Raymond Janot
Encyclopedia
Raymond Janot was a French politician who played a significant role in the writing of the 1958 Constitution of France
.
Janot was mobilized in the French forces in World War II
in 1939 and was taking prisoner by the German
forces in 1940. He succeeded in escaping from the German prison camps in August 1943. Following his escape, Janot became active in the French Resistance
, which his wife Catherine was already part of.
Following World War II, Janot was appointed as an economic adviser to General de Lattre de Tassigny
in French Indochina
in 1946. In 1947, Janot became a legal advisor to the President, where he would remain until 1951. Also in 1947, Janot was elected mayor of Serbonnes
, where he would remain until 1971, holding this position concurrent with others at a national level, as is not uncommon in France in a practice known as the cumul des mandats
.
Janot was heavily involved in the writing of the French Constitution of 1958. He served as the government’s representative in debates, his title being ‘’commissaire du gouvernement’’. This work was done in conjunction with his role as the secretary general of the Conseil d'État. In addition to his other roles, his position as commissaire du gouvernement also resulted in his being named as the secretary-general of the Constitutional Consultative Committee, further increasing his role in the constitutional process, and making him one of the more influential players after Michel Debré
. Janot’s influence largely dealt with provisions pertaining to executive power. He largely toed the line of Charles de Gaulle
, presenting de Gaulle’s then view relating to the balance of power between president and prime minister. Janot also had strong views against reducing the power of the executive branch, fearing that too strong a parliament would repeat the governmental gridlocks of the Fourth Republic
. Some scholars have compared Janot’s opinions on power, especially in the executive branch, to those of Publius, the author of the Federalist Papers
, a dialogue on the American constitution. Janot’s defenses of de Gaulle’s position helped to create the stable and powerful French Presidency of the Fifth Republic
.
Following the writing of the Constitution, Janot stayed active in French political life. In 1959, he was named as secretary general of the French Community
, a forerunner of the modern Francophonie. In March 1960, he was appointed as the Assistant Director-General of Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française
, the French public broadcasting company that lasted until 1964. Janot lasted at that post until February 1962 before concentrating on his mayoral duties in Serbonnes.
Late in his career, Janot once again returned to public life He participated in an important conference at Aix-en-Provence
in 1988 for the thirtieth anniversary of the French constitution, as the developments of the document were analyzed. He joined the UDF
and served as the president of the regional council of Bourgogne
from 1989 to 1992. Janot died in 2000.
Constitution of France
The current Constitution of France was adopted on 4 October 1958. It is typically called the Constitution of the Fifth Republic, and replaced that of the Fourth Republic dating from 1946. Charles de Gaulle was the main driving force in introducing the new constitution and inaugurating the Fifth...
.
Janot was mobilized in the French forces in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1939 and was taking prisoner by the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
forces in 1940. He succeeded in escaping from the German prison camps in August 1943. Following his escape, Janot became active in the French Resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
, which his wife Catherine was already part of.
Following World War II, Janot was appointed as an economic adviser to General de Lattre de Tassigny
Jean de Lattre de Tassigny
Jean Joseph Marie Gabriel de Lattre de Tassigny, GCB, MC was a French military hero of World War II and commander in the First Indochina War.-Early life:...
in French Indochina
French Indochina
French Indochina was part of the French colonial empire in southeast Asia. A federation of the three Vietnamese regions, Tonkin , Annam , and Cochinchina , as well as Cambodia, was formed in 1887....
in 1946. In 1947, Janot became a legal advisor to the President, where he would remain until 1951. Also in 1947, Janot was elected mayor of Serbonnes
Serbonnes
Serbonnes is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in north-central France.-Personalities:Raymond Janot, a national French political figure, was mayor of Serbonnes from 1947 to 1971.-Demography:...
, where he would remain until 1971, holding this position concurrent with others at a national level, as is not uncommon in France in a practice known as the cumul des mandats
Cumul des mandats
The cumul des mandats , is a political practice that has evidenced itself in modern French politics. It consists of holding several political offices at multiple levels of government...
.
Janot was heavily involved in the writing of the French Constitution of 1958. He served as the government’s representative in debates, his title being ‘’commissaire du gouvernement’’. This work was done in conjunction with his role as the secretary general of the Conseil d'État. In addition to his other roles, his position as commissaire du gouvernement also resulted in his being named as the secretary-general of the Constitutional Consultative Committee, further increasing his role in the constitutional process, and making him one of the more influential players after Michel Debré
Michel Debré
Michel Jean-Pierre Debré was a French Gaullist politician. He is considered the "father" of the current Constitution of France, and was the first Prime Minister of the Fifth Republic...
. Janot’s influence largely dealt with provisions pertaining to executive power. He largely toed the line of Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
, presenting de Gaulle’s then view relating to the balance of power between president and prime minister. Janot also had strong views against reducing the power of the executive branch, fearing that too strong a parliament would repeat the governmental gridlocks of the Fourth Republic
French Fourth Republic
The French Fourth Republic was the republican government of France between 1946 and 1958, governed by the fourth republican constitution. It was in many ways a revival of the Third Republic, which was in place before World War II, and suffered many of the same problems...
. Some scholars have compared Janot’s opinions on power, especially in the executive branch, to those of Publius, the author of the Federalist Papers
Federalist Papers
The Federalist Papers are a series of 85 articles or essays promoting the ratification of the United States Constitution. Seventy-seven of the essays were published serially in The Independent Journal and The New York Packet between October 1787 and August 1788...
, a dialogue on the American constitution. Janot’s defenses of de Gaulle’s position helped to create the stable and powerful French Presidency of the Fifth Republic
French Fifth Republic
The Fifth Republic is the fifth and current republican constitution of France, introduced on 4 October 1958. The Fifth Republic emerged from the collapse of the French Fourth Republic, replacing the prior parliamentary government with a semi-presidential system...
.
Following the writing of the Constitution, Janot stayed active in French political life. In 1959, he was named as secretary general of the French Community
French Community
The French Community was an association of states known in French simply as La Communauté. In 1958 it replaced the French Union, which had itself succeeded the French colonial empire in 1946....
, a forerunner of the modern Francophonie. In March 1960, he was appointed as the Assistant Director-General of Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française
Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française
Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française was the French national public broadcasting organization established on 9 February 1949 to replace the post-war "Radiodiffusion Française" , which had been founded in 1945...
, the French public broadcasting company that lasted until 1964. Janot lasted at that post until February 1962 before concentrating on his mayoral duties in Serbonnes.
Late in his career, Janot once again returned to public life He participated in an important conference at Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence
Aix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
in 1988 for the thirtieth anniversary of the French constitution, as the developments of the document were analyzed. He joined the UDF
Union for French Democracy
The Union for French Democracy was a French centrist political party. It was founded in 1978 as an electoral alliance to support President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing in order to counterbalance the Gaullist preponderance over the right. This name was chosen due to the title of Giscard d'Estaing's...
and served as the president of the regional council of Bourgogne
Bourgogne
Burgundy is one of the 27 regions of France.The name comes from the Burgundians, an ancient Germanic people who settled in the area in early Middle-age. The region of Burgundy is both larger than the old Duchy of Burgundy and smaller than the area ruled by the Dukes of Burgundy, from the modern...
from 1989 to 1992. Janot died in 2000.