The Region's jurisdiction would be enlarged, primarily with taking control of public utilities, housing and urbanization.

The necessity of a second consultative house representing the territorial collectivities and economic, familial and intellectual organizations had been announced by de Gaulle in his Bayeux speech, on 16 June 1946, and mentioned again during his presidency and to Alain Peyrefitte.

The Senate's composition would be the following: President Charles de Gaulle threatened to resign if the reforms were refused.

The opposition urged people to vote no, and the president was equally hindered by popular former right-wing prime minister Georges Pompidou, who would stand as a presidential candidate if de Gaulle were to leave, reducing the fear of a power vacuum felt by the right-wing Gaullist electorate.

[citation needed] Following the referendum's failure, de Gaulle announced his resignation as intended on 28 April 1969, at ten past midnight, and released a laconic statement from Colombey-les-Deux-Églises: