Gaffney analyzes how de Gaulle came to power in 1958: The drama surrounding the Fourth Republic's collapse, and the focus upon an exceptional individual meant that de Gaulle was able to confer a particular style of leadership on the Fifth Republic. The five Presidents who came after him have each capitalized on their own political 'persona.'

1958: The Gaullist Settlement and French Politics 1958-1968: The Consolidation and Evolution of the Fifth Republic 1968 and its Aftermath 1969-1974: Gaullism Without de Gaulle 1974-1981: The Giscard Years 1981-1988: From the République Sociale to the République Française 1988-2002: The Long Decade of Vindictiveness, Miscalculations, Defeat, Farce, Good Luck, Good Government, and Catastrophe The Presidential Election of 2007 Conclusion