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The presidents of the Fifth Republic (Vème République)
This sheet presents the presidents of the Fifth Republic. Charles de Gaulle founds the Fifth Republic. His terms run from 1958 to 1969.
Key points of the sheet
- Under Charles de Gaulle, the president is elected by universal suffrage. De Gaulle ends the Algerian war in 1962.
- Georges Pompidou is president from 1969 to 1974. He modernises France and supports the enlargement of the EEC (CEE).
- Valéry Giscard d'Estaing is president from 1974 to 1981. The age of majority is lowered to 18, abortion is decriminalised and divorce by mutual consent is created.
- François Mitterrand is president from 1981 to 1995. He introduces social measures, abolishes the death penalty and launches "major projects" (grands projets).
- Jacques Chirac is president from 1995 to 2007. The presidential term goes from 7 to 5 years. France refuses to join the war in Iraq.
- Nicolas Sarkozy is president from 2007 to 2012. He raises the legal retirement age. He manages the 2008 financial crisis.
- François Hollande is president from 2012 to 2017. Marriage for all (mariage pour tous) is legalised. The fight against terrorism is strengthened.
- Emmanuel Macron is president from 2017 to 2022, and since 2022. He manages the "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Words to know
- universal suffrage (suffrage universel)
- Under Charles de Gaulle, the president is elected by universal suffrage.
- five-year term (quinquennat)
- It is a presidential term of 5 years, instead of 7 years before, under Jacques Chirac.
- European Economic Community (EEC) (Communauté économique européenne (CEE))
- Georges Pompidou supports its enlargement to strengthen European construction.
- divorce by mutual consent (divorce par consentement mutuel)
- It is introduced under Valéry Giscard d'Estaing.
- marriage for all (mariage pour tous)
- It is legalised under François Hollande.
- major projects (grands projets)
- Under François Mitterrand, they are the Arche de la Défense, the Grand Louvre and the National Library.
- yellow vests (gilets jaunes)
- Emmanuel Macron manages the "yellow vests" crisis.
Test yourself: 3 questions
Under which president is marriage for all legalised?
In French, the language of the exam: Sous quel président le mariage pour tous est-il légalisé ?
Marriage for all is legalised under François Hollande, president from 2012 to 2017.
In which year does Charles de Gaulle end the Algerian war?
In French, the language of the exam: En quelle année Charles de Gaulle met-il fin à la guerre d'Algérie ?
Charles de Gaulle ended the Algerian war in 1962.
Which president manages the Covid-19 pandemic?
In French, the language of the exam: Quel président gère la pandémie de la Covid-19 ?
Managing the Covid-19 pandemic is a key event of Emmanuel Macron's term.
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Questions on the ministry's list that rest on this sheet
- How long is the term of the President of the French Republic?
- What is the age of civil majority in France?
- Who founded the Fifth Republic?
More in this topic (The Fifth Republic)
- Focus on the Fifth Republic: the abolition of the death penalty
- Focus on the Fifth Republic: marriage for all
- Focus on the Fifth Republic: the right to abortion
Source
Sheet “Les présidents de la Vème République” of the French Ministry of the Interior: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr. Content published under the Etalab Open Licence 2.0. This page is a plain-language adaptation made by Hexaciv, which is not an official site: if in doubt, the ministry's text is the one that counts.
Ministry sheet read on 23 October 2026, still identical on 25 October 2026.