Characters / TNO France

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French State

^{Flag of the Kingdom of France/French Republic}

Official Name: French State, Kingdom of France (monarchy restored), French Fourth Republic (Pinay)

Ruling Party: Parti National - Pétainistes^note National Party - Pétainists

Ideology: Fascism

The French State is the regime formed by Marshal Philippe Pétain following the 1940 Armistice with Germany. Though initially maintaining a degree of independence, the Reich would return to strangle France to near-death in the post-war, subjecting it to crippling treaties, economic ruination, and most damningly, the outright partition of the Métropole. By 1962, France exists in a state of limbo, with numerous militias challenging the state and Europe's black scar eyeing their helpless prey. Yet, though darkness has enveloped France, so long as France still stands, it may still have a chance to reach its redemption.

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General Tropes

• Back from the Brink: Despite the pitiful circumstances faced by the French State, it is still possible for the country to rebound and reclaim some measure of prominence, depending on who assumes power.
• But Thou Must!: It is impossible for the French State to repel the Burgundian invasion. Even if it somehow happens, an event will fire that declares Burgundy victorious and automatically forces France to give up their territory to them.
• Butt-Monkey: The past two decades have certainly not been kind to France. It lost the war against Germany, its economy and military were crippled by the Reich, the eastern part of the country was given to Germany, Italy and the SS, and it is still plagued with rebels and German red tape. When Burgundy inevitably comes knocking, France has no chance to resist, and it will be reduced further to only two thirds of metropolitan France.
• Catch-22 Dilemma: The Treaty of Vichy still remains a crippling thorn in the French State, practically pitting them in a no-win situation. The Pétainists are constantly hamstrung by the limitations set by the treaty, making them look like lapdogs to the Reich and inhibiting any chance for them to rebuild their military. And without an army, they can't do anything to amend the problem at its source, lest Germany absolutely destroy them. Therefore, the best they can do is keep using the treaty as a lynchpin for political stability, creating even more severe problems in the long-term, best exemplified when Burgundy crushes them in an invasion.
• Civil War:
  • There are various ways for France to fall into a civil war between the Paris government, the resurgent Resistance, the various far-right leagues, left-wing revolutionaries, and/or the Free French forces coming home.
  • If Reinhard Heydrich wins the German Civil War and subsequently defeats Burgundy, the French State will have to fight the New French State (Nouvel État Français), led by the French SS-Charlemagne division which formerly collaborated with Burgundy, and seizes the territory annexed by Burgundy in the Franco-Burgundian War during the post-Heydrich collapse.
• Les Collaborateurs: Metropolitan France is still ruled by the successors to Pétain's government, headed by Charles Huntziger and Jean-Louis Tixier-Vignancour.
• Curb-Stomp Battle: The French State stands no chance against the Burgundian invasion right after the beginning of the German Civil War. France is put under heavy military and industrial restrictions from Germany and has only a few weak militia squads to protect themselves, while Burgundy has one of the strongest armies in the world, second only to the world's superpowers.
• Earn Your Happy Ending: If either the French fascists break off from the Einheitspakt or Pinay takes power before invading a collapsing Burgundy, then France would be able to reclaim much of its former territory, albeit with potentially large casualties in the process.
• Enemy Mine: The Milice Française, OAS, and Mouvement Franciste hate each other, but if Action Française fails to find a monarch in time, they'll collaborate and launch a coup to restore some semblance of stability, with Salan at their hand. Once the goal is achieved, the militias will turn on each other again.
• Evil Versus Evil: The French State, a fascist state (if led by Poujade or Sidos), often comes into conflict with the OAS (an even more radical far-right militia) and/or the nightmarish SS State of Burgundy. This becomes more downplayed into Black-and-Gray Morality in their conflict with Free France. The mod acknowledges many of the flaws associated with the original French government, namely about how they're a white-minority, settler colonial state who have been denying independence to the native Africans they govern. However, the French State has all of these negative traits exaggerated in their Algerian colony and have fewer redeemable qualities about them, so Free France's reclamation of the homeland is framed in a relatively positive light.
• Faction-Specific Endings: The French State is a political mess, and can adopt almost every ideology in the game.
• Failure Is the Only Option: Downplayed. The Pétainists' status quo in 1962 is doomed to collapse one way or another, regardless of what they do. That said, it's still possible for them to reassert their authority after the Franco-Burgundian War, though they're nonetheless forced to make some concessions to avoid losing power for good.
• From Bad to Worse: The Burgundian invasion puts the Pétainists into an even worse position than they were in 1962. And with both Charles Huntziger and Jean-Louis Tixier-Vignancour out of the picture, the status quo they've maintained for so long all but implodes.
• Head-in-the-Sand Management: Downplayed. On top of capitalizing on the Vichy regime's Glory Days, the Pétainists are still trying to present an image of normalcy even as the French State grows more unstable. While not blind to the fault-lines forming, doubling-down on the status quo is less the best option they have, and more of the only one that they could think of without stirring more instability or breaking the Treaty of Vichy.
• How the Mighty Have Fallen: France went from a world-spanning empire to an embarrassing puppet state of a neighboring power and inevitable victim to a Burgundian invasion.
• A Lighter Shade of Black: None of France's potential right-wing dictators can compare to the nightmare that is Burgundy and thus are the "good" side if they invade Burgundy following its collapse.
• Nostalgia Filter: In-universe. In OTL, Pétain has largely been condemned as a traitorous sellout to the Nazis, which overshadows all of the achievements he did in his lifetime. Since the Axis won in this timeline, Pétain's cult of personality is used by leaders such as Huntziger and Sidos to prop up the legitimacy of their fascist ideologies and regimes by harkening by to the "good old days" of Pétain's leadership.
• Puppet State: Though ostensibly independent, the French State is only a shadow of its former glory and still under the harsh terms of the Treaty of Vichy after their defeat in World War II. This especially backfires on them when Germany falls into a civil war and leaves the French vulnerable to an invasion from Burgundy.
• Pyrrhic Victory: If Speer's Germany defeats Burgundy, and the French fascists remain loyal, the French State can finally regain nearly all its lost territories. This, however, comes at the cost of remaining subservient to the Reich, while the liberated land is so devastated by Himmler's Burgundian System, that it may take generations to fully rebuild.
• The Quisling: Sidos' first Prime Minister, Pierre Drieu la Rochelle, is the staunchest Germanophile in all of France, even more than his boss. His death due to throat cancer gives reason why Sidos might not enter the Einheitspakt in favor of Italy, Iberia, or complete neutrality.
• The Scapegoat: As the defeated power in World War II, France was given all the blame for starting both World Wars, justifying Germany's imposition of the humiliating Treaty of Vichy.
• Shocking Defeat Legacy: Scapegoated for starting both world wars, France has fallen hard since its time as a world-spanning empire. Nothing better symbolizes this than the Treaty of Vichy, which reduces the French army into a ceremonial force, restricts what research the nation can pursue, and gives Germany unlimited access to French territories, making France little more than a subordinate to the Reich.
• Skewed Priorities: Vichy politicians quibble with each other over meaningless issues, which contributes to the government's inefficiency and division.
• Vestigial Empire: After World War II and the West Russian War, the French State lost a fair bit of metropolitan France and all of their colonial empire except Algeria and Madagascar. By 1962, France, once a mighty world power, is a borderline failed state, with a broken economy and no real army to speak of. Once Burgundy invades, they lose even more of their territory, reducing them to two-thirds of the Métropole, and can further lose Algeria as well if the OASA doesn't win the Algerian War. While France can reclaim Burgundy with the help of Germany, they remain subordinate to their old rival, and taking back Alsace-Lorraine or Indochina is but a pipe dream.
• Villain with Good Publicity: In spite of the deep unpopularity of the Vichy regime, Philippe Pétain is still fondly remembered as an exceptional leader. Even the reformists justify his collaboration with Germany as a well-intentioned effort to afford France some measure of independence.
• We ARE Struggling Together: The Parti National, despite the Pétainists' best efforts, remains heavily fragmented between various cliques, some of which aren't even fascist at all and seek to do away with the regime altogether. The only other party legally operating in the French State is Action Française, which is tolerated by virtue of being seen as relatively harmless.

Starting Heads of State

Jean-Louis Tixier-Vignancour

Role: Prime Minister^note Head of Government (Huntziger cabinet)

Party: Rassemblement pour la Révolution Nationale^note Rally for the National Revolution

Ideology: Civilian Dictatorship^note Despotism

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show}In his ascension to Presidency, Jean-Louis Tixier-Vignancour is the quintessential representation of the current catastrophic deadlock the French State finds itself in. Elected to the long-defunct National Assembly of the Third Republic in 1936 and the subsequent French State, he is as loved as he is hated in the spheres of French Politics.

After the catastrophic West Russian War and the establishment of the Ordensstat, Piere Laval's - the then-President of France - unexpectedly died, leaving the French State once again with a ruinous political system. The nearly-collapsing State found Tixier-Vignancour as the most capable man of uniting a shattered nation, and thus, he was appointed to the seat of power. Loved as much as he is hated, he nonetheless succeeded in ensuring the continued existence of the French State, through successfully uniting the fractured Parti Nationale, rebuilding the faint sense of stability that had been destroyed in the wake of the economic crisis.

While ostensibly not a Germanophile, his messages of further collaboration with the Germans continues to draw large numbers to the various opposition movements in the Assemblée, hungering for a change from the status quo. As the Reich continues to deteriorate, and the chaos that had gripped France before rears its head once more, Jean-Louis Tixier-Vignancour and his government are stuck fighting over meaningless issues - while the new era of French politics begins to advance without them.

With the Résistance growing in strength in every passing day, and the looming threat of Burgundy breathing down the French State's neck, the French State is perhaps in the worst position it can be in.

Vignancour himself knows that the peace in Europe is tenuous, and once broken - France may well burn once more.

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• Glory Days: Tixier was once an adaptable politician who saved the French State from collapse by uniting the Rally for the National Revolution and restoring some sense of stability back to the country. When the game begins, Tixier is in far more dire straits, as he's now unable to unite his chaotic party again and the Burgundian threat continually looms over the country.
• Reconcile the Bitter Foes: He was chosen as France's Prime Minister because he could moderate and unite the factionalized Rally for the National Revolution, restoring some semblance of stability to the country.
• Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Once the Franco-Burgundian War begins, he will flee France, result in Charles Huntziger taking up his position for the rest of the war.

Tropes pertaining to upcoming content

• Beneath the Mask: Tixier sings the Vichy government's praises outwardly. But, in private, Tixier knows that this rhetoric is empty, as the Council of Minister teaser showcases his insecurities of the French State's stagnation and fear that it will suffer the same fate as the Third Republic.
• Pragmatic Villainy: In the Council of Ministers teaser, Tixier wants to make some minor reforms to the system set up by Pétain, justifying that changes are necessary if the Vichy regime is to survive and unite France.
• Soul-Crushing Desk Job: One of the worst parts of his job in the Council of Ministers teaser is to swim through the mountains of paperwork on his desk. It's grating enough for Tixier to consider an early retirement and he sometimes wonders if his predecessors had an easier job because they were more technocratic-minded.

Charles Huntziger

Role: Military Commander, President^note Head of Government, Prime Minister^note Head of State (Tixier-Vignancour succession)

Party: Rassemblement pour la Révolution Nationale^note Rally for the National Revolution

Ideology: Fascism

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show}Charles Huntziger has served France for many years. He served as a general in both World Wars, and he was one of Petain's original cabinet members. As Petain forged an armistice, he appointed Huntziger to lead the French side of the negotiations, although Huntziger was unsuccessful in lessening the Treaty of Vichy's harsh conditions. Huntziger served as commander-in-chief of the French land forces and as Minister of Defense for twenty years.

Huntziger could only watch as his nation turned into a shadow of its former self. When the German economy collapsed, France could do nothing. When the Germans gave away half of France to Himmler to run as his own nightmare-ish fiefdom, France could do nothing. Now, as Himmler's SS cross the French border, conquering French cities and killing French people, France can do nothing.

Tixier-Vignancour fled the nation, his destination unknown. Huntziger was made temporary Head of State, a half-hearted attempt to callback to the glory of the Maréchal. Huntziger feels no glory in his promotion, he feels no legitimacy. The old man has placed France's future in the hands of the Assemblée, in hopes that his successor may be able to restore some hope in France's future.

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• Inadequate Inheritor: Huntziger has none of the popularity of Philippe Pétain that was the only thing that pulled the Vichy regime together. Since Pétain's death, the French populace's tolerance for fascism has rapidly dropped, and strikes across the country are commonplace.
• Internal Reformist: Huntzinger actually wants to reform the laughably inept French military, but any such moves would violate the harsh Treaty of Vichy that was imposed on the French and thus Huntzinger can't solve the problem without inciting German intervention.
• Old Soldier: Huntziger is an extremely old general, to a point that the Vichy government appoints him as Prime Minister so that he can evoke the spirit of Pétain.
• Plot-Triggering Death: Huntziger's death so soon after Tixier's disappearance causes a political crisis in France, and leads to its numerous political paths forward.
• Reluctant Ruler: He feels unsatisfied with becoming head of state, considering himself an illegitimate heir to Pétain's legacy. His major act as leader is giving the Assemblée the task of finding a better successor.
• War Hero: Huntziger served as a general in both World Wars. His appointment as interim leader is a desperate move to recall a semblance of Pétain's popularity.
• We Hardly Knew Ye: Huntziger dies less than two years after game start of an stroke, a few days following the end of the Franco-Burgundian war.

Tropes pertaining to upcoming content

• Beneath the Mask: Beneath his veneer of loyalty in the Council of Ministers teaser, Huntziger secretly despises the Germans for lording over France. However, this is not enough for him to openly rebel and he instead resigns to the unfortunate situation.
• The Chains of Commanding: Huntziger is the President in the Council of Ministers teaser, but it's a terrible position to be in, ruling over a prideless nation and being chained to the Nazis back in Germany. Still, Huntziger wades through the mud because it's his duty.
• Hypocrite: In a teased event for the Council of Ministers, Huntziger emphasizes the need for enthusiasm in 1962, but Tixier detects no passion in the uncharismatic President's speech.
• No-Respect Guy: Being President is a thankless job. The Council of Ministers teaser says that the position is undesired by all and Huntziger was delegated the task because he's so old and tired anyway.
• Rousing Speech: Subverted in the Council of Ministers teaser. Huntziger tries to put on an enthusiastic speech for the new year of 1962, but his lack of charisma is felt by the entire audience. His talk of national spirit is mind-numbing and the best thing he can recall from last year's performance is a list of mediocre achievements.
• You Are in Command Now: The Council of Minister teaser shows that Huntziger became President because his predecessor, Émile Laure, passed away and no one else wanted to take over.

Post-Burgundian Invasion Leaders

Pierre Poujade

^{Populist "Pierrot" Poujade portrait}

^{Pragmatist Poujade portrait}

Role: Head of State (Huntziger succession)

Party: Parti National - Union et Fraternité Française^note National Party - Union and French Fraternity

Ideology: Poujadism^note Paternalism

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show}If any person can bear the unfortunate task of representing the current devastation of France, it is Pierre Poujade. Steadily climbing the pillars of power in the chaos of the 1950's, he secured the Prime Ministership after Vignancour's successful bid for President. Enjoying his newfound position of power, Poujade was hopeful for a slow, careful political career. Of course, that all changed when Europe was once more thrown into utter mayhem.

Violently thrust into the spotlight after the chaos of the Franco-Burgundian War, he was delegated the responsibility of grappling with yet another period of utter chaos as the political foundation of the French State fell through. Using his array of contacts, allies, and friends in the different strata of the remaining administration, Poujade managed to steer himself out of the fire and into the throne of power once more.

Politically, Poujade prides himself as the protector of the "little man", promoting a culture based around the founding principles of the state: Labor, Family, Fatherland. Promising a rebirth of a grand France, he does not delude himself into thinking it will be easy to rebuild his nation after the deluge of catastrophe which has struck it, especially with the hidden forces that lurk within the government, plotting to destroy his rule from within.

Should he fail to keep these rotten forces at bay, the French State as he knows it may very well cease to exist. Should he succeed, however it will finally begin to emerge from the ashes of oppression.

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• Affectionate Nickname: A populist Poujade becomes affectionately known as Pierrot (a diminutive of the given name Pierre), showing that he is close to the people.
• Didn't Think This Through: His crusade against the 200 families will destroy the influence of the rich bankers and industrial magnates of France, but removing them destroys much of the economy's stability and sets the groundwork for an upcoming financial crisis.
• Dragon Ascendant: Poujade serves as Prime Minister under President Jean-Louis Tixier-Vignancour, and is the most likely candidate to succeed him in the aftermath of his disappearance.
• Even Evil Has Standards: Though a member of the Vichy regime, Poujade has truthfully always loathed collaboration, and wants to distance the French State away from its submission to Germany.
• Improperly Paranoid: Poujade fearmongers and advocates a war against the "200 families," a conspiracy that the most powerful business interests in France are corrupting the people into their slaves. The problem is that no such cabal exists and Poujade is jumping at ghosts.
• Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: The French State can collapse into a three-way (potentially four-way, if Free France invades) civil war under his reign, if Poujade's efforts to reduce the power of the industrialists and bankers fail, granting an opportunity for a morally better faction to take over the country.
• Obliviously Evil: Poujade doesn't consider himself a fascist, believing that he's actually acting on the will of the majority and thus views himself as democratic.
• Pragmatic Villainy:
  • Poujade can lean more into pragmatism than his usual populist rhetoric, cooperating with the French State's major companies to make more gains in industrial development, in spite of his goal to dismantle them.
  • In spite of his otherwise dogmatic views, Poujade can support some limited social reforms, like women's rights, if it benefits him in some way.
• Villain with Good Publicity: Poujade is both a far-right anti-Semite and a popular politician who easily sways crowds with his targeted mannerisms and expressions tailor-fitted to appeal to the working class. To succeed, Poujade must keep the fervor of his movement high if he wants to pass more effective policies. Failing to live up to his promises will diminish this fervor and spell doom for his movement.

Pierre Sidos

Role: Head of State (Huntziger succession)

Party: Parti Populaire Français^note French Popular Party

Ideology: Reactionary Nationalism^note Ultranationalism

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show}The descendent of a long line of French soldiers and nationalists, Pierre Sidos has always been at the forefront of the traditionalist and hardliner wings of French politics. Losing both his father and his brothers in the Second World War, Pierre stands out in the scene of nationalism in being a stern pacifist.

Creating a new movement in the 1950s, which aimed to embrace the new German World Order as well as to push against the rapidly-spreading flame of socialist and communist movements across the country. This movement, named the Mouvement Occident, became his gateway into the vast world of French politics.

A passionate speaker, able to easily sway crowds with his intricate knowledge of expressions and mannerisms, he quickly rose the ranks. Becoming the head of the Parti Populaire Français, he led the party to become the flagship nationalist and most German-friendly party in France.\nFollowing the Franco-Burgundinian war and the ensuing chaos, Sidos finally found his chance to strike. Securing the Presidency, he now bears his responsibility - the completion of the Révolution Nationale - to extinguish the weak democracy of France, to promote a Europe that is united in brothership (including with the Germans), and finally, to return to the fundamental values which founded the French State.

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• Ape Shall Never Kill Ape: Weirdly, Sidos has a rather pacifist foreign policy because he thinks that the fascist regimes of Europe should work together and cooperate against their mutual enemies.
• Choosing Neutrality: Rather than ally with Germany, Italy, or Iberia, Sidos can pursue a neutral foreign policy and go into isolation.
• Cult of Personality: Sidos admires Philippe Pétain as a national hero and places the most focus on building his cult of personality than any other leader.
• Defector from Decadence: In contrast to his past adoration of the Reich, Sidos can reject them in favor of an Italian or Iberian alliance, resentful that Germany humiliated his country and gave parts of their land to Burgundy.
• Even Evil Has Loved Ones: The death of his father and his brothers during World War II affected Sidos deeply and it informs his current pacifistic foreign policy.
• Evil Reactionary: If he takes power, Sidos will revert all of the liberalization policies that were initiated in the 1950s.
• Fascist, but Inefficient: Uniquely, Sidos is guaranteed to face the French Civil War, as his tyranny incites uprisings across the country from various dissidents across the political spectrum.
• Ignored Epiphany: His iron-clad regime can potentially spell its doom when it sparks civil war. If Sidos survives the ordeal, he doesn't take any lessons from his mistake and doubles down on his tyrannical policies.
• A Nazi by Any Other Name: Sidos is an extreme French nationalist who vows to complete the Révolution nationale, an ideological program that advocates many of the same ideals as Nazism, such as anti-Semitism and the promotion of traditional values.
• Pragmatic Villainy: While the most reactionary of the French State's leaders, Sidos does recognize the moribund state of the country's economy and will make some reforms to mitigate the issue.
• President Evil: If elected President, Sidos will begin centralizing all power to himself, eventually culminating in the dissolution of the Assemblée under "emergency premises".
• The Quisling: Zig-Zagged. Sidos is a Germanophile that advocates for closer ties with Germany, even though many French citizens dislike the idea. However, he can also align with a fascist Italy or the Iberian Union because of their similarly right-wing ideology.
• Secret Police: Sidos forms the Service de Sûreté Nationale, an internal counter-terrorist group, with the aim of rooting out disruptive elements like communists and the Resistance.
• Villainous Friendship: His friendship with Hubert Lambert is well known throughout the international community, making him a natural choice for his Prime Minister when Drieu la Rochelle dies.

Antoine Pinay

Role: Head of State (Huntziger succession)

Party: Parti National - Réformistes^note National Party - Reformists, Parti National - Centre National des Indépendants et Paysans^note National Party - National Centre of Independents and Peasants (Fourth Republic established)

Ideology: Anocracy^note Paternalism

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show}Brave men carry the torch of liberty even when to do so is hard. Braver men still craft this torch from the ashes of oppression - and Antoine Pinay is one such man.

A long-standing veteran of French politics, Antoine Pinay has long been mired in the politics of France, serving in both the Third Republic as well as the subsequent French State. A charismatic and eloquent speaker, he used his relative popularity among the population to assert himself as a moderate and an industrialist in the Parti National. Pinay is a firm believer in the dream of a truly fair French State, taking the mantle on the reformation of France following the death of Pierre Laval as the leader of the reformist wing of the Parti National. However, despite enjoying a broad support base, Pinay never did have the chance to truly push his reformist ideals - sidelined by the numerous hardliners of the French State, many thought that his ideals of a fair France would never see the light of day.

Of course, then Burgundian tanks entered Paris. In the ensuing chaos, Antoine Pinay, along with the rest of the Réformistes, successfully made a bid for the seat of power in France, bringing the reformist light to France once more.

He now controls a shattered nation - shellshocked from the war, with the already-tenuous political system having been utterly destroyed, the fragile foundations giving way to the pressures of reality. With the conservative elements of the Parti National plot in the darkness, while the flame of extremism continues to spread unchecked throughout the population, Pinay certainly knows he does not have an easy path ahead of him.

Regardless of all of the obstacles he faces, Pinay will never give up hope on his dream: a new France, free, fair and democratic. In the end, he seeks nothing less than the restoration of the French Republic - and he will go through any steps necessary to ensure that Democracy will triumph.

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• Cincinnatus: If he successfully returns democracy to France by passing the Fourth Republic's constitution, Pinay holds democratic elections, and willingly steps down if he loses.
• Enemy Mine: Despite nominally being enemies, Pinay can work with de Gaulle over the prospect of reuniting Free France with the Métropole, sharing mutual interest in restoring dignity to the French people.
• Internal Reformist: Pinay leads the reformist wing of the Parti National, and is rumoured to have contacts in the French Resistance. If elected President, he'll assemble an unstable coalition of reformists, united by their goal of reintroducing full democracy to France. When he succeeds, Pinay ratifies the constitution of the Fourth Republic, putting an end to the Vichy regime and preparing to hold elections.
• Propaganda Machine: L'Ouverture is an organisation specialised in investigative journalism, formed by Pinay to publish studies that would facilitate his reforms. Setting media campaigns through L'Ouverture is vital to keep up his government's popularity, but he also must be careful to not oversaturate the people with too much propaganda or else they become too fatigued with his campaigns.
• Reasonable Authority Figure: Not only is he the best chance for the French State to democratize, but he'll also step down if Free France returns because they both share the same goal of liberalizing the country.
• Taking Up the Mantle: After Pierre Laval passed, Pinay took his place at the head of the reformist wing in the Parti National. He's far more radical than his predecessor and outright wants to leave the Pakt, which he solidifies by revoking the Treaty of Vichy.

Jean Bichelonne

Role: Head of State (Huntziger succession), Economy Minister (Bichelonne cabinet)

Party: Parti National - Technocrates^note National Party - Technocrats

Ideology: Managerial State^note Despotism

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show}The goal of a country must be of continued self improvement - the steady march of progress, development, and strength. Jean Bichelonne sees this as his motto; a devout technocrat, he has been deeply involved in the French State and its economy ever since the end of the Second World War.

Perhaps the most defining moment of his development as a politician, he was one of the loudest and most ardent critics of French economic policies only years before the economic crisis that the French State found itself with the collapse of the German economy. Losing all faith in the idea of a continental industrial powerhouse, Bichelonne now presents an alternative - a technocratic France, a major industrial center of both themselves as a country, and Europe as a whole.

Cold and calculating, members of the Parti National frequently describe him as "an exceptional mathematician lost in politics". Stubborn in his ideals of a France free from German meddling, he shows no sign of compromise in his relentless criticism of the Reich, usually to the dismay of those who wish to try to find an agreeable path forward with him. Certainly not a politician, his consistent inability to compromise and negotiate makes the road to his plans difficult, but he does not let that stop him. Foreseeing a utopic plan of industrialization, development, modernization, Bichelonne possesses a decisive will to put France back on the list of some of the most developed nations in the world. An optimistic plan, yes, but he will let nothing get in his way of a truly modern France on the world stage.

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• Awesome, but Impractical: His plan to transform France into a technocracy is impressive in concept, but unlikely to work, due to the extensive effort and luck that must be put in. There's a strong possibility that Bichelone's reforms will ultimately fail, either due to a Milice coup or from vote of no confidence from the Comité de Coordination Nationale, leaving the French State under the control of the industrialists, Bichelonne’s grand dream left to the dust.
• Crazy Enough to Work: Bichelonne's pragmatic and technocratic agenda is wildly optimistic, but it can work and create one of the strongest economies the French State can have, rivaled only by the one set up by Pinay.
• The Determinator: Bichelonne is not a man known for compromise or negotiation with his near-revolutionary modernization plans for France.
• Emperor Scientist: An engineer by profession, Bichelonne is the leader of the technocratic wing of the Parti National.
• Fish out of Water: Members of the Parti National frequently describe Bichelonne as an exceptional mathematician lost in politics. He relentlessly criticises the Reich, usually to the dismay of those who wish to try to compromise with him, and making the road to his plans difficult.
• Magnum Opus Dissonance: An in-universe example. The crown jewel of Bichelonne's career is the creation of the 1970 French constitution, officially cementing technocratic principles as the law of the land. Despite his cathartic satisfaction in it, public reception to the document is more tepid, with some questioning its longevity.
• The Spock: He's been described as a calm and logical person who stubbornly sticks to hard data than flourish.
• Villainous Friendship: Of the potential leaders in the French State, Bichelonne is the friendliest one to Albert Speer, as they both hold similar political views and have personally met each other in the past.
• Visionary Villain: The most ambitious potential President of France, dreaming of a technocratic France where it becomes the industrial capital of Europe.

Pierre Gaxotte

Role: Head of State (Huntziger succession)

Party: Action Française^note French Action

Ideology: Interim Government^note Despotism

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show}Among most politically aware French men and women, few would have expected Pierre Gaxotte to have risen to the top of the political ladder to become their President. An academic historian by trade and journalist by inclination, Gaxotte has made his monarchist and militaristic sympathies apparent in his writing. Even with the fall of the French Republic, his critical work on the French Revolution continues to inspire the reactionary and oligarchical upper class of the French State.

An underling of the far-right political theorist Charles Maurass, he has kept his mentor's party, Action Française, from collapsing following his death. Seeking to return the Bourbon dynasty of the pre-Revolution monarchy back to the throne and highly critical of Pétain's rule, Gaxotte has remained a relatively minor force in French politics. Now, as its President, he intends to use his power to revive monarchism in France, regardless of what its people think. Backed by the forces of reaction, Gaxotte intends to crush what remains of France's revolutionary spirit.

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• Beneath Notice: While seen as nominally loyal, the fact that Action Française is able to have a presence within the collaborationist government at all owes as much to its perceived irrelevance as it does to Maurras and Gaxotte's efforts to keep the party alive. This could potentially come back to bite the Parti Nationale hard, especially should Gaxotte manage to garner enough support to gain power.
• Dark Horse Victory: By game start, Action Française has one single deputy in the National Assembly, and Gaxotte is by far the least likely candidate to become President in the aftermath of the Grande Discorde.
• Good Old Ways: Gaxotte considers the Parti Nationale and its Nazi benefactors as no better than the republican status quo they had replaced. Like Maurras, he looks back at the old Ancien Regime for the way forward.
• I Did What I Had to Do: As much as Gaxotte despises the Nazis and having to work within the (nominally) republican system, he still considers it necessary in order to restore the Ancien Regime.
• Richard Nixon, the Used Car Salesman: Gaxotte was a French journalist and historian, notable for being a disciple of Charles Maurras and a contributor to the Action Française newspaper. During WWII, he maintained Maurras's anti-German line and opposed collaboration with the Vichy regime, and after the war, he abandoned politics entirely to focus on historical writing, though he remained fiercely monarchist. In TNO, changing circumstances caused Gaxotte to become the leader of Action Française, and he can be elected to the presidency of Vichy France.
• Short-Lived Leadership: After Gaxotte wins the presidential election, if the monarchist referendum succeeds, he becomes Prime Minister under King Henry VI, but this only delays the Kingdom's demise before the Pétainists launch a coup. If the referendum fails, Gaxotte will resign from office.
• Taking Up the Mantle: He was a close student of fellow political theorist, Charles Maurras. After his mentor died, Gaxotte succeeded his role and kept the Action Française alive.

Monarchs

Henri VI d'Orléans

Role: Head of State (Successful monarchist referendum)

Party: Action Française^note French Action

Ideology: Absolute Monarchy^note Despotism

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• Failure Is the Only Option: If a successful monarchist referendum happens and Henri VI is declared King of France, he still won't be able to build a long-term dynasty from his rule, as Juin and the Pétainists will eventually launch a coup.
• Rightful King Returns: Henri, great-great-grandson of King Louis Philippe I of France, will be crowned King Henry VI if the monarchist Pierre Gaxotte becomes President of the French State.
• Short-Lived Leadership: No matter how the monarchist referendum goes, King Henry's reign cannot last long. If it fails, he abdicates in favour of his son; if it succeeds, he forms a new government, only to be overthrown by the Pétainists.

Henri VII

Role: Head of State (Failed monarchist referendum)

Ideology: Interim Government^note Despotism

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• Internal Reformist: Given the crown after a failed referendum, Henri VII begins conducting major reforms to the monarchy, notably including the election of prime ministers.
• Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: His rather liberal political stance makes him disliked in the more conservative Action Française.
• Try to Fit That on a Business Card: The King of France's full list of titles is by the Grace of God, King of the French, Count of France, Most Christian Majesty.
• Young and in Charge: Compared to his father, Henri VII is decidedly more active and liberal.

Monarchist Prime Ministers

Olivier Guichard

Role: Head of State (Monarchist election), Head of Government (Guichard cabinet)

Ideology: Paternalistic Conservatism^note Conservatism

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• Enemy Mine: Just like Pinay, Guichard will work with de Gaulle towards bringing back the Free French exiles.
• Hitler Ate Sugar: Many reactionaries accuse Guichard of having secret ties with the French Resistance and exiled Abidjan government, even though Guichard is well-known for his political neutrality.
• Internal Reformist: Guichard is not a die-hard monarchist, and belongs to the small reformist faction within the AF.

Jean d'Ormesson

Role: Head of State (Monarchist election), Foreign Minister (Henry VI cabinet), Head of Government (d'Ormesson cabinet)

Ideology: Semi-Constitutional Monarchy^note Paternalism

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• Boring, but Practical: D'Ormesson represents a middle ground between Guichard's reformism and Pujo's reactionism, which he sees as the optimal solution to stabilizing the monarchy after their failed referendum.
• Nostalgia Filter: Many geopolitical observers liken d'Ormesson's policies to the Doctrinaires of the old Kingdom of France, which influences his conservative direction for the country.
• Richard Nixon, the Used Car Salesman: D'Ormesson was descended from an aristocratic family and expressed right-wing views in real life but was never really involved in politics, being known mostly as a writer and journalist. Here, he can become Prime Minister of France under King Henri VII if the monarchy is restored and survives.

Pierre Pujo

Role: Head of State (Monarchist election), Head of Government (Henry VI cabinet)

Ideology: Aristocratic Conservatism^note Despotism, Absolute Monarchy^note Despotism (Henry VI cabinet)

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• Like Father, Like Son: Pierre Pujo is most directly inspired by Action Française's co-founders, Charles Maurras and his own father Maurice Pujo, and is the most conservative potential Prime Minster of the Kingdom of France, advocating for a nationalist, pseudo-feudal transformation of France.
• Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Given Henri VII's unabashed reformism, it remains to be seen what the relationship will be like for Pujo and the King. The newspaper event detailing Pujo's election imply that it won't be a smooth one.

Democratically Elected Presidents

François Mitterrand

Role: Head of State (Post-Pinay elections)

Party: Parti Travailliste Français^note French Labour Party

Ideology: Democratic Socialism^note Progressivism

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• Contempt Crossfire: Mitterrand is disliked by right-wing politicians for his social democratic beliefs, while left-wing politicians criticize his collaboration with the Vichy regime.
• I Did What I Had to Do: Mitterrand rationalizes his involvement in the Vichy regime as being out of necessity and a desire to continue helping his fellow countrymen, while still discreetly encouraging dissent against the government.
• Internal Reformist: Despite his connections to the Vichy government, Mitterrand nonetheless espouses the need for unionism and social justice. He can finally act on these ideals if Pinay successfully democratizes and opens free elections.
• Opportunistic Bastard: Played With. Mitterrand is firmly a centre-left politician, however, he has chosen to collaborate with the Vichy regime instead of committing himself to the resistance. This allows him to reap the rewards of Pinay's democratization should it be successful.

Camille Laurens

Role: Head of State (Post-Pinay elections)

Party: Rassemblement pour la Nation^note Rally for the Nation

Ideology: Christian Democracy^note Liberal Conservatism

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• Boring, but Practical: Laurens pursues a relatively moderate, Christian-democratic agenda, an uncontroversial plan that can nonetheless usher in a new age of economic prosperity.
• Dark Horse Victory: The victory of Laurens and the RPN in the 1970 election is described as surprising, as most consider them a smaller and similarly conservative party to the more prominent PN.

Edmond Giscard d'Estaing

Role: Head of State (Post-Pinay elections)

Party: Union pour la Démocratie Française^note Union for French Democracy

Ideology: Classical Liberalism^note Liberalism

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• Good Old Ways: Giscard can be elected and restore the old republican values that defined France before World War II.
• La Résistance: Unlike most politicians in the French State, Giscard is closely associated with the French Resistance.
• Throw the Dog a Bone: After decades of hardship and ruthless suppression by the Vichy regime, Giscard can come to power and reignite the democratic values of the French Third Republic if Pinay holds successful elections.

Charles Pasqua

Role: Head of Government (Laurens cabinet), Head of State (Laurens resignation)

Party: Rassemblement pour la Nation^note Rally for the Nation

Ideology: Christian Democracy^note Liberal Conservatism

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• You Are in Command Now: Following a scandal that forces Laurens' resignation, Pasqua is left to succeed the presidency in his place.

Post-Reclamation/Reconciliation Leaders

Charles de Gaulle

Role: Military Commander, Head of State

Party: Comité Français de Libération Nationale^note French Committee of National Liberation, Parti Gaulliste de la France Libre^note Gaullist Party of Free France (Post-Reclamation election or French Reconciliation)

Ideology: Interim Government^note Despotism (Return to France), Paternalistic Conservatism^note Conservatism (Democratically elected)

See his entry on the West Africa subpage.

Pierre Mendès France

Role: Head of State (Post-Reclamation elections)

Party: Front Socialiste Unifié^note United Socialist Front

Ideology: Democratic Socialism^note Progressivism

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show}The most popular man in Free France is undoubtedly Charles De Gaulle, for obvious reasons. However, second place would most likely go to Pierre Mendès France.

After France's surrender, Mendès France was sentenced to six years of imprisonment on a false charge of desertion. However, he escaped, and joined the Free French forces, where he served as part of a combat group, doing sabotage missions. He joined the CFLN in 1943, and acted as the official liaison between the OFN and Free France throughout the 40s and 50s.

To Mendès France, De Gaulle is nothing more than a tinpot dictator, and the Free French army a corrupt hive where few true allies remain. He opposed expansion in Africa, and also any violent attempt at reclaiming France. In 1962, he was the one to push for a French Constitution in Free French territories, which had been suspended nearly two decades prior.

Mendès France represents both a strong commitment to socialism in a deeply conservative country, and to a moral compass that has never been put aside.

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• Dark Horse Victory: Mendès France is the most controversial candidate in the post-reclamation elections and many will be shocked if he wins.
• My Country Tis of Thee That I Sting: Mendès France's democratic socialist beliefs stand out in the normally conservative political environment in France. Most notably, he's been openly critical of France's colonial presence in West Africa.
• Reconcile the Bitter Foes: Part of what makes his election shocking is that he needs to unite the disparate left-wing movements in France to have any shot of getting voted in.

Jean Lecanuet

Role: Head of State (Post-Reclamation elections)

Party: Parti Progressiste Français^note French Progressive Party

Ideology: Progressive Liberalism^note Liberalism

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show}With the liberation of France now complete, the difficult task of rebuilding the country has now fallen into the hands of Jean Lecanuet.

A member of the French Resistance since 1943, Lecanuet labored hard and fast to save Jews from certain death. After the loss of Great Britain, he fled to Free France, and entered contact with the Organization of Free Nations very early on. One of the major influences that the OFN had was in inspiring him to copy the media methods used by American presidents, hence why people commonly call him the 'Kennedy of France'. At the same time, he's become a stalwart Atlanticist - but with his own personal twist, that of insisting on an equal partner role for France.

Though an adherent of the basic ideals of the Resistance, Lecanuet denounced Charles de Gaulle as excessively dictatorial in his methods. Rather than adhering to Gaullism the way Chaban-Delmas did, he prefers economic liberalism and the construction of a welfare-reinforced market economy. His task will be difficult, but he will not fail or falter in its execution.

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• The Alliance: Instead of espousing French independence on the global stage, Lecanuet proposes further diplomatic ties with the United States and the OFN as a whole.
• Defector from Decadence: His electoral platform dissociates itself from Lecanuet's former colleague, de Gaulle, who he denounces as too dictatorial. Instead, Lacanuet is in favor of more liberal reforms, such as welfare and poverty relief.
• Occupiers Out of Our Country: He joined the French Resistance in 1943 against the Vichy regime, helping Jews escape Nazi persecution.
• Red Baron: His adoption of American media tactics to build support has earned him the nickname "Kennedy of France".

Jacques Chaban-Delmas

Role: Head of Government (de Gaulle cabinet), Head of State (Post-Reclamation elections, De Gaulle succession)

Party: Parti Gaulliste de la France Libre^note Gaullist Party of Free France

Ideology: Progressive Conservatism^note Conservatism

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show}With the liberation of France now complete, the difficult task of rebuilding the country and bringing the ideals of Charles de Gaulle to fruition has now fallen into the hands of Jacques Chaban-Delmas.

A part of the new wave of Gaullist politicians, Chaban-Delmas has easily climbed up the ranks thanks to his connections with the CFLN and Georges Pompidou and his closeness to De Gaulle and Leclerc.

Yet that is not Chaban-Delmas' only credential, far from it: a first-call Résistant who joined in 1940, he infiltrated the National Production Ministry of Vichy as a cover. When that cover was blown, he managed to slip away and join De Gaulle in London. Since then, Chaban-Delmas has followed the Général's notion of Libération, adding a personal touch: social progressiveness and reforms. That is the program that he will implement at the helm of the nation, and he will not rest until he succeeds.

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• The Determinator: Besides promoting Gaullist policies, Chaban-Delmas advocates more social reforms and will not rest until he sees them come to fruition.
• The Infiltration: He worked for the French Resistance as a spy who infiltrated the National Production Ministry of Vichy. He was eventually outed and forced to flee to London, joining de Gaulle's government-in-exile.
• Occupiers Out of Our Country: Chaban-Delmas was a French Resistance fighter who's been working as a spy since 1940. Though the Vichy regime chased him out of the mainland, Chaban-Delmas hasn't given up on his crusade and works with de Gaulle to see a liberated France.
• Taking Up the Mantle: After de Gaulle's death, either before or after Free France's return, Chaban-Delmas inherits his platform and his shared vision of cautious reform.

Service de Sûreté Nationale

Pierre Bonny

Role: Director of the SSN

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• Back from the Brink: After his career in the police force ended due to charges of corruption, few expected Bonny to bounce back and become Director of the SSN, as noted in his teased biography.
• Red Oni, Blue Oni: The blue oni to Lafont's red oni in their respective, teased biographies. Whereas Lafont is confrontational, Bonny is slower and methodical, preferring to investigate a case as much as he can before he takes bold action.
• We Used to Be Friends: As shown in the French State teaser, his relationship with Lafont as soured over the years, as both compete for influence within the SSN.

Henri Lafont

Role: Chef des Opés of the SSN

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• Rags to Riches: Once a petty criminal, Lafont is now shown to be the Chef des Opés of the SSN in the French State teaser, where he manages France's internal security and counterintelligence.
• Red Oni, Blue Oni: The red oni to Bonny's blue oni in their respective, teased biographies. Unlike his more calculative partner, Lafont is much more direct and impulsive, often ordering explicit strikes on his enemies.
• We Used to Be Friends: According to his teased biography, Bonny was formerly a subordinate to him, but ever since he was promoted to Director, the two have quickly become rivals.

Other Important Politicians

Alphonse Juin

Role: Head of State (Pétainist coup)

Party: Parti National - Pétainistes^note National Party - Pétainists

Ideology: Fascism

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• The Coup: If Henri VI is crowned following a successful referendum, Juin will eventually launch a Pétainist coup to restore the status quo, fascist regime.
• Dark Lord on Life Support: By the time he takes over France, Juin's health takes a hit and isn't expected to rule for long before Salan succeeds him.
• Meet the New Boss: He still remains faithful to the ideology chartered by Pétain and intends to rule in a similar manner to the old marshal.

Yves Bouthillier

Role: Economy Minister (Huntziger cabinet)

Party: Rassemblement pour la Révolution Nationale^note Rally for the National Revolution

Ideology: Managerial State^note Despotism

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• Emperor Scientist: Yves Bouthillier is economy minister under Tixier-Vignancour's premiership and is making serious use of his technocrat connections to help the ruined economy of Vichy France.

Francois Brigneau

Role: Foreign Minister (Poujade cabinet)

Party: Parti National - Union et Fraternité Française^note National Party - Union and French Fraternity

Ideology: Fascist Populism^note Fascism

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• Principles Zealot: Francois Brigneau is Poujade's foreign minister and supports a total commitment to populist ideals no matter the cost.

Leon Gingembre

Role: Economy Minister (Poujade cabinet)

Party: Parti National - Union et Fraternité Française^note National Party - Union and French Fraternity

Ideology: Paternalism

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• Visionary Villain: Leon Gingembre is the leader of the pragmatist faction of the Poujade government and is trying to put his industrialist ideas into practice.

Pierre Drieu la Rochelle

Role: Head of Government (Sidos cabinet)

Party: Parti Populaire Français^note French Popular Party

Ideology: National Socialism

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• Les Collaborateurs: Rochelle is one of the strongest voices in the Sidos cabinet for closer ties with the Pakt.

Comité de Coordination Nationale

Role: Head of State (Bichelonne, Vote of no confidence)

Party: Parti Nationale^note National Party

Ideology: Managerial State^note Despotism

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• The Coup: The Comité takes over the French State after Bichelonne fails to implement his reforms, ousting him in a vote of no confidence.

• Downer Ending: The Comité coup marks the end of Bichelonne’s ambitious plans for France, essentially leaving the country under the control of the industrialists, the technocratic dream left to the dust.

French Civil War

French Resistance

Ruling Party: Réseau Moulin^note Moulin Network

Ideology: Liberalism

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• Real After All: After the series of crackdowns done by Pétain to quash internal dissent, many believed that the French Resistance had faded into irrelevancy and become a mere myth. If the French Civil War happens, the Resistance turns out to be a tangible force all along.
• La Résistance: The Resistance has never stopped fighting the Vichy collaborationist regime since the fall of the Third Republic, and can rise up against them under various scenarios.
• You Cannot Kill An Idea: Despite decades of persecution, the idea of a France free of its shackles proves far too resilient to die.

Valéry Giscard d'Estaing

Role: Head of State

Party: Réseau Moulin^note Moulin Network

Ideology: Liberalism

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• Like Father, Like Son: Like his father Edmond, he is a liberal politician who opposes the Vichy regime.

Groupes Nationalistes Révolutionnaires

Official Name: Groupes Nationalistes Révolutionnaires^note Revolutionary Nationalist Groups, French State (Civil war victory)

Ruling Party: Groupes Nationalistes Révolutionnaires^note Revolutionary Nationalist Groups

Ideology: National Socialism

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• Dystopia Is Hard: Their attempts to rule through violence and fear create an unstable regime that is still plagued with guerrilla fighting, even after the civil war ends.

François Duprat

Role: Head of State

Ruling Party: Groupes Nationalistes Révolutionnaires^note Revolutionary Nationalist Groups

Ideology: National Socialism

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• Meet the New Boss: With his Germanophilia and fascist ideology, he's considered little different from Sidos before him. A newspaper event reaction even says this trope word-for-word.
• The Quisling: He's Germany's favorite candidate to win the French Civil War due to his slavish admiration of the Reich.
• The Starscream: If Sidos brings France to a ruinous civil war, Duprat betrays his former boss and starts his own faction in opposition to Sidos.

Milice Française

Official Name: Milice Française^note French Militia, French State (Milice Française coup or Civil war victory)

Ruling Party: Milice Française^note French Militia

Ideology: Stratocratic Nazism^note National Socialism

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• Bilingual Bonus: "Milice Française" on their flag translates to "French Militia", representing their role as a paramilitary group by the Vichy regime to suppress all dissent.
• The Coup: If Bichelonne's reforms prove too unpopular, the Milice will stage a coup to depose the President and instate a militant regime in its place.
• The Remnant: The Milice inherit the legacy of Pétain, having served him and the Vichy government since its inception.
• State Sec: They were one of the Vichy government's earliest attempts at building a paramilitary organization and have remained active since. If they win the French Civil War, news breaks out of them committing violence against liberals and other reformists.

Joseph Darnand

Role: Head of State

Party: Milice Française^note French Militia

Ideology: Stratocratic Nazism^note National Socialism

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• Evil Reactionary: One of the most reactionary individuals in France, who poses an obstacle to reformists. As he states in a public speech after couping Bichelonne, Darnand vows to emphasize the cultural values of "Labor, Family, and Fatherland".

Mouvement de Réconciliation Nationale

Official Name: Mouvement de Réconciliation Nationale^note Movement for National Reconciliation, French State (Civil war victory)

Ruling Party: Parti de Réconciliation Nationale^note Party for National Reconciliation

Ideology: Civilian Dictatorship^note Despotism

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• Dark Horse Victory: Given Sauge's obscurity, a civil war victory from the Movement for National Reconciliation is treated as a huge surprise by the international community.
• Puppet State: They happily accept Italian aid in exchange for their autonomy, effectively becoming a puppet state to add to their empire.

Georges Sauge

Role: Head of State

Party: Parti de Réconciliation Nationale^note Party for National Reconciliation

Ideology: Civilian Dictatorship^note Despotism

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• The Charmer: His sudden rise to power can be attributed to his sharp tongue. Using "anti-extremist" rhetoric, Sauge builds a massive support base of moderates for himself, which he can use to instill Catholic traditions to France and hold on to power.
• The Spook: Sauge seemingly appears out of nowhere and moves to take the presidency for himself. His background is mysterious to everyone around him, but some accept him as their leader anyway.
• Voluntary Vassal: Sauge willfully turns France into an Italian puppet state, joining their sphere in the process.

Organisation Armée Secrète

Official Name: Organisation Armée Secrète^note Secret Armed Orgnization, French State (Civil war victory)

Ruling Party: Commandement Militaire Provisoire^note Provisional Military Command

Ideology: Fascism

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• The Coup: Tired of Pinay's reformist agenda, the OAS may lead a putsch to force the President's premature resignation.
• Defector from Decadence: Their ranks are filled with those who cut ties with the Milice for one reason or another.
• Elite Army: They're one of the most professional and well-equipped sides of the French Civil War, giving them a critical advantage over their rivals.
• Historical Badass Upgrade: OTL, the OAS was a somewhat small far-right terrorist group that protested against Algeria gaining independence from France, before becoming more or less irrelevant by 1962. In-game, they can become far more powerful than they ever were in real life, potentially even to the point of taking over the government and France as a whole.
• Renegade Splinter Faction: There are various ways for the nationalist soldiers of the OAS to mutiny against the French State's government.
• Secret Police: The OAS acts as the unofficial secret police organization of the French State, performing "counter-terrorist" operations against the French Resistance.
• The Starscream: As of late, the OAS has grown bolder and openly defiant of the central government, fueling fears about a mutiny from them. These worries are validated in multiple paths where they can coup or depose the government.

Raoul Salan

Role: Head of State

Party: Commandement Militaire Provisoire^note Provisional Military Command

Ideology: Fascism (Juin succession, French civil war), Military Junta^note Despotism (Anti-monarchist coup), Stratocracy^note Ultranationalism (OAS coups Pinay)

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• Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: There are four ways for him to turn on the government and try to seize power himself, the most out of any character in France. ^note Salan can overthrow the government when the monarchist referendum is held, if Pinay tries the Delouvrier Plan, if Sidos chooses his foreign policy, or if Poujade's "War Against the 300 families" fails.
• Evil Reactionary: He opposes the liberal agenda of Pinay and may coup him, if he loses enough patience.
• Tyrant Takes the Helm: After overthrowing Pinay, Salan reinstates dictatorship back to France, sending the police to crack down on internal opposition.
• Warhawk: Once he wins the French Civil War, Salan proclaims the need to reclaim "rightfully French territory" and begins ramping up military preparation for his grim purposes.

French Revolutionaries

Official Name: French Revolutionaries, French People's Republic (Civil war victory)

Ruling Party: Nouveaux Mouvements Sociaux - Mouvement du 1er Janvier^note New Social Movements - 1st January Movement

Ideology: Revolutionary Front^note Socialism

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• Chummy Commies: They are a loose group of communists, socialists, and anarchists who fight to liberate France from Sidos's fascist dictatorship.
• Dark Horse Victory: Everyone is incredulous of the Revolutionaries winning the French Civil War, especially as they are surrounded by hostile superpowers from all sides.
• You Cannot Kill An Idea: Their goal is to restore the Paris Commune of 1871, and the legacy of the Commune drives their entire revolution.
• Young and in Charge: As can be expected from student movements, the Revolutionaries' leader and generals are some of the youngest people in TNO.

Jacques Sauvageot

Role: Head of State

Party: Nouveaux Mouvements Sociaux - Mouvement du 1er Janvier^note New Social Movements - 1st January Movement

Ideology: Revolutionary Front^note Socialism

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• Rebel Leader: Sauvageot leads the coalition of left-wing dissident groups, intending to avenge the old, failed experiment of the Paris Commune.

"Penelope's Web" Update

Upcoming content coming in the "Penelope's Web" update.

General Tropes

• Puppet King: Subverted with the Presidency in the Council of Ministers teaser. Even though the President is a ceremonial figurehead, he actually posses great de jure power and getting his support is key to building a strong government. Thus, the Prime Minister must complete the President's demands or else face serious consequences.
• Teeth-Clenched Teamwork:
  • In its dedicated teaser, the Council of Ministers is factionalized between the Conservateurs, Technocrates, Reformistes, and Traditionalists. Carefully balancing their interests is key to having a stable government that can get behind the Prime Minister's agenda and get the support of the President. Failure to do so will diminish support for the government and hinder them.
  • The French Popular Party (PPF) and National Popular Rally (RNP) are two collaborationist parties, yet they absolutely hate each other. When they host a unity parade in the Council of Ministers teaser, they are paranoid enough to request a security dispatch from Tixier, which is denied because it would waste resources.

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