On this day - 1 June
Historical items of interest as featured in the papers of the day.
Charles de Gaulle becomes French Prime Minister
Charles de Gaulle became Prime Minister of France on June 1st 1958. He was given 6 months of emergency powers in order to help combat some of the issues France was experiencing.
He wanted to reform the French constitution and designed the framework for the new constitution which would be brought in. Using de Gaulle's political ideas, Michel Debré wrote the document. This was voted in in September of 1958, bringing the start of the 5th French Republic. All the French colonies were allowed to choose between the new constitution or immediate independence and a loss of French support. Guinea was the only African colony to choose independence and became the first French African colony to achieve this.
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