French Fourth Republic (Wilhelmine Era)

The French Fourth Republic was the republican government of France between 1919 and 1934. The constitution of the Fourth Republic was adopted in the city of Bordeaux on March 5, 1919, as such the period is sometimes referred to as the Bordeaux Republic.

The republic was marred by political instability, with bitter divisions between socialists, communists, republicans and monarchists, and a succession of weak, short-term governments - France had eighteen Prime Ministers in fifteen years. Despite these difficulties the period of the Fourth Republic saw significant economic recovery from the Great War up to 1931.

The onset of economic crisis in 1931 brought political tensions to a fever pitch