French Fourth Republic Charles de Gaulle returned from retirement to preside over a transitional administration that was empowered to design a new French constitution. The Fourth Republic was dissolved by a public referendum on 5 October 1958 which established the modern-day Fifth Republic with a strengthened presidency. After the liberation of France in 1944, the Vichy government was dissolved and the Provisional Government of the French Republic () was instituted. With most of the political class discredited and containing many members who had more or less collaborated with Nazi Germany, Gaullism and communism became the most popular political forces in France. Charles deGaulle
1996 President of the Senate of the Czech Republic election 1996 President of the Senate of the Czech Republic election An election of the President of the Senate of the Czech Republic was held on 18 December 1996. Petr Pithart was elected the first President of the Senate. Pithart was a candidate of the Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party (KDU-CSL), and his election was opposed primarily by the Civic Democratic Party. The first election of Senate was held in November 1996. The Civic Democratic Party (ODS) emerged as the strongest party with the Social Democrats second. The first meeting was held on 18 December 1996 to elect