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France:

France:. Politics in a semi-presidential regime. Recap: French institutions. Directly elected president – head of state -- gives overall direction to government policy

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France:

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  1. France: Politics in a semi-presidential regime

  2. Recap: French institutions • Directly elected president – head of state -- gives overall direction to government policy • Premier – head of government – hired and fired by the President – but must serve with the confidence of the National Assembly • National Assembly (lower house) can censure the Premier and force/his or her renewal

  3. Institutions and how they operate: • Constitution was designed to increase the authority of the executive • Constitution does so by strengthening the Premier and weakening the National Assembly • Regime can be more presidential – president in direct command or more parliamentary, depending on who controls the National Assembly

  4. The Fifth Republic Party System • Like all French party systems, a multiparty system • However, reflecting both the electoral law (double ballot – runoff system) and competition for a single indivisible office, parties tend to cluster in two blocs, the left and the right

  5. The left • Currently 3-4 parties: • Communists (PCF) • Socialists (PS) [Lionel Jospin] • Greens/Ecologists • Some radicals

  6. The right: • Gaulllists [Pres. Jacques Chirac] • Currently organized as UMP – Union for a Popular Movement • previously RPR,Rally for the Republic • Typically nationalistic, statist • Union of Democrats for France (liberal) • National Front (FN) extreme right, led by Jean Marie Le Pen

  7. Presidential elections President is elected in a two ballot or runoff system: • To be elected on the first ballot, a candidate must win an absolute majority (50%+1) of the vote cast • If no candidate wins on the first ballot, a second ballot is held 2 weeks later: • Lower candidates are dropped • Candidate with the most votes wins

  8. Elections to the National Assembly • Deputies are elected in single member districts on a two ballot or runoff system • In order to be elected on the first ballot, a candidate must win an • If no candidate has an absolute majority, then a second runoff ballot is held one week later • Candidates winning less than 12.5 % (1/8) are dropped • Candidate with the most votes – a plurality – wins

  9. Presidential domination: Parties supporting President have a majority in the National Assembly President appoints and may remove the Premier Premier implements president’s program Parliamentary government Parties opposing president have a majority in the National Assembly National Assembly can censure premier if it chooses Outcome: either Stalemate and/or parliamentary elections OR Cohabitation – power-sharing Balance among President, Premier and National Assembly:

  10. Presidential dominance: • Parties supporting the President have a majority in the National Assembly • President appoints a premier of his choice • Premier carries out the President’s program, securing the passage of legislation as need • National Assembly and Senate comply. • Premier may make legislation a matter of confidence • If he does so, the legislation passes unless • 10% of deputies file a motion of censure • The motion is passed by an absolute majority (50% +1) of the entire National Assembly

  11. Parliamentary mode: • Parties opposing the president have a majority in the National Assembly • President may appoint premier of his choice, but National Assembly can censure • If premier (and cabinet) are censured, they must resign • President may then • Dissolve the National Assembly and call for new elections (but only once per 12 month period) • Appoint a premier acceptable to the National Assembly majority, resulting in cohabitation or power-sharing

  12. French Presidents: • 1958-1981, Presidents and parliaments from the right • De Gaulle (1958-1969) • Pompidou (1969-1973) • Giscard de Estaing (1974-1981) • 1981-1995: Francois Mitterand (PS) • 1995-present: Jacques Chirac (RPR, UMP)

  13. Incidence of cohabitation • 1986-88 (Mitterand presidency) • Right wins 1986 National Assembly elections • Mitterand appoints Chirac as Premier • 1993-95 • Right wins National Assembly • Mitterand appoints Balladur as Premier • 1997-2002 (Chirac presidency) • Chirac dissolves National Assembly • Left majority • Chirac appoints Socialist, Lionel Jospin as Premier

  14. 5th Republic Balance sheet: • Regime is well established –and stable • Less recourse to referenda • Executive dominated • However over time, Presidents become less dominant • More give and take between parliament and the executive

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