---

Gaffney analyzes how de Gaulle came to power in 1958: The drama surrounding the Fourth Republic´s collapse, and the focus upon an exceptional individual meant that de Gaulle was able to confer a particular style of leadership on the Fifth Republic. The five Presidents who came after him have each capitalized on their own political ´persona.´

---

1958: The Gaullist Settlement and French Politics 1958-1968: The Consolidation and Evolution of the Fifth Republic 1968 and its Aftermath 1969-1974: Gaullism Without de Gaulle 1974-1981: The Giscard Years 1981-1988: From the République Sociale to the République Fran‡aise 1988-2002: The Long Decade of Vindictiveness, Miscalculations, Defeat, Farce, Good Luck, Good Government, and Catastrophe The Presidential Election of 2007 Conclusion

---

"The book is written in a very engaging way and students of French politics will certainly find that it summarises extremely well some of the key developments in the Fifth Republic.´

- West European Politics

---

JOHN GAFFNEY Professor of Politics at Aston University, Birmingham, UK.

---