How François Mitterrand had to deal with a relative majority in 1988

By obtaining 245 deputies in the National Assembly, the macronists of Together! have lost their absolute majority (fixed at 289 seats out of 577) and will therefore have to “be satisfied” with a relative majority. The last time such a scenario occurred was in 1988, during François Mitterrand’s second term. And the then president had given a speech similar to Emmanuel Macron’s televised address on June 22, 2022.

Already, the example of neighboring governments

“Certainly, it would have been preferable to achieve an absolute majority of deputies. It took 13 seats out of 575 at the time when I speak”, had advanced François Mitterrand; Before specifying that the projects of his government would be “presented before Parliament each time they have to be the subject of a law. We will see at this time who is and who is not willing to take the outstretched hand. “.

Like Emmanuel Macron 34 years later, the Head of State had also compared the French situation to that of neighboring states: “The parliamentary situation here is now comparable to that of most European democracies where the same type of problem arises. I am thinking among others of the Federal Republic of Germany, Sweden or Holland. Will it be said that these countries are doing poorly, when they are held up as an example for their many successes? “.

Discover almost all of his speech in this video from our partner Brut.