French Union

The French Union was a political organization established in 1958 to replace the French Colonial Empire with a more integrated association of France and its overseas territories. It aimed to promote cooperation in areas like economics, defense, and political governance, fostering greater autonomy for former colonies while maintaining their ties to France. Although intended to give territories more self-governance, the Union ultimately struggled with varying degrees of acceptance and effectiveness, and many colonies moved toward full independence in the following years. The French Union symbolized France’s effort to manage its empire during a period of decolonization.