France (Quebec Independence)

The French Republic is a large nation located in Europe. It has a strong, centralized government and is governered as a one-party state by the Lyonist Party with Paris as its capital ever since the "Quiet Revolution" of 1921.

The French loss in the Franco-Russian War resulted in the Second French Empire being dismantled, social upheaval, the brief establishment of the Paris Commune, and the loss of Alsace-Lorraine. The new government considered reestablishing the monarchy, but the talks were stalled and the new Republican government became the ruling government of France.

Republic
The defeat of France in the Franco-Prussian led to the overthrow of Napoleon III and the Second French Empire. The new provisional government held national elections, during which conservatives led by Adolphe Thiers came to power. Theirs negotiated an end to the war, and attempted to pass numerous financial laws. Resentment against the laws and his government resulted in the attempted establishment of the new socialist government of the Paris Commune by Communards, which would be violently supressed by Thiers. The violent response led to the destruction of the fledgeling labor movement, which would make a comeback in the early 1920s.

Lyonism Takes Hold
Despite the victory of France in World War I, things were bleak and chaotic in the nation. The nation's industry had been destroyed by British and German campaigns, as well as entire generation, which had killed or wounded in the war. The Spanish Flu wrapped devastated France, with thousands becoming victims. Old issues arose as well, such as workers' rights and the deplorable living conditions most the lower classes endured, which led to the resurgence of Communards. "The Lost Generation" had created economic stagnation and anger at the current administration's failed handling of war.This anger resulted in Philippe Pétain, a brilliant general during the war, to propose a new form of government: Lyonism, named for the city it was created in. Pétain proposed that a strong government would be ruled by the masses, for the masses, with a small council of qualified workers to rule for the good of the nation. Pétain would die in 1918 from Spanish Flu before he could announce a successor, which became a competition between Charles de Gaulle and Pierre Laval. The "Quiet Revoluton" of 1921 resulted in the current politicians being replaced by those following Lyonism; the Prime Minister would be de Gaulle, who quickly went to work to secure his power, by sending those who opposed him to camps, outlawing political parties other than his own, and silencing free speech and press. The "small council" would be abused, as de Gaulle would appoint his top followers and ignored others. Laval himself would be exiled to the Central American Republic, and would be assassinated in 1939. The people welcomed de Gaulle's however, because he promised a return to the strong, safe, and secure France that existed before World War I.