In 1981, which person defeated Giscard d'Estaing to become the first left-wing French president since Charles de Gaulle?

In the pivotal 1981 presidential election, Socialist Party leader François Mitterrand achieved a historic victory over the incumbent, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. This win was a watershed moment, making Mitterrand the first socialist president of France's Fifth Republic, the system of government established by Charles de Gaulle in 1958. For 23 years, the presidency had been held exclusively by right-wing or centrist figures, and Mitterrand's success marked a dramatic political shift known as the "alternance," or alternation of power.

Mitterrand’s victory capitalized on public desire for change. Giscard d'Estaing's presidency had been weakened by economic difficulties in the wake of the 1970s oil crises and was tarnished by a political scandal involving diamonds. Running under the effective slogan "la force tranquille" (the quiet strength), Mitterrand successfully united the French left and convinced voters he could bring a new direction to the country.

Upon taking office, his government swiftly enacted a sweeping agenda of social and economic reforms. These included abolishing the death penalty, nationalizing major banks and industries, raising the minimum wage, and introducing a fifth week of paid vacation for workers. Mitterrand would go on to serve two full seven-year terms, becoming the longest-serving president in French history.