritanian military occupation of western sahara. not overt military backing proved sufficient rescue french-installed mauritanian leader mokhtar ould daddah, overthrown own army time later, , peace agreement signed sahrawi resistance.

valéry giscard d estaing in 1979 helmut schmidt, jimmy carter , james callaghan in guadeloupe

most controversial involvement regime of jean-bédel bokassa in central african republic. giscard friend of bokassa, , supplied regime. however, growing unpopularity of government led giscard begin distancing himself bokassa. in 1979, french troops helped drive bokassa out of power , restore former president david dacko. action controversial, particularly since dacko bokassa’s cousin , had appointed bokassa head of military, , unrest continued in central african republic leading dacko being overthrown in coup in 1981. in related incident giscard reported canard enchaîné have accepted diamonds personal gifts bokassa – fled france looted millions central african republic s treasury still given asylum in france. legally, official gifts president property of republic of france, not president; giscard supporters contended diamonds industrial-grade , had no sizeable monetary value.

1981 presidential election

in 1981 presidential election, giscard took severe blow support when chirac ran against him in first round. chirac finished third , refused recommend supporters giscard in runoff, though declared himself vote giscard. giscard lost mitterrand 3 points in runoff, , since has blamed chirac defeat. day, said giscard loathes chirac. on many occasions giscard has criticised chirac s policies despite supporting chirac s governing coalition.