1954-1957: François Mitterrand participates in the governments of the Fourth Republic. This is the beginning of the Algerian War. We follow his political journey where he aspires to the presidency of the council (the supreme power of this Fourth Republic). We are very far from the man who would abolish the death penalty in 1981.
Here we discover a defender of French Algeria and a supporter of the death penalty. This work reveals the ignored side of this figure, with positions closer to the far right than to the left. We are in this regime that wears out governments with chronic instability.
The actors in this conflict, both the FLN and the French army, clash brutally, committing criminal acts on both sides. The authors remain objective, showing the abuses and crimes of the protagonists. We are at the beginning of this conflict with attacks and victims. There are provocateurs, idealists, fanatics.
Through his function, François Mitterrand gives his opinion on appeals for clemency and in most cases we see him giving an unfavorable opinion. This book is a valuable document for better understanding both the Algerian drama and the actions of a man who ultimately pursued only his ambition, disregarding all human sentiment.
One question arises: why was his behavior during the events in Algeria not exploited in 1981 when he presented himself as the Mr. Clean of French political life? But here, these are calculations whose reasons will only be known in fifty years.
This book was written in 2010 when all the protagonists are dead or too old. So, see you in 2031 to understand 1981?
Thierry Jan, writer
