April 29, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Adults in France hold two of their former heads of state in high regard, according to a poll by CSA published in Le Parisien. 88 per cent of respondents think Charles de Gaulle represented France well, while 74 per cent feel the same way about François Mitterrand.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Adults in France hold two of their former heads of state in high regard, according to a poll by CSA published in Le Parisien. 88 per cent of respondents think Charles de Gaulle represented France well, while 74 per cent feel the same way about François Mitterrand.

Georges Pompidou is next on the list with 69 per cent, followed by Jacques Chirac with 66 per cent, and Valéry Giscard d’Estaing with 56 per cent. Only 40 per cent of respondents think current president Nicolas Sarkozy is doing a good job in representing France.

France’s Fifth Republic began in October 1958, with the introduction of a new constitution, which saw the European country move to a centralized, semi-presidential system.

De Gaulle commanded the free French forces during World War II, and headed the country’s provisional government from 1944 to 1946. In November 1958, he was elected president with 78 per cent of all cast ballots. De Gaulle administered the government from 1959 until his resignation in 1969 following a defeat in a referendum to modify the Senate.

Mitterrand lost two presidential elections—to de Gaulle in 1965 and to Giscard d’Estaing in 1974—before winning in 1981 as the Socialist candidate, and earning re-election in 1988. As president, Mitterrand moved to abolish the death penalty in France, and imposed the annual wealth tax. He is also credited for developing and supporting the Maastricht Treaty with German chancellor Helmut Kohl, which led to the creation and expansion of the European Union (EU).

On Apr. 24, Sarkozy appeared on television and discussed his first year in office, saying, "France has been asleep for the past 25 years. (...) We have a difficult international context, all the more reason to accelerate reforms. (...) Of course, I have made mistakes."

Polling Data

For each the following presidents, please say to they represented (or currently represent) France well or badly?

	Well	Badly	Not sure
Charles de Gaulle	88%	5%	7%
François Mitterrand	74%	23%	3%
Georges Pompidou	69%	14%	17%
Jacques Chirac	66%	30%	4%
Valéry Giscard d’Estaing	56%	36%	8%
Nicolas Sarkozy	40%	53%	7%

Source: CSA / Le Parisien
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,006 French adults, conducted on Apr. 16 and Apr. 17, 2008. No margin of error was provided.