Communist Party, France

Communist Party, France (Parti Communiste Français, PCF) Founded in December 1920, when at the Congress of Tours the more radical members left the Socialist Party, a move which marked the division of French left-wing politics. Under the influence of the Soviet Communist Party, in its early years it was increasingly Stalinist. As a result of its own sectarianism, its membership dwindled until 1934, when it decided to cooperate with the Socialists in response to the growth of Fascism, especially in Germany. This paid off in the 1936 elections, when its representation in Parliament increased from eleven to 72. Subsequently, it supported Blum's Popular Front government (although it did not participate in it directly), and tolerated subsequent governments until World War II. Hitherto the most consistent opponents to Hitler, the PCF was thrown into confusion by the pacifist line dictated by Moscow following the Hitler–Stalin Pact. However, after the German invasion of the USSR in 1941 it became one of the pillars of the Résistance. In 1945, it received 26 per cent of the vote, and it participated in the governments of 1944–7.

In May 1947, a major shift in the French political system occurred as the party was isolated from government, in response to increasing anti-Communist sentiments arising from the Cold War. This isolation lasted throughout the 1950s and most of the 1960s. Under the leadership of Marchais, the party adopted more pragmatic policies and officially renounced the goal of a proletarian revolution, thereby turning towards Eurocommunism. During the 1970s it was supported by around 20 per cent of the vote, and despite previous antagonisms the party was invited by the Socialist Party to help form a coalition government in 1981. During the 1980s the Socialists encroached upon Communist support, which declined to around 10 per cent of the vote. This precipitated an identity crisis which was heightened by the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe in 1989.

In 1995 the veteran Marchais resigned as party leader, and was replaced by Robert Hue. For the 1997 elections, the party increased its share of the vote from 9.2 per cent to 9.9 per cent, but it gained 38 seats (up from 23) and was able to join a governmental coalition led by the Socialist Party. Joining the government brought problems of its own, however, as distinctiveness of the PCF vis-à-vis the Socialist and Green parties then became less pronounced. In the 2002 elections its vote declined to unprecedented lows, as the party obtained 21 seats, with Hue not even salvaging his own seat in parliament.

http://www.pcf.fr