French Fifth Republic of the election on 9 January 1959. The new president began his office on that date, appointing Michel Debré as Prime Minister. The 1958 constitution also replaced the French Union with the French Community, which allowed fourteen member territories (these did not include Algeria) to assert their independence. 1960 became known as the "Year of Africa" because of this wave of newly independent states. Algeria became independent on 5 July 1962. The president was initially elected by an electoral college, but in 1962 de Gaulle proposed that the president be directly elected by the citizens, and held a referendum on
Chief of the Military Staff of the President of the Republic in Paris who could aid their army careers. The 'chef d’état-major particulier' (CEMP) is the chief military adviser to the French president. The president serves as commander-in-chief of the French armed forces. As interface between the military and the president, the CEMP plays a vital role in putting into practice nuclear deterrence. The CEMP usually goes on to become chef d’état-major des armées. Chief of the Military Staff of the President of the Republic The Chief of the Military Staff of the President of the Republic ("Chef d'état-major particulier du président de la République") is a role in the military