Following the culmination of World War II, the concept of the French Union was introduced as an ambitious initiative aimed at replacing the antiquated French colonial empire. This concept gained momentum amidst a burgeoning global decolonization movement. However, the proposal did not attract the interest of the People's Party and the Movement for the Triumph of Democratic Liberties, which viewed it as merely a continuation of colonialism under a revamped facade, thus rendering it an unacceptable compromise in lieu of complete independence.

In contrast, the Democratic Union of the Algerian Manifesto harbored significant expectations for the project, with prominent figures like Ferhat Abbas and other deputies championing their cause in the Constituent Assembly of 1946. Nevertheless, the Assembly, swayed by the French government and Algerian settlers, reacted unfavorably to the proposal. Consequently, the Democratic Union of the Algerian Manifesto's press voiced its disillusionment with the ratified version of the French Union, criticizing it for not introducing any innovative provisions for the colonies and keeping them under direct rule. On the other hand, the Algerian Communist Party perceived the project as an opportunity to foster a union between France and its colonies, akin to the structural relationship within the Soviet Union among Russia and its republics.