an important turning point in the war, was the election of charles de gaulle as president of the fifth republic in 1958. de gaulle wanted to end the war through negotiations. from may 1961, the first negotiations between the french army and the fln started in évian. initially, they went smoothly. in the évian accords of 18 march 1962, the negotiating parties (france, the algerian republic and the fln) reached agreement on a ceasefire, the release of prisoners, and the recognition of algeria's sovereignty and independence.