Vive la France.

The Dreikaiserbund between Imperial Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Imperial Russia survives into the early 20th century and Germany succeeds in politically isolating France from the rest of Europe.

The French government is seen by many as weak, corrupt and compliant, creating support for radical revolutionary political parties in the French Third Republic. These revolutionary movements, however, are unfocused and fragmented. Many hope to create a socialist French state, whereas other parties are focused more on revanchism, and ending Germany as a significant power in Europe.

There are allegations of major political parties fixing the vote during the 1911 legislative elections, leading to widespread unrest. This culminates in a revolution begun by the Parti Nouveau and their little-known leader René Henri Monfort. The revolution fails, resulting in the death and capture of several members of the Parti Nouveau, including Monfort.

Monfort decides to take advantage of the press coverage of his trial. Every word he says is printed in the newspapers the next day, allowing him to paint himself and the Parti in a positive light, as well as championing their revanchist policies. Public support for Monfort and the Parti increases, yet the judge at Monfort's trial still gives him a harsh sentence. However, he successfully pleas against the sentence on the terms of malicious prosecution, and his sentence is greatly reduced.

For the next five years Monfort maintains a position as an important and popular political figure, and manages to radicalise a large portion of the French people in favour of his revanchist aims. He is elected President, and the Parti Nouveau wins a majority in the French Parliament. Their main rivals in the Parliament are the socialist, left-wing Parti républicain, radical et radical-socialiste (Republican, Radical and Radical-Socialist Party). Their leader is suspected of, charged with, and found guilty of treason by passing confidential information to German spies, leading to a great deal of anti-socialist and anti-communist backlash, and the banning of the RRRSP from Parliament.

With their power over government secure, Monfort and the Parti Nouveau set out what they hope to achieve for France. This includes the end of French political isolation, the end to Germany's colonial empire, and the reclamation of core French territory. The extent of "France's core" is debated over greatly, with the most moderate people believing that the only land France need reclaim is Alsace-Lorraine.

The piece of propaganda below shows the greatest extent of France's claims on their neighbours.

The Parti Nouveau's explanation for these claims are thus:
-All French speakers must be united under one state.
-The Rhine is the natural eastern border of France.
-Other states must be conquered or subjugated in order to keep them from falling into the oppressive German sphere of influence.

Vive la France.