Anti-Gaullism refers to organized opposition toGaullism. It encompasses individuals, groups, and movements that oppose the political and philosophical principles ofGeneral de Gaulle.

Even more thanGaullism, anti-Gaullism is not a rigid doctrinal framework but a mood that is capable of spanning the French political spectrum fromright toleft. De Gaulle's biographerJulian Jackson traces four often interlinked traditions of anti-Gaullism:^[1]

• Domesticresistance fighters who resented his leadership and the myth that the whole of France resisted
• Republicans who saw his desire for personal rule as a threat to democratic, particularly parliamentary, norms and traditions
• Realists on the center right and center left who objected to his scepticism aboutAtlanticism,European integration or both
• Theextreme right who believed he was wrong to blamePetain or who later objected to decolonisation, particularly inFrench Algeria

For supporters of theVichy Regime,Pétain's assumption of power was legitimate and sode Gaulle's self exile and opposition to the regime was seen as military rebellion. Consequently, de Gaulle was sentenced to death by the government for "treason, intelligence with the enemy, and desertion to a foreign country".^[2]

Charles Maurras denounced him as a traitor who had sold out to the British, whom he regarded as "enemy number one".^[2]

Charles de Gaulle's eventual support forAlgerian independence alienated much of the right,^[3] Far-right former supporters, such asPierre Lagaillarde andGuy Forzy, founded the clandestine terrorist organizationOrganisation armée secrète (OAS) following theWeek of the Barricades, advocating a continued French presence inAlgeria. Even moderate right-wing politicians likeRoger Duchet, a senator from 1946 to 1959, opposed the self-determination policy.^[2] When theÉvian Accords referendum was held, several members of the major conservative party, theNational Centre of Independents and Peasants (CNIP), opposed the agreement.^[2]

The establishment of the Fifth Republic divided the political right. Despite support from figures likeHenri Dorgères, others such asJacques Isorni, strongly opposed de Gaulle's inauguration, declaring, "The defender of Louis XVI cannot vote for Robespierre".^[2]

In 1962, unable to overthrow de Gaulle, right-wing anti-Gaullists censured thePompidou government with former de Gaulle allyPaul Reynaud being the first to sign the motion, which was endorsed by 109 CNIP deputies out of 121.^[2]

As early as 1946, some ofde Gaulle's right-wing adversaries emerged within thePopular Republican Movement (MRP), which had been loyal to Gaullism during theFrench Resistance. Ideological divergences, especially regarding France’s integration into Europe, became apparent.^[4]

During de Gaulle’s presidency, his economic and monetary policies were criticized. His proposal to involve workers in company profits alarmed business circles.Gaston Monnerville, president of the Senate, accused him of "treason".^[2]

Unlike the right, the French left was less divided in its opposition tode Gaulle’s policies, given his identity as a right-wing leader. Most left-wing politicians opposed Gaullist measures during theFifth Republic.

During World War II, some FrenchCommunists joinedde Gaulle in theFrench Resistance, such asJean Moulin^{[citation needed]}. However, the communists later opposed de Gaulle over the powers of the Constituent Assembly, the institutions, and the regime's nature. Upon the creation of theRally for the French People (RPF), theFrench Communist Party (PCF) accused de Gaulle of being neither democratic nor republican but instead a defender of capitalism and big business. Until 1958, de Gaulle was labeled a "fascist" or a "wannabe dictator serving big capital".^[5]

As early as 1947, socialists, includingVincent Auriol, thenPresident of France, considered theRally for the French People (RPF) a movement partly composed of Vichy sympathizers andfascists. Although some socialists, likeGuy Mollet, supported de Gaulle during the establishment of theFifth Republic, his governance soon diverged from their parliamentary vision. They criticized him for exercising personal power and ignoring national realities, particularly opposing his proposal for thepresident to be elected bydirect universal suffrage.^[2]

Key figures of moderate left-wing anti-Gaullism includedPierre Mendès France andFrançois Mitterrand, the latter running against de Gaulle in the second round of the1965 French presidential election.

• Andrieu, Claire; Braud, Phillippe; Fiketty, Guillaume (2007).Dictionnaire De Gaulle. Paris: Robert Laffont. pp. 39–41.ISBN 9782221102800.
• Louis, Tiphanie; Masson-Viardot, Evelyne (August 30, 2018)."Allocution de De Gaulle sur l'autodétermination".Enseigner de Gaulle. RetrievedJuly 8, 2024.
• Béthouart, Bruno (2015). Gilles Richard, Jacqueline Sainclivier (ed.).La recomposition des droites en France à la Libération, 1944-1948. Rennes: Presses Universitaires de Rennes. pp. 25–36.ISBN 9782753500167.
• Boyer, Patrice (2015). Gilles Richard, Jacqueline Sainclivier (ed.).Les droites vues par le Parti communiste français: le discours sur le MRP, le PRL et le RPF, 1946-1947. Rennes: Presses Universitaires de Rennes. pp. 73–83.ISBN 9782753525238.

• Gaullism
• Political ideologies
• Political movements in France

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