National Council (Vichy Government)
National Council Conseil national | |
|---|---|
| History | |
| Founded | 22 January 1941 |
| Disbanded | 30 November 1943 |
| Constitution | |
| Vichy France | |
The National Council was a consultative assembly created on 22 January 1941 by the Vichy regime during World War II under the direction of Pierre-Étienne Flandin. It aimed to replace representative democracy with a structure intended to provide policy advice to the regime. The Council ceased operations in November 1943.
History
[edit]Background and creation
[edit]Under the National Revolution, the Vichy regime abolished parliamentary democracy, prompting the establishment of the National Council as a new advisory body. Announced in January 1941,[1] the Council sought to serve as a forum for discussions and recommendations on administrative and constitutional reforms in a context of national reconstruction. Unlike many other Vichy institutions it represented both the Vichy zone and the occupied zone.[2]
Operations
[edit]The council was a purely advisory body with no legislative powers, which had been kept with Petain.[3] It convened commissions on specific topics, such as administrative reorganization, economic reform, and constitutional development. Sessions were held from May 1941 to early 1942 at the Villa Strauss in Vichy.
Composition
[edit]Structure
[edit]The National Council comprised 213 members[4] appointed directly by the Head of State. These included former parliamentarians, union representatives, professional leaders, and prominent figures from the social, cultural, and economic elites.
Represented groups
[edit]- Former parliamentarians: Senators and deputies from the Third French Republic.
- Trade unionists: Representatives of the CGT, French Confederation of Christian Workers, and other unions.
- Economic and cultural elites: Business leaders, academics, scientists, lawyers, and artists.
Legacy
[edit]The National Council symbolized the Vichy regime's attempts to legitimize its governance while rejecting democratic institutions. Critics have characterized it as a tool of authoritarian consolidation. It was officially dissolved in November 1943 as part of broader institutional changes.
References
[edit]- ^ Vaucher, Paul (Mar 1942). "The "National Revolution" in France". Political Science Quarterly. 57 (1): 7–27. doi:10.2307/2143506.
- ^ Cointet, Michèle (1987). Vichy et le fascisme : les hommes, les structures et les pouvoirs. Bruxelles: Editions Complexe. p. 53. ISBN 9782870272121. OCLC 18177445.
- ^ Kammerer, Gladys M. (November 1943). "The Political Theory of Vichy". The Journal of Politics. 5 (4): 407–434. doi:10.2307/2125296.
- ^ Cointet, Michèle (1989). Le Conseil national de Vichy : vie politique et réforme de l'Etat en régime autoritaire, 1940-1944. Paris: Aux Amateurs de livres. p. 77. ISBN 9782878410006. OCLC 25095218.
External links
[edit]| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
