Sentence:  Commentators agreed that Mr Chirac's unusually aggressive remarks, followed by the equally fierce response of Mr Jospin's government, signalled the beginning of the end for the tense but so far civil "<WSD>cohabitation</WSD>" under which the two men have ruled France since 1997. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  Cooperation between politicians of opposing political parties; especially, in France, between a President and Prime Minister.