After Charles de Gaulle, François Mitterrand is regarded as the most important French politician since the end of World War II. His election as President of the Republic in 1981 brought about the first transfer of power after 23 years in the Fifth Republic, to the left-wing Socialist&Communist alliance. During his 14-year presidency, important reforms were passed, some of which are still in place today & including the abolition of the death penalty, decentralization, and retirement at age 60. Adolf Kimmel presents, on the one hand, Mitterrand=s efforts to ensure national independence and achieve close Franco-German cooperation, and on the other his adherence to the principles of Gaullist foreign policy. In clear contours, he portrays a politician who was as inscrutable and changeable as he was controversial as a personality & the reason he has also been called the ?Sphinx=.

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