Comparing_Countries

Comparing Countries France The French Socialist party, known as the SFIO (Section française de l'internationale ouvrière), French section of the Worker's International, was formed in 1905 by a merging of different socialist groups. Led by Jean Jaurès and Jules Guesde the SFIO became a major political force. In 1914 the party supported French participation in World War I, accepting ministerial posts. By 1920 the Communists held a majority in the party, and a split was unavoidable. The minority, led by Léon Blum, reconstituted the SFIO and in 1924 it joined a coalition government. In 1936, faced by economic depression, government corruption, and the rise of French fascism, the Socialists, allied with Communists and Radical Socialists, won election as the Popular Front; Blum was premier (1937-38). In World War II the SFIO played a major role in the French Resistance, emerging in 1945 as one of the strongest government parties. But, surrounded by Communists on the left and conservative parties on the right, it gradually lost strength, although it frequently was the leading party in governing coalitions. Split over support for the Fifth Republic in 1958, the party made a succession of alliances, unsuccessfully opposing the ruling Gaullists. It was reorganized in 1969 as party, socialist, ran, president, led, french, debs, candidate, war, support, group, elections, votes, socialists, socialism, social, sfio, presidential, parties, national, formed, communists, communist, although, years, world, won, supported, strong, strength, split, since, section, reorganized, radical, people, party's, over, organization, one, new, nearly, name, much, major, lost, labor, following, felt, faction