Socialist Party

(Parti socialiste)

   The Parti socialiste (PS) developed principally from the SFio (Section française de l'internationale ouvrière) in 1969. Further developed during the Congress of Épinay (1971), it adopted the strategy of creating the union de la gauche, which, in 1972, ended with the signing of a common government program with the French communist party. Despite the break in the Union in 1978 and the development of divergent currents, the party, under the leadership of François Mitterrand, won the presidential and legislative election of 1981. Becoming the majority party, the PS, led by lionel jospin (1981-88), during the 1980s underwent an important evolution that included the adoption of a rigorous economic policy and the abandonment of all Marxist references. Defeated in the legislative elections of 1986, the PS remained the first party of France and regained seats in 1988. But confronted with internal strife and political and financial scandals, as well as the worsening economic crisis and growing unemployment, the party, led by pierre mauroy (1988-92), then laurent fabius (1992-93), suffered a serious reversal in the legislative elections of March 1993. The PS, profoundly affected by this defeat, sought new leadership, culminating in 1995 with Lionel Jospin, who resigned in 2002. Subsequently, the PS remains a leading party and has undergone positive reorganization.