Some associations were organized as "partners with the state;" for example, the Union Feminine Civique et Sociale (UFCS), which acts as an intermediary between women and the state. Religious organizations also work closely with the state. The Catholic Church with its many charitable organizations is a pillar of traditional interest group activity. .

             Recently, France has begun to move away from this state-dominated, top-down model of interest representation. The State is less affluent and less legitimate in the eyes of the people. Society, through the vigorous growth of social movements, is more organized and mobilized with expertise and resources. Social activism has caused a shift in French policy making. Most recently, the environmental movement has seen an upsurge in the public consciousness. Genetically altered organisms (GAOs) have met with opposition from all sectors of French society.

             The French state initially viewed new social movements as another form of protest emanating from the street. But because many of these causes have remained popular, the State has been forced to respond. On the issue of GAOs, a citizen committee was formed with a focus on the social dimension of GAOs for co-decision making. This may re-cast the relationship between government policy makers and civil society.

             Union membership in France is in decline, although unions themselves claim an increase in membership. About 20,000 new associations are formed each year. Overall, the French view associations positively and support them. There is strong evidence that France is experiencing renewed economic and social activism. .

             Chapter 7.

             Europeanization is a pervasive influence on the operation of the French State. Europeanization is defined as "a set of processes through which the EU political, social and economic dynamics become part of the logic of domestic discourse, identities, political structures and public policies (p.