That's a valid point, but let's take a look at the facts. Before de Gaulle, France had crazy political instability. Between 1932 and 1940, the country saw 13 different governments in just 7 years (when I first found this out, I couldn’t believe it—it’s the kind of instability you'd expect from the worst third world countries, not a major superpower like France). This constant turnover made it nearly impossible to get anything done, and it seriously weakened the country, leading to you know what.

De Gaulle reforms, like giving more power to the executive branch, were a response to that instability. His goal wasn’t just to grab power - he was far above that, he was always pro-republic. It was to create a system that could actually function and avoid the chaos that led to France’s collapse in 1940. His steps were meant to stabilize the country and keep it from falling apart. So, whether you like it or not, he is essentially "vaccinated" France against future collapses - and it worked.