Established by the French constitution of October 27, 1946, the French Union (French: Union Fran?ise) was a political entity created to replace the old French colonial system, the "French Empire" (Empire fran?is). Lasting until 1958, it was replaced by the French Community.
The French Union included France and Corsica, French overseas d?artements, territories, settlements, United Nations trusteeships, French colonies (which became overseas d?artements of France) and associate states (protectorates) which became autonomous. In 1954, the states of French Indochina withdrew from the union, and in 1956 Morocco and Tunisia gained their independence.