ABSTRACT
In 1958 the Fourth Republic parties ‘collaborated’ in the construction of the new regime more or less enthusiastically – with the notable exception of the Communist Party, which showed almost complete hostility to General de Gaulle and his institutions. It was the right which rallied most vigorously to the colours of the new regime, but on the basis of a misunderstanding. It was persuaded, like the military and the French settler population of Algeria, that de Gaulle would retain Algeria within the bosom of mainland France. Besides, the reinforcement of the institutions in favour of the executive was bound to please an electorate attached to the values of order and authority. Nonetheless, Gaullism presented itself under its own flag and hit the bull’s-eye in the parliamentary elections of 23 and 30 November 1958. The Gaullists (Union for the New Republic, UNR) obtained 20.4 per cent of votes, while the National Centre of Independents and Peasants (CNIP) increased its vote to 22.1 per cent, compared with 15.3 per cent in the 1956 elections. Thus the traditional right not only did not suffer from the emergence of Gaullism but made substantial gains from the electorate’s shift to the right (the right obtained 56.2 per cent of votes as against 45.8 per cent in 1956). However, the triumph of the traditional right did not last much beyond the period of domination over Algeria.
