Fiction:French Sixth Republic

"Liberty, equality, fraternity"

- Motto

France, officially the French Republic, is a federal semi-presidential republic located within the Milky Way Galaxy. Originally a country on planet Earth with a number of overseas territories, it has grown into a burgeoning Plazathian superpower with colonies in Andromeda, Mirus Galaxy, and the Quadrants.

France, under its many incarnations and governments, was a major economic and political power in Europe and, by the 17th century, the world. At its apexes, the French colonial empires spanned a large part of North America and India, and then Northwestern and Central Africa, Indochina, and many Caribbean islands. In the latter half of the 20th century, France lost most of its overseas colonies and was essentially reduced to mainland France.

Despite it losing its position as a prominent world power, France continued as the world's fifth largest economy. Under pressure from polarized public opinion, France backed out from the European Union as it became the European Republic in 2089 and went off in its own direction. During the Scandinavian War that followed, the French Fifth Republic succumbed to widespread public unrest a new one had to be put in its place after a period of martial law.

Since then, France has aspired to the stars. It obtained its own colonies in the heavens and managed to hold on to them decently during the Human Colonial Wars while the colonial holdings of nations like the European Star Republic and POTATO had been smashed. This gave France a competitive edge that it held on to. To this day, it still rivals these two powers in size, technological advancement, and military power.

Early history

 * Further reading: Early History

France finds its origins on Earth in a Germanic tribe which called itself the Franks. They rose in the wake of the collapse of the Roman Empire and set out to found a kingdom which would stand for centuries. France, in its many incarnations, was a strong nation surrounded by competitors, and often enemies, like the Spanish to the south, the English and British to the north, the Germans to the east, and the Austrians to the southeast. Its long history is riddled with conflict between it and these powers over the fate of Europe, France's armies and generals proving their competence again and again around the globe.

In times of peace, France was known as a beacon of the arts, culture, and philosophy, fielding such minds as Montesquieu, René Descartes, Jean de LaFontaine, Molière, among others. Though its power had faded by the turn of the twenty-first century after disheartening defeats during the Second World War and subsequent colonial wars, France remained as great nation, boasting the world's fifth largest economy and a strong political position within the European Union.

21st Century
The start of the century was marked by the September 11, 2001 attacks on America, which sparked a global war on terrorism into which France was drawn on multiple occasions. By the end of the century, the Earth had suffered terribly due to human abuses of the environment. A particular point of contention among nations was the scarcity of fossil fuels. As tensions threatened to boil over, Europe came together and began the formation of the European Republic. France was expected to join in, though it surprisingly did not comment on the motion as tensions rose within it between those that supported a united Europe and those that supported a united France. Eventually, France backed out of the European Union, which became the European Republic a few days later.

France largely stayed out of the war between the European Republic and the Scandinavian countries, though it faced great inner turmoil. Unrest threatened to boil over into full scale civil war between those who would have France support the Scandinavians, those who would want her to side with the Europeans, and those who wanted it to remain independent. Finally, as riots and counter-riots broke out in Paris, Parliament was torched and the French cabinet forced to flee the country.

Martial law was called in and the entire country put on lockdown until the end of the war. Armed resistance persisted especially through terrorist organizations like the France Libre, a splinter group from the Front National, and La Resistance. After the The Convention of 2099 (La Convention de 2099), The French Sixth Republic was instated on November 26, 2099.

22nd Century
France stood upon a shaky foundation entering the 22nd century. Its infrastructure was slow to recover from the turmoils of the Scandinavian War, and fossil fuels were becoming increasingly scarce globally. Though France got most of its energy from nuclear power plants and other sustainable power sources, they were hooked up to the European power grid which serviced European states which had not made as heavy an investment in sustainability.

Tensions between France and the European Republic arose when France threatened to withdraw from the power grid to keep up with energy demand. Though that never came to pass, an agreement was reached that rationed the energy France contributed to the grid, allowing it to make up the shortfall with a few adjustments.

In the mid 22nd century, World War III broke out and France became embroiled in the Balkans War against the Imperial Ottoman Directorate alongside the European Republic. The French fleet participated in a number of engagements in the Pacific and Atlantic theaters.

Human Colonial Wars
By the mid-2200's, France was a small interstellar colonial power at first, settling several planets around Earth including the resource-rich siberian planet Persephonie in 2199, which became a source of conflict when the South American superstate, Roreinia, colonized it in 2210. As wars broke out between human powers over colonial possessions in the 2250's, France endeavored to remain uninvolved, though tensions on Persephonie between Roreinian and French colonists boiled over. The Roreinian colony on Persephonie was seized by French militia forces in 2260, precipitating the Franco-Roreinian Colonial War. Roreinia responded by seizing French Guiana back on Earth, an act which might have led to full scale terran war between the two countries had the international community not pressured France into backing off. Intent on reclaiming their colony, the Roreinian fleet set out towards the planet and were intercepted by the French Starfleet.

In the Battle of Persephonie, the Roreinian fleet decisively defeated the French with help from American reinforcements. Shortly after, the POTATO-Roreinian force was destroyed in orbit of Persephonie when they were caught in the explosion of three nuclear warheads fired by the French supercarrier Minerve. With the loss of its entire stellar fleet, Roreinia was forced to surrender and handed over a good portion of its interstellar colonies, doubling the size of the French colonial empire.

After two decades of war, humanity convened in Brussels to sign the Colonial Wars treaty in 2270. It divided the space around Earth among the human nations, guaranteeing their access to it in order to avoid territorial disputes like the ones which pervaded the colonial wars. France gave up a significant portion of its gains during the Colonial Wars, but was awarded a large section of space containing Ottoman, Roreinian, and European colonies. Most notably, the Ottoman deep space Siranian Province became an autonomous state within France.

To enforce these territorial changes and to provide a common voice for humanity, the floundering United Nations was disbanded and replaced with the empowered Orion League that same year.

New Acquaintances
In 2281, the French made first contact with the Vulcans, a rigidly logical people with whom they quickly grew close despite their differences. To the frustration of the French, the technologically advanced Vulcans treated them as children and repeatedly chastised humanity for being so fractured. Regardless, the French swallowed their pride and endeavored to build strong ties with them. Soon after, first contact was made with the cautious Andorians who wanted little to do with France due to its relationship with the Vulcans. Relations between Andoria and Vulcan had recently broken down, and the two were about to enter into a long period of cold war, an France was caught in the middle.

In 2299, the Andorians began to accept French overtures and assurances that they wanted no part in the conflict. Rapprochement with the Andorians led to worse relations with the Vulcans, though many officials within France had had enough of Vulcan contempt and believed that a relationship with Andoria would be more fruitful. As a friend to both races, France attempted to mediate increasingly hostile disputes between the two with very limited success and could barely keep itself from choosing sides. While the government followed a strict policy of neutrality when it came to the Andorian-Vulcan Cold War, there were many on Earth who were pressuring it to sway towards one side or the other.

23rd Century
In 2304, tensions between the Andorians and Vulcans finally boiled over as the Andorian imperial commandos stormed the Vulcan sanctuary of P'Jem which was located right on the edge of Andorian space, believing it to be a listening post designed to spy on them. What they found confirmed their suspicions, and after having given the monks time to evacuate, they leveled the monastery with an orbital bombardment.

What followed was a rapid breakdown in relations between Vulcan and Andoria. Having had enough, the Vulcan High Command carried out a pre-emptive strike against known staging points of the Andorian Imperial Guard. Under the cover of the ensuing chaos, an attack against Andoria was attempted in order to put an end to the war quickly, though it failed due to the timely intervention of an Andorian fleet.

As the fighting continued, France was approached by both the Vulcans and the Andorians who were trying to get it to join the war on their side. President Jean-Réne Caillaud teetered as the public fought over what course of action should be taken: Should France remain neutral, or should she pick a side? If so, which? Finally, Caillaud declared in an address to the National Assembly that, under his direction, France would remain strictly neutral in the Vulcan-Andorian conflict with no bias towards either side. To that end, he called on Parliament to repeal agreements and pieces of legislation which favored trade with one belligerent or the other until fighting had ceased. He then went on to propose a plan by which an end could be put to decades of conflict between Vulcan and Andoria through territorial changes, agreements of trust on both sides, and an alliance that would bind France, Andoria, and Vulcan together.

Through multiple rounds of talks with the leaders of Vulcan and Andoria, an armistice was agreed upon and a delegation from these two species were dragged to a table at the French Élysée Palace on Earth. Negotiations began well as the delegations went through Caillaud's proposal point by point, though there was a heavy air of mistrust between the two sides. By the third day, the talks had devolved into a battlefield of accusations and threats which spiraled out of control. Both sides stormed out of the room and the armistice was soon broken by an aggressive move made by a Vulcan fleet.

Territory
Mainland France is located near and around Sol in the Milky Way Galaxy and spans many thousands of systems. It also has extragalactic colonies in Andromeda, Cyrannus, and the Quadrants. For administrative purposes, it is divided into regions presided over by a regional government called a préfecture, composed of an elected General Council and a préfet. 

Notable planets

 * Capital planet symbol.png Paris (347 billion) - The glorious capital of France, planet Paris is home to a massive population crammed into a gargantuan metropolis which spans the whole planet. A planet which is very influential politically, economically, and culturally abroad and at home, it is also the seat of the French Government, which can be found in the government district. The National Assembly and Senate are housed in buildings adjacent to one another. Both are enormous chambers built in an emulation of the Roman style which can accommodate hundreds of representatives from the four corners of France and its colonial empire. The French President lives inside of an enlarged replica of the Élysée Palace which is where he and the Prime Minister hold their offices and where the cabinet meets. Next to the government district, Paris also holds a living replica of the old Paris, complete with the original Parisian monuments transplanted from Earth like the Eiffel Tower, the Invalides, the Louvre, and so on. This Paris sees thousands of tourists from abroad per day, and is a working city in it of itself.
 * Planet symbol.png Nouvelle Persephonie (111 billion) - One of the main core worlds, Nouvelle Persephonie is known as a regional economic powerhouse. It is also the birthplace of President Laurene Maxime.
 * Planet symbol.png Volerin (103 billion) - The core planet of Volerin is known for its traditionalist Officer's academy, responsible for fielding more than a few legendary French Marshals. It is the dream of many aspiring French and foreign military officers to study there. The curriculum is very strict, placing emphasis on discipline, leadership, and respect for one's subordinates, enemy, and self. Students learn from the Art of War, On War, the campaigns of Napoleon, Caesar, as well as more recent military operations such as those carried out during the Kraal and Dominatus Wars. Upon leaving the Volerin Academy, students are expected to thoroughly understand the conduct of warfare on all levels, and tend to make excellent officers.
 * Planet symbol.png Vulcan (94 billion) - An arid planet and the homeworld of the Vulcan species, Planet Vulcan is one of the most famous in France. It is a harsh, unforgiving world with high gravity, a thin atmosphere, and temperatures that engendered the vernacular, "hot as Vulcan." It is the capital of the Vulcan enclaves and hosts its government. Additionally, it is home to the Vulcan Science Academy, widely regarded as one if not the most rigorous and challenging institute of the sciences in Orion's Spur.
 * Planet symbol.png Andoria (81 billion) - The homeworld of the Andorian race, Andoria, also referred to as Andor, is a glacial moon orbiting a gas giant. It is the traditional seat of power of the Andorian Empire.
 * Planet symbol.png Trieste (78 billion) - Located near the edge of the core worlds, Trieste is home to several military research and development facilities. During the early half of the 28th century, it was responsible for the secret Voltigeur trials which brought about a whole new type of French strike craft.
 * Planet symbol.png Julianne (67 billion) - The unlucky site of the Julianne Disaster in 2768, a Kraal terrorist attack on France, Julianne, the metropolitan regional capital of Choisel, is forever scarred by the event. It has been several decades, and a new city stands where a gaping crater once did, though the difference between the old and the new is poorly masked. Many monuments to the dead have been erected, some larger than others, and a week each year is dedicated to remembering the event.
 * Planet symbol.png Persephonie (50 million) - One of France's first colonies and the site of a massively influential battle during the Franco-Roreinian Colonial War, the siberian planet Persephonie is home to very few inhabitants, most of which are descendants of the French and Roreinian colonists who first settled it. It is home to several isolated cities, military bases, and a society based on a survivalist culture which is as unwelcoming to outsiders as the environment in which they live.

Extragalactic territories


Government and Politics

 * ''Further reading: French Government

The French Republic is a unitary semi-presidential republic with strong democratic traditions. The constitution of the Fifth Republic was approved by referendum on 28 September 1958. It greatly strengthened the authority of the executive in relation to parliament. The executive branch itself has two leaders: the President of the Republic who is head of state and is elected directly by universal adult suffrage for a 5-year term and the Government, led by the president-appointed Prime Minister.

The French parliament is a bicameral legislature comprising a National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale) and a Senate. The National Assembly deputies represent local constituencies and are directly elected for 5-year terms. The Assembly has the power to dismiss the cabinet, and thus the majority in the Assembly determines the choice of government. Senators are chosen by an electoral college for 6-year terms, and one half of the seats are submitted to election every 3 years.

The Senate's legislative powers are limited; in the event of disagreement between the two chambers, the National Assembly has the final say. The government has a strong influence in shaping the agenda of Parliament.

Civil
The French boast a highly advanced knowledge of the universe that have allowed them to transcend poverty, war, disease, even death. Inventions like quantum replicators have made currency and material need irrelevant. Computers and networked devices have been integrated into every facet of human life. Buildings––sometimes entire cities––are built almost entirely by automated machines.

Medicine has fully integrated nanotechnology. Intelligent nanites help in the defense of the body, adapt quickly to disease, and help doctors perform surgery when necessary. The gene responsible for aging in the human body has been found and neutralized, which means that humans can live indefinitely.

Computers have been integrated with the human body as well. Memory and processing power is often augmented by chips inserted into the human brain. It is illegal, however, to make these networkable given the danger of someone hacking into someone's implants and manipulating their actions and memory without their consent or awareness.

Military Technology
While the French have been developing technological wonders to extend human life, their arsenal of military weaponry has also seen formidable developments. They have worked on refining plasma and antimatter weaponry since the later years of the Human Colonial Wars, producing early turbolasers and high-yield antimatter torpedoes. Deflector technology is now second nature, casing starships in protective "bubbles" in combat. However, these fail if put under too much stress.

The hyperdrive transports vessels to a compressed dimension of space and thereby allows them to cross great distances in very little time. Warp drive and certain methods of transwarp are still in use, but are slowly dying as hyperspatial travel becomes increasingly practical.

These are common in their use and can generally be found on nearly every single starship in service of French Armed Forces. 

Energy
The French rely largely on self-regulating, self-deploying dyson swarms––arrays of mirrors that focus the radiation of a sun on collectors––for the bulk of their planets' energy demand. However, this is sometimes not enough on bustling planet metropolises. Alternate methods of obtaining energy, like black hole generators, are used in those instances.

Ancillary generators are all that new colonies generally have in terms of power. They must either build their own dyson swarm or reach the population required for the government to build one in their star system.

Society and Culture
When the French say they are proud of their "culture," they generally mean the customs and traditions that are alive and well in the large metropolitan worlds of the heartlands of France. These often include an appreciation of food, pastries, and grown wine. In an age of replicators and comfort, the French food culture has taken a hit, but it is still very strong when compared to that of others. If there is one thing that the French are convinced cannot be replicated, it is the taste of French wine. As such, wine grown in authentic French vineyards is highly sought after.

Once one leaves the metropolitan regions of France, that kind of culture is far less pronounced. Blends start to form with French culture mingling with indigenous customs and that of neighboring nations. There is a very strong mythology surrounding the ever-expanding frontier, a romanticism highlighting their heroism, independence, and sturdiness, much how the American Frontier became a cultural icon back on Earth in the 20th century.

Economy
France fields a centralized Command Economy, with the vast majority of the means of production consolidated in the hands of the state. Furthermore, it has little need for a currency on a domestic level since it provides them the necessities of life for free. For international exchanges and commerce, France officially uses the gilo as part of its membership of the Orion League, though it has holdings in many other currencies such as the Drodoian Colonial Dollar.

Most of France's monetary wealth is consolidated into the National Treasury which is administered by the Minister of Economy and Industry.

Armed Forces
A military with a rich and proud history, the French Armed Forces consist of the French Army, French Starfleet, and National Gendarmerie. They are under the command of the President of the Republic through the French Marshalship, a corps of France's greatest and most proficient commanders entrusted with the highest echelons of command.

French Starfleet

 * ''Further reading: French Starfleet

With burgeoning interests throughout the Gigaquadrant, France fields a powerful and professional navy to defend them. French ships, while not the most powerful or most advanced, play to France's greatest strength: strike craft. Ships of the line like the Céleste-class and smaller frigates like the Cassiel-class act primarily in support of France's venerable line carrier, the Orleans-class. In terms of strike craft, the French field the Mirage Roi omnirole fighter alongside the more specialized Super Mirage B voltigeur bomber which, when used in the right circumstances, has been known to devastate fleets. Elite craft like the Mirage Roi Dominant and the more recent Mirage Revenant are a rarer sight, but when they are seen, it is usually in the instants before a very large detonation.

The Starfleet is also in charge of keeping and enforcing French borders. To that end, they have set up border stations stocked with Mirage I's, an affordable superluminal interceptor developed jointly by France and POTATO.

French Army

 * ''Further reading: French Army

Unlike in most militaries, the French Army is still its own entity within the French Armed Forces. It possesses its own starships, strike craft, and chain of command optimized to the conduct of orbital, atmospheric, and terrestrial warfare. On the ground, the French Army places emphasis on mobility and speed. Its C-41 Ulysse A3 main battle tank is lighter than most, while the infantry ride around in fast VAB's (véhicule de l'avant blindé) derived from the Australian F-22 LAV.

However, the French Army's main strength is in air power, as it fields one of the best strike craft fleets in the Orion Spur. It uses POTATO's excellent SEAD aircraft to clear the way for Super Mirage 3 bombers which will utterly devastate ground forces if left unopposed. Throughout every stage of an operation, the Mirage Roi A omnirole fighter provides support to ground and air forces alike.

Marshalship of France

 * Further reading: Marshal of France

Binding the French Army and French Starfleet together are the French Marshals, the high command within the French Armed Forces. They organize the army on the strategic and theater levels and report directly to the chef des armées, the President of the Republic. There are two ranks within the marshalship: sous-marshal and marshal. There is little ceremonial distinction between them, as they are heralded with equal respect, but on the battlefield, the difference is evident: The sous-marshals command a smaller force over a smaller amount of territory and often report to marshals in neighboring sectors.

Foreign Policy
France is generally open towards communication with other nations and responds to new acquaintances well unless their intentions are clearly hostile or are too full of themselves to carry on a proper conversation. They will not shrink down from open confrontation, and will defend their assets, citizens, and personnel if threatened.

The French are generally very willing to work with other humans and near-humans towards the betterment of humanity, and have opened their borders to many such nations.

Multinational Organizations
France is a part of the Orion League, a replacement for the floundering United Nations it helped found. An active and outspoken member, France's foreign policy has been greatly influenced by its membership. It greatly supports collective effort between humans, but has voiced the fact that it would not give up its sovereignty to an Orion superstate if it were to coagulate, just as it had with the European Union.

France is also an active participant in the European Aerospace Union with the its closest allies, the and. Through the Union, they have worked on common projects, accomplishing impressive feats of engineering and design.

More recently, France joined the African Economic Alliance in response to the developments of the East African Civil War, actively participating in reconstruction after the war. Through the alliance, it is allied with the African states and seeks closer economic ties with them. 

Protectorates
"Should the need arise, our armies and fleets will be at your disposal."


 * Green face.png French Quadrant Colonies
 * Green face.png French Bunsen Colonies
 * Blue face.png French Andromedan Colonies
 * Yellow face.png Heer Stekeevel Confederation

Allies
"We are bound to do great things together."


 * Green face.png Fjord League of Northern Europe (defensive pact, open borders, lasting friendship)
 * Green face.png Tybusen Intergalactic Allied Federation (Franco-Tybusen Accords: alliance, declaration of friendship, access to hyperspatial infrastructure; trade route, trade agreements)
 * Green face.png Greater Hal'Sk Empire (alliance, defensive pact, declaration of friendship, trade agreements, trade routes)
 * Green face.png Australia-New Zealand Republic (defensive pact, open borders, lasting friendship)
 * Green face.png East African Alliance (defensive pact, military access, open borders)
 * Blue face.png Pacific Overseas Territories and American Treaty Organization (trade agreements, defensive pact)
 * Blue face.png Southern Africanus Dominion (defensive pact, military access)
 * Blue face.png Central African States (defensive pact, restricted military access)

Neutral
"Hm?"


 * Green face.png Draconid Imperium (entente, trade agreements, trade routes)
 * Blue face.png Aekite Union (trade agreement, declaration of friendship)
 * Blue face.png Corsican Republic (trade agreements, trade routes, open borders)
 * Blue face.png East Asian Coalition
 * Blue face.png State of Kuwait
 * Blue face.png Allied Terran Republic
 * Blue face.png Drodo Empire (colonial ties, trade agreements)
 * Blue face.png Mardvaeli Republic (colonial ties, trade agreements)
 * Blue face.png Imperial Siranian Directorate (trade route, trade agreements)
 * Yellow face.png The Divinarium (trade route)
 * Yellow face.png Roreinia
 * Yellow face.png Union of Afghanistan
 * Yellow face.png Cyrannian Imperial State
 * Yellow face.png Republic of Texas
 * Yellow face.png Kingdom of Aztlan
 * Yellow face.png Regellis Star Empire
 * Yellow face.png Ecclessoth Convocation
 * Orange face.png Great Empire of Sun and Sand
 * Orange face.png Sovereign Caribbean Federation
 * Orange face.png Yamato Stellar Empire
 * Red face.png Delpha Coalition of Planets
 * Red face.png Imperial Ottoman Directorate

At War
"You have made an enemy of the French. That is not a wise move."


 * Yellow face.png French Cyrannian Colonies (undeclared)
 * Red face.png Galactic Empire of Cyrannus (undeclared)
 * Red face.png Drakodominatus Tyranny † (2792-2795)

Quotes
"Caesarius, have you visited France? Nevermind the hundreds of different types of French––metropolitan, Near-African, Oanese, Karonese, Near-European, and so many more I can't even keep track of, most of them as alien as you––the French population also consists of Spanish, English, Breton, East African, South African, Central African, Portuguese, South American, North American, Nosec, Flibeer, Corsican, Kraal, Prahe, Chulan, Android... The list goes on, Grand Mandator. And you know what we all have in common? We're all French. French in our blood, in our hearts, and in our words. Does that diversity make us stronger as a whole? Hell yes. Now, I don't give a damn about what you think about humanity, but just like I don't know shit about the finer points of Imperial history, don't pretend to know jack about how not-varied our demographics are. Because I know. That's my constituency out there, and they're capricious as hell."

- Deputy René Merle to Grand Mandator Caesarius during the East African Crisis in 2796

"The French, in a word, are resilient; These people have beared witness to and have participated in countless wars and revolts, seen propsperity and depression, and have both ruled empires and have been oppressed by them. Yet, in both the golden ages and darkest hours, they have managed to hold onto their identity, what makes them French, and march on, unwavering. In this way, they have truly earned their place in the Gigaquadrant, and serve as an example to all as to what constitutes a proper, and great state."

- Premier Furrak Harponis of the Drodo Empire

Trivia

 * Angrybirds is, in fact, French in real life.
 * France won featured fiction in February of 2014.