1965 French Presidential Election

First direct election

5 and 19 December 1965 · Founding the presidency · direct two-round vote

Presidential elections were held in France on 5 December 1965, with a second round on 19 December. They were the first direct presidential elections in the Fifth Republic and the first since the Second Republic in 1848.

President before

Charles de Gaulle

UNR

President (re-elected)

Charles de Gaulle

UNR

Winning share

55.2%

second round

Turnout

84.8%

second round 84.3%

The result

Sort by

Charles de Gaulle

Union for the New Republic · 10 828 521 votes

55.20%

second round

François Mitterrand

Federation of the Democratic and Socialist Left · 7 694 005 votes

44.80%

second round

Jean Lecanuet

Popular Republican Movement · 3 777 120 votes

15.57%

first round

Jean-Louis Tixier-Vignancour

Tixier-Vignancour Committees · 1 260 208 votes

5.20%

first round

Pierre Marcilhacy

European Liberal Party · 415 017 votes

1.71%

first round

Marcel Barbu

Miscellaneous left · 279 685 votes

1.15%

first round


Charles de Gaulle	Union for the New Republic	10 828 521	44.65%	13 083 699	55.20%
François Mitterrand	Federation of the Democratic and Socialist Left	7 694 005	31.72%	10 619 735	44.80%
Jean Lecanuet	Popular Republican Movement	3 777 120	15.57%	—	—
Jean-Louis Tixier-Vignancour	Tixier-Vignancour Committees	1 260 208	5.20%	—	—
Pierre Marcilhacy	European Liberal Party	415 017	1.71%	—	—
Marcel Barbu	Miscellaneous left	279 685	1.15%	—	—