- The beginning of the 1930s was marked in France by various difficulties. First of all, the American economic crisis of 1929 (the Great Depression) hits France:purchasing power decreases and unemployment increases.
- A political and moral crisis is also present:governments follow one another without finding solutions. Confidence in the institutions is deteriorating, in particular with the Stavisky affair at the beginning of 1934 (French crook whose frauds benefited French politicians).
- The rise of fascism and nationalism is affecting the whole of Europe. France was no exception, as evidenced by the riot of February 6, 1934. The far-right French leagues (Croix de feu, Camelots du roi, etc.) organized an anti-parliamentary demonstration that day, which ends with a death toll of 16.
1934-1936
Characters
Leon Blum
Edouard Daladier
Procedure
The Popular Front is a coalition of left-wing parties, made up of the French Communist Party (PCF), the Socialist Party (SFIO), and the Radical Party. The construction of this coalition lasted several years.
The PCF took the first step towards this alliance. Affiliated to the orders of Moscow, the PCF adopted until the beginning of 1934 the strategy of "class against class" (the PCF did not wish to form an alliance within the so-called bourgeois Republic). The Communist International (Russian party) reconsiders this strategy with a view to an opening. On February 9 and 12, the entire left finds itself in the streets in reaction to the February 6 day of the extreme right. In July 1934, a pact was signed with the SFIO, which extended to include the Radical Party in October, to set up a "Popular Rally".
On July 14, 1935, some fifty associations and parties calls for a demonstration to defend the values of the Republic in the face of the rise of the far right. The organizing committee of the demonstration is transformed into the National Committee of the People's Rally, which aims to work on a common political program and to bring it to the legislative elections of spring 1936. Reconciling the differences of each party, the program is centered on the defense of the Republic and the fight against the economic crisis, under the slogan "bread, peace, freedom".
Consequences
- The Popular Front coalition won the legislative elections of April-May 1936. Léon Blum became the head of government, which he formed on June 4, 1936.
- A large-scale strike movement accompanies Blum's accession to power. The workers see in the Popular Front the hope of a change:more than 2 million strikers are counted on this episode.
- On June 7, 1936, Léon Blum brought together the unions and employers to sign the Matignon agreements. The social reforms that become historic are ratified:the duration of working time is reduced from 48 hours to 40 hours, paid holidays are introduced, freedom of association recognized, and collective agreements are put in place.
- On April 7, 1938, Léon Blum resigned from his position as President of the Council, which he held for the second time:the Popular Front was dead. Internal difficulties within the coalition, non-intervention during the Spanish Civil War and impotence in the face of the rise of fascism tarnished the results of the Popular Front.