▁French ▁constitution ▁of ▁October ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁( F our th ▁Republic ). ▁Under ▁it , ▁it ▁was ▁said ▁that ▁there ▁were ▁no ▁French ▁colon ies , ▁but ▁that ▁metropol itan ▁France , ▁the ▁over se as ▁depart ments , ▁and ▁the ▁over se as ▁territ ories ▁combined ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁single ▁French ▁Union , ▁or ▁just ▁one ▁France . ▁ ▁The ▁goal ▁of ▁this ▁union ▁was ▁" ass im ilation ▁of ▁the ▁over se as ▁territ ories ▁into ▁a ▁greater ▁France , ▁inhab ited ▁by ▁French ▁citizens , ▁and ▁bl essed ▁by ▁French ▁culture ". ▁Where as ▁the ▁British ▁colonial ▁system ▁had ▁local ▁colonial ▁govern ments ▁which ▁would ▁eventually ▁evol ve ▁into ▁separate ▁national ▁govern ments ; ▁France ▁wanted ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁single ▁government ▁under ▁a ▁single ▁French ▁state . ▁ ▁This ▁French ▁Union ▁had ▁a ▁President , ▁a ▁High ▁Council ▁and ▁an ▁Assembly . ▁The ▁President ▁was ▁the ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Republic . ▁The ▁Assembly ▁of ▁the ▁Union ▁had ▁membership ▁from ▁the ▁Council ▁of ▁the ▁Republic , ▁from ▁the ▁National ▁Assembly ▁and ▁from ▁regional ▁assemb lies ▁of ▁the ▁over se as ▁territ ories ▁and ▁depart ments ▁but ▁ultimately ▁had ▁no ▁power . ▁The ▁High ▁Council ▁ultimately ▁met ▁only ▁three ▁times , ▁first ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 1 . ▁The ▁Assembly ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁actually ▁function ing ▁institution ▁that ▁could ▁manage ▁legisl ation ▁within ▁the ▁over se as ▁territ ories . ▁ ▁In ▁reality , ▁the ▁colonial ▁areas ▁had ▁representation ▁but ▁all ▁power ▁remained ▁in