If anything, the origin of the 5th republic under its founding president used referendums to validate the president's actions. He literally resigned after losin

If anything, the origin of the 5th republic under its founding president used referendums to validate the president's actions. He literally resigned after losing a referendum https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_de_Gaulle#Retirement https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_de_Gaulle#Retirement.