French Community

E38730

The French Community was a short-lived political association formed in 1958 that linked France with several of its newly autonomous former African colonies during the transition from empire to independence.


Statements (46)
Predicate Object
instanceOf intergovernmental organization
political association
characterizedBy asymmetry between France and African member states
rapid decline as members chose full independence
constitutionalRegime Fifth French Republic
country France
dissolved early 1960s
geographicRegion Indian Ocean
Sub-Saharan Africa
hadOrgan Community Court of Arbitration
Executive Council of the Community
Senate of the Community
headOfState President of the French Republic
historicalPeriod decolonization of Africa
inception 1958
language French
legalBasis French Constitution of 1958
memberState Cameroon
Central African Republic
Chad
Côte d’Ivoire
Dahomey
France
Gabon
Guinea
Madagascar
Mali
Mauritania
Niger
Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville)
Senegal
Togo
Upper Volta
notableEvent Guinea’s rejection of membership in 1958 referendum
policyArea cultural cooperation
defence
economic policy coordination
foreign policy
politicalStatus association of France with autonomous overseas states
politicalSystem quasi-federal structure
precededBy French Union
purpose maintain institutional links between France and former colonies
manage transition from French empire to independence
replacedBy bilateral cooperation agreements between France and former colonies
shortName Communauté française
status defunct organization

Referenced by (2)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
French Union
replacedBy
French colonial empire
successor

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