Since 1848, French Algeria had been considered by the French state as an integral part of France. After having returned to power with the stated intention of maintaining the French Départements of Algeria, in September 1959, de Gaulle reversed his policy and supported the independence of Algeria. Until this time, Bastien-Thiry had been a Gaullist; now he became an opponent. Due to this new policy, two referenda on self-determination were held, the first in 1961 and the second in 1962 (the French Évian Accords referendum).