ABSTRACT
In May 1981 the presidential elections in France brought to power a socialist president, and the general elections that followed gave the left-wing parties a parliamentary majority. The appointment of a Minister for Free Time in France shortly after the 1981 elections can be seen as a symbolic act reflecting the ideological importance of free time and leisure for the left. It was demonstrated that use of public facilities since the early 1950s had not increased proportionally with the marked growth in public spending on leisure. The shift towards the decentralization of leisure provision and the role played by regional administration are examined as important factors influencing the way policy was enacted. The policies adopted to meet the needs of particular target groups during the period of office of the left-wing government were explicitly presented as collaborative ventures between central, regional, and local government.
