Best president of the French Fifth Republic

[parochial boy]

With all these right wing presidents why is France so left economically?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirigisme

Gaullisme, which is the guiding principle of *most* of the French right, is not exactly a free-market style ideology.

Giscard d'Estaing is really the only president who came from an economically liberal (in the European sense) tradition.

[WMS]

Mitterrand votes? Really? Some of us are old enough to remember this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role_of_France_in_the_Rwandan_Genocide

Say what you will about the others, this is something that, you know, shouldn't result in a Best President of the Fifth Republic designation...

[mvd10]

The more I think about it the more I'm tempted to say Hollande, and that's really terrible. I'll keep it at Sarkozy for now... Macron will be a complete flop if he isn't #1 in a couple of years.

[Zinneke]

Mitterrand because he understood strategy, statesmanship and the Presidential role.

He helped destroy modern social democracy though.

[parochial boy]

Mitterrand votes? Really? Some of us are old enough to remember this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role_of_France_in_the_Rwandan_Genocide

Say what you will about the others, this is something that, you know, shouldn't result in a Best President of the Fifth Republic designation...

That's a very good point, but then again, De Gaulle had Algeria, GdE had Bokassa

Really, if you're judging by foreign policy then Hollande is miles and miles above the rest purely because of the way he handled Mali.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Really, if you're judging by foreign policy then Hollande is miles and miles above the rest purely because of the way he handled Mali.

True that. Foreign policy is the one redeeming feature of Flamby's presidency.

[Storebought]

Mitterrand because he understood strategy, statesmanship and the Presidential role.

He helped destroy modern social democracy though.

I don't get the AF love for Mitterrand at all. A scumbag who bans smoking in public is still a scumbag.

[The Self]

Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, and it isn't close.

[Zinneke]

Mitterrand because he understood strategy, statesmanship and the Presidential role.

He helped destroy modern social democracy though.

I don't get the AF love for Mitterrand at all. A scumbag who bans smoking in public is still a scumbag.

What is AF?

I think all of the above politician s are scumbags for different reasons (Mitterrand's role in Rwanda for example). But I think Mitterrand was the best president. Even his policies I don't like. The Euro is a major mistake on France's part, thinking they could reign in the Deutchmark.

[WMS]

Since my longer reply was eaten by AF, I'll just add that Mitterrand - and Chirac, never think I'll let him off the hook - followed policies that allowed those responsible for genocide to escape and rebuild in Zaire/Congo. Which directly led to the First and Second Congo Wars. So all in all, French foreign policy was responsible for millions of dead civilians in Africa in the 1990s...and 2000s...and continuing on into the 2010s. Backed by one French president after another. Gah, France has really had a hideous selection of leaders.

OK, I'll excuse Hollande - he actually had a decent foreign policy.