Territorial structure of France: description, history, regime and form of government. Government and political system of France Form of government in France

Government 2

Head of State 3

Legislature 6

Executive Branch 13

The judiciary 16

Local government in France 18

List of used literature 28

State structure

France is a republic. The Constitution of the Fifth Republic, adopted by a referendum on September 28, 1958, promulgated on October 4, 1958, with the latest amendments-2000,2003,2005 and 2008, is in force Geographical position: located in the western part of Europe, washed by the Atlantic Ocean, the North and Mediterranean seas. Territory area \u003d 551.6 thousand square kilometers. Population \u003d 61.8 75 million people (2008). Capital-Paris \u003d 2, 125 million people Administrative divisions: 22 regions (Alsace, Aquitaine, Auvergne, Burgundy, Brittany, Center, Champagne-Ardenne, Corsica, Franche-Comté, Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Loire, Lorraine, Southern Pyrenees, North, Lower Normandy, Upper Normandy, Picardy, Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Rhône-Alpes), 96 departments, including the special administrative unit of Corsica, 36,684 communes. There is also a division into 37 historical provinces. France also includes 4 overseas departments: Guadeloupe, Guiana, Martinique and Reunion, overseas territories: New Caledonia, French Polynesia, French Australian and Antarctic lands, Mayotte, Wallis and Futuna islands and a special territorial unit - the Saint-Islands Pierre and Miquelon.

Official language: French.

Monetary unit - euro \u003d 100 euro cents.

Head of state

President of the French Republic-Nicolas Sarkozy. Elected on April 22 and May 6, 2007. In office on May 16, 2007.

Elected by direct universal suffrage with an absolute majority of votes for a term of 5 years (up to 2002 - 7 years) in accordance with the results of the referendum of September 25, 2000. If this majority is not achieved in the first round of voting, a second round is held. The President appoints the Prime Minister and, on the proposal of the latter, ministers without their approval by parliament, has the right to dissolve the National Assembly after preliminary consultations with the President of the National Assembly and call new elections, presides over the Council of Ministers, the Supreme Council of Defense, is the supreme commander of the armed forces, makes on a referendum draft laws, promulgates laws, can take any extraordinary measures that are "dictated by circumstances", headed by the Superior Council of Magistracy.

A feature of the management of the French state in strict accordance with the principle of separation of powers is a certain priority of the executive over the legislative. In the Fifth Republic, the central executive power is represented by the President and the Government.

The President provides his arbitration normal functioning of public authorities, as well as the continuity of the state.

The provisions of Article 16 of the Constitution can serve as indicators of the broad powers of the President of France: "When the institutions of the Republic, the independence of the nation, the integrity of its territory or the fulfillment of its international obligations are under serious and immediate threat, and the normal functioning of the constitutional state authorities is terminated, the President of the Republic takes measures that are dictated These circumstances, after official consultation with the Prime Minister, the Presidents of the Chambers, as well as the Constitutional Council. He informs the nation about this in his message. From the above article of the Constitution, the President's right to dissolve the National Assembly is seen. Only in three cases: first, in accordance with Article 16 (last paragraph), the President cannot dissolve the National Assembly during the period of exercise of emergency powers; secondly, the National Assembly cannot be dissolved within a year following the previous dissolution; thirdly, interim President of the Republic (i.e. when the functions of the President are temporarily performed by the Chairman of the Senate).

One of the most important powers of the President, enshrined in Article 11 of the Constitution, is the right to hold a national referendum.

In accordance with the Constitution, the President practically completely forms the executive branch. He appoints ministers, all senior officials (only minor civil servants are appointed by ministerial decrees).

The president is the head of the armed forces, he presides over the supreme councils and national defense committees.

Although the Constitution does not contain the President's right to put into operation strategic nuclear forces. this right was provided for by a decree of January 14, 1964 1.

The President concludes and ratifies international treaties (with the exception of those that require mandatory ratification by parliament). With regard to the exercise of judicial power, the President has the right pardon. Article 64 of the Constitution gives the President special powers as guarantor of independence the judiciary.

As the central body of executive power, in relations with the Government (also an element of central power), the President presides over the Council of Ministers, signs decrees and ordinances, adopted in it; takes part in the consideration of draft laws of the Government; appoints to civil and military positions, accredits ambassadors and ambassadors extraordinary in foreign states,

The President uses the services of a personal apparatus, sometimes consisting of more than one hundred people. The apparatus includes: cabinet, general secretariat, military headquarters, several officials for special assignments. All employees of these services are personally appointed by the President.

Legislature

The highest legislative body in France is Parliament... Its competence is enshrined in Section IV of the Constitution. Parliament consists of two chambers: National Assembly and Senate.The peculiarity of the French Parliament lies in the fact that according to article 24 of the Constitution: "The deputies of the National Assembly are elected by direct suffrage. The Senate is elected by indirect suffrage. It provides representation of territorial collectivesRepublic. French outside of France are represented in the Senate 2. "

The National Assembly is the lower house and the Senate is the upper house of Parliament.

Parliament meets for a session once a year: it opens on the first working day of October and ends on the last day of June. The session should last no more than 120 days. The exception is the circumstances state of emergency and the session can meet in addition to the usual regulations after the re-election of the National Assembly, unless the second Thursday after the election falls in ordinary session. Extraordinary sessions of parliament are convened with a specific agenda either at the request of the Prime Minister or a majority of the members of the National Assembly.

The President of the National Assembly is elected for a term magistracy, those. all the time for which the members of the chamber are elected, and the President of the Senate is elected after each partial renewal of this chamber.

The opening and closing of sessions is carried out by decree of the President of the Republic.

Laws are passed by Parliament (article 34 of the Constitution). Any bill or legislative proposal are consistently considered in both chambers of Parliament in order to be adopted identical text.

In French Constitutional Law, there is a distinction between bills and legislative proposals. Bills are introduced by the French Government and legislative proposals are submitted by Members of Parliament.

If, as a result of a disagreement between the chambers, a bill or legislative proposal was not passed after two readings in each chamber or, if the government requires urgent discussion, then after one reading in each of the chambers, the Prime Minister has the right to convene a meeting mixed parity commission, authorized to propose an act concerning the provisions on which disagreements remain.

The text developed by the mixed commission may be submitted by the Government for approval by both chambers. None amendment to him can not be accepted without the consent of the government.

Parliament adopts draft financial laws. If the National Assembly has not passed a decision on the draft in the first reading within forty days after its submission, the Government shall submit the draft to the Senate, which must take a decision within fifteen days.

Member of Parliament has the right of parliamentary immunity (immunity). This means that no Member of Parliament can be prosecuted, wanted, arrested, imprisoned, or tried for expressing opinions or voting in the exercise of his or her functions.

No Member of Parliament during a session may be prosecuted or arrested for crimes or misconduct without the permission of the chamber of which he is a member, unless detention at the crime scene.

The parliament itself has the right to establish commissions for investigation and control and special commissions (for lifting parliamentary immunity, etc.).

The National Assembly is elected by the majority system in 2 rounds for a period of 5 years. Consists of 577 members, of which 555 are elected by direct general and secret ballot in 2 majoritarian rounds in 555 single-mandate constituencies in the metropolis and 22 members in the overseas departments and territories.

The Senate is elected by an electoral college, consisting of deputies of regional, general, municipal councils, for a period of 6 years, renewed every 3 years by half. Elections are held according to the proportional system in departments where 4 or more senators are elected, and according to the majority system in departments where 3 or less senators are elected. A citizen who has reached the age of 30 can be elected a senator. The reform of the Senate, carried out since 2004, will be completed in 2010 and the number of senators will be 346 people. Senators elected in 1998 and 2001 for a term of 9 years, terminate in 2007 and 2010, respectively.

According to the 1958 Constitution created Constitutional council - the supreme body exercising control over the observance of the Constitution. The council consists of 9 members, appointed for 9 years (their mandate is not renewable), and all former presidents of the republic for life. Neither Charles de Gaulle (1st president of the 5th republic) nor Valerie Giscard d'Estaing exercised this right. The Constitutional Council is renewed every 3 years by 1/3. Three members of the Council are appointed by the President, three by the President of the Senate and three by the President of the National Assembly. The Chairman of the Constitutional Council is appointed by the President from among the members of the Council and is formally the eighth person in the state hierarchy. The Constitutional Council exercises control over the elections of presidents, deputies and senators, monitors the correctness of the conduct of referenda and announces their results. The decisions of the Constitutional Council are not subject to appeal. They are binding on all government authorities, administrative and judicial authorities. Requests to this body can be sent by the president, prime minister, chairmen of both chambers of parliament, as well as a group of deputies of at least 60 people.

		Appointed by
Jean-Louie Debreu - Chairman		President of the Republic
Valerie Giscard d'Estaing Jacques Chirac	for life	by right, as the former President of the Republic
Olivier Duteuil de Lamotte		President of the Republic
Dominic Schnappé		Senate President
		President of the National Assembly

France is a unitary state. The country is divided into 95 departments, departments into communes. The departments have self-governing bodies - general councils, elected by the population for a period of 6 years, with half of the composition renewal every 3 years. The central authority is represented by prefects appointed by the President. In communes, local power belongs to municipal councils, elected by the population for a 6-year term. The mayor is elected by the municipal councils.

In France, elements of a parliamentary and presidential republic are combined. The current Constitution of the French Republic entered into force on October 5, 1958. It approved the state system, which was called the Fifth Republic.

The central place in the French government system belongs to the President. He is elected through general and direct elections. In September 2000, at a referendum, a decision was made to reduce the constitutional term of presidency from 7 to 5 years. The powers of the President in all spheres of state life are extremely extensive. Some of them require ministerial countersignature, but the President exercises the most important rights personally. Article 5 of the Constitution stipulates for him the obligation to ensure "through his arbitration the normal functioning of state bodies, as well as the continuity of the state." The same article proclaims that the President is "the guarantor of national independence, territorial integrity, compliance with Community agreements and treaties." The President has broad legislative prerogatives. He is endowed with the right to legislative initiative. All laws passed by Parliament must be signed and promulgated by the President within 15 days. If he does not agree with the law or any of its provisions, then he may demand a second discussion of this act. Only after the second approval of the bill, the President is obliged to sign it. On the proposal of the Government or Parliament, the President may submit to a referendum a bill "concerning the organization of state power, containing the approval of any agreement on the Community or with the aim of allowing the ratification of any treaty" (Article 11). If the bill is approved, the President will make it public within 15 days. Any bill can be submitted by the President to the Constitutional Council for verification of compliance with the Constitution.

As for the relations between the President and the Parliament, here, first of all, it is necessary to note such an important authority as the right to dissolve the lower house. However, he can take this decision only after consultation with the Prime Minister and the chairmen of the chambers (Article 12). In two cases - within a year from the date of elections and during the period when the President exercises extraordinary powers - the dissolution of the National Assembly is impossible.

The prerogatives of the President in the area of \u200b\u200bgovernance are also quite broad. He presides over the meetings of the Council of Ministers, signs the decrees and resolutions discussed at them, appoints the Prime Minister and, at his proposal, other members of the Government, accepts the resignation of the Prime Minister and ministers, in accordance with Article 13 of the Constitution, "makes appointments to civil and military positions ". The President represents France in relations between states, concludes treaties, appoints ambassadors of France, receives foreign ambassadors. He is the commander in chief of the armed forces. Finally, the President is "the guarantor of an independent judiciary." He exercises the right to pardon. In addition to the extensive rights listed above, exercised by the President under normal conditions, Article 16 of the Constitution provides for him with extraordinary powers "in the event of an immediate threat to the Republic." The President makes the decision to introduce emergency powers after consultation with the Prime Minister and informs the country's population about it. Throughout the entire period of the emergency powers, all power is concentrated in the hands of the President.

The legislative body of the Republic - Parliament - with the establishment of the Fifth Republic plays a relatively small role in the political life of the country. Parliament consists of two chambers - the National Assembly and the Senate. The National Assembly, which has 577 members, is elected for a term of 5 years. Under the 1985 Act, elections to the National Assembly are held on the basis of a proportional electoral system. The Senate includes representatives from departments, "overseas France" and the French living abroad. The Senate consists of 321 people, elected by indirect elections for a 9-year term. The Senate is renewed by 1/3 every 3 years. Parliament meets in regular sessions 2 times a year. Each chamber creates 6 standing commissions.

The main function of the Parliament - the adoption of laws - is significantly limited by the 1958 Constitution. First of all, Article 34 precisely defines the range of issues on which the Parliament has the right to issue laws. The solution of issues not included in this list is assigned to the competence of the Government. If the Parliament exceeds its powers, the Government has the right to demand from the Constitutional Council to make a decision on the delimitation of competences. The narrowing of the rights of the legislature is also evidenced by the fact that the deputies are limited in the implementation of legislative initiatives (Article 40), and government bills enjoy priority (Article 42). Parliamentary rights have also been curtailed in the financial sphere. Article 7 sets a deadline for the adoption of financial bills by Parliament. In case of violation of this period, the norms of the draft law are put into effect by issuing an appropriate act by the Government.

Parliament has the right to control the activities of the Government. Article 49 provides an opportunity to express no confidence in the Government by passing a resolution of censure. Chambers can form commissions to conduct parliamentary inquiries.

The French government - the Council of Ministers, according to Article 20 of the Constitution, "determines and conducts the policy of the nation." The Government consists of the Prime Minister - the head of the Government, ministers who head ministries, and state secretaries who manage departments of individual ministries. The Constitution defines the functions of the Government in the most concise form. Since Article 37 enshrined the provision establishing that all issues not included "in the field of legislation are resolved in an administrative manner", i.e. in the area that goes beyond the scope of the law, the act of the Government replaces the law. In addition, according to Article 38, the Government, with the permission of the Parliament, can adopt ordinances (acts having the force of law) in the field of operation of the law. Ordinances must be approved by a specially issued law "before the expiration of the period specified by the law that allowed their publication." The government is accountable to the National Assembly. If a resolution of censure is passed by an absolute majority of the National Assembly, it must resign.

The Constitution specifically specifies the powers of the Prime Minister. He is entrusted with responsibility for national defense, must enforce laws, carry out rule-making activities and appoint to certain military and civilian positions. The Prime Minister has substantial rights in relation to Parliament: he has the right to initiate legislation, he can demand the convocation of Parliament, speak at any time in the House of Parliament, and finally demand, on the basis of Article 38, the transfer of legislative powers to the Government.

The Constitutional Council is a special body that monitors the observance of the Constitution. It consists of 9 people appointed for 9 years. 3 Council members are appointed by the President, 3 by the President of the Senate and 3 by the President of the National Assembly. All laws, prior to promulgation by the President and the regulations of the chambers, prior to their adoption, must be submitted to the Constitutional Council, which gives an opinion on whether they are in accordance with the Constitution. If the Constitutional Council decides that this or that act is contrary to the Constitution, then it has the right to cancel it. In addition to the function of constitutional oversight, the powers of the Constitutional Council include monitoring the course of the presidential elections, holding national referendums and considering disputes about the correctness of the election of parliamentary deputies. The decisions of the Constitutional Council are final and not subject to appeal. They are mandatory for all government agencies.

The Economic and Social Council is an advisory body to the Government. He gives opinions on bills related to his sphere of competence (mainly bills of an economic and social nature). The Council itself has the right to participate in the development of these projects. He, in addition, can express his opinion on the implementation of economic plans.

The members of the Council can speak to the delegates of the Parliament with a statement of their opinions on the main issues of economic and social policy. As the Economic and Social Council is an advisory body, its opinions are not binding.

Legal system

general characteristics

The modern legal system of France in its main features was formed during the period of the Great French Revolution of 1789-1794. and in the first decades that followed, especially during the reign of Napoleon (1799-1814). The most important documents of this era that predetermined the formation and further development of the legal system of France are the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen of 1789, a number of constitutional acts of the period of the Revolution and the codification of the most important branches of law - 5 codes prepared under the supervision, and sometimes with the direct participation of Napoleon: Civil Code 1804, Civil Procedure Code 1806, Commercial Code 1807, Criminal Procedure Code 1808 and Criminal Code 1810.

Most of these acts still retain their legal force: the Declaration of Human and Citizen Rights is considered an integral part of the current Constitution of 1958, and of the 5 Napoleonic codes, 3 (Civil, Commercial and Criminal), although they have undergone significant changes, are recognized as valid, and only 2 of the Code were replaced by new ones: Criminal Procedure - in full and Civil Procedure - in part.

In the era of the "old regime", which preceded the bourgeois revolution, the most important role among the sources of law was played by those officially published since the 16th century. collections of legal customs, among which there were about 700 collections of local customs and about 60 collections of "general customs" operating on the territory of one or several provinces (the leading were the "Customs of Paris"). French legal customs, the records of which have been preserved since the 5th century, in turn were formed under the strong influence of Roman and canon law (mainly in the south of the country) or the customary law of the ancient Germanic tribes (in the north of the country), but over time they acquired an independent and very contradictory character, which led to attempts to unite legal customs on a scale, if not all of France, then its large historical regions.

Along with legal customs, a well-known role among sources of law in the XVII-XVIII centuries. legislative acts issued by the royal government began to play. Among them, the ordinances prepared by Colbert's government were of particular importance, including: on the civil procedure (1667), on the criminal procedure (1670), on trade (1673), and later on the royal ordinances of the government of Ageso: on donation contracts (1731 ), on wills (1735), on the settlement of family property disputes (1747), etc. Many provisions of these acts in a more or less revised form were included in the Civil, Commercial and other Napoleonic codes, and the Civil Procedure Code of 1806 was largely reproduction of the Colbert Ordinance of 1667. A well-known, albeit much lesser, influence on codification was exerted by the norms of customary law, primarily those collected in the "Customs of Paris".

The compilers of the Napoleonic codes, relying on the centuries-old experience of French law, undertook such revolutionary transformations in the sphere of legal regulation that ensured the most free development of capitalist relations. At the same time, the forms of exposition of legal institutions they found, and above all when drawing up the Civil Code of 1804, turned out in most cases to be so adequate to the economy and social conditions of capitalism that they were reproduced in the legislation of many countries of Europe and other continents or served as guidelines for the preparation of the corresponding codes.

In the modern system of sources of law, the central place is occupied by the Constitution of the French Republic of 1958, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen of 1789, as well as a preamble to the Constitution of 1946 containing a detailed statement of the democratic rights and freedoms of citizens, together with the Declaration of 1789, proclaimed an integral part the current Constitution of the country. Among the legislative acts issued by the French Parliament, organic laws play a special role, complementing the most important constitutional provisions. Ordinary laws - acts of Parliament - regulate either branches of law or individual legal institutions. Ordinary laws also include codes that correspond to the traditional Napoleonic scheme of legislation: civil, criminal and others, changes in which are also made by issuing laws, unless the legislator prescribes otherwise.

The current Constitution of 1958 allows for ample opportunities for legal regulation through the issuance of regulatory acts by the executive branch - the Government, ministers and authorized administration bodies. Article 34 of the Constitution defines a list of areas of legal regulation that are in the exclusive competence of the legislative branch: the rights and freedoms of citizens, the rules for the nationalization and denationalization of enterprises, the procedure for elections to Parliament and local self-government bodies, criminal liability and legal proceedings, as well as the definition of basic principles essential for national defense, finance, education, for civil and commercial law, for labor law and social security, etc.

All other legal issues outside the scope of legislation are covered by regulations at various levels. Among them, the most significant are ordinances - acts adopted by the Government with the permission of Parliament and at the conclusion of the State Council in areas usually regulated by law. Ordinances are subject to approval by Parliament within a certain period, after which they acquire the force of law. An important place in the system of regulations is occupied by government decrees signed by the President, some of which can be adopted only after the conclusion of the Constitutional Council, or decrees issued by the President without prior discussion in the Council of Ministers.

Along with the classical codes, the main content of which was determined in the Napoleonic era, in the XX century. the practice of issuing consolidated legislative acts on separate fairly large branches of legal regulation has spread. These regulations are also referred to as codes, although, unlike the "classic" ones, they can include norms issued not only in legislation, but also through regulations. Nowadays, there are several dozen such codes - on labor, road, agricultural, tax, customs, health care, etc. A well-known role as sources of law in France is also played by legal customs, primarily in the field of trade, and judicial practice, in particular the decisions of the Cassation court. In some cases, these decisions serve not only as a general guideline for judicial practice in certain categories of cases, but also as an indication in solving specific issues on which there are gaps in the legislation.

In the years since the fall of the Bastille in 1789, 16 constitutions have been adopted in the country. The current constitution of 1958 (the 17th constitution since the Declaration of 1789) formalized the creation of the Fifth Republic in France.

The Constitution of the Fifth Republic, developed under the leadership of General Charles de Gaulle, was approved in a referendum held on September 28, 1958 in France itself and in its overseas departments, and entered into force on October 4, 1958. The fundamental law of France consists of three documents: the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen of 1789, adopted during the Great French Revolution; the preamble to the 1946 constitution, adopted during the rise of the democratic movement after World War II; the 1958 constitution, which contains references to a number of international acts in which France participates (including the 1992 Treaty on the European Union), in connection with which some French jurists include them in the “constitutional block”.

The 1958 French Constitution is small in volume. Along with a short preamble, it contains 93 articles, combined into 15 sections (sections 13 “On the community” and 17 “Transitional ordinances” were canceled in 1995).

The 1958 Constitution does not contain provisions on the socio-economic structure of society; it contains almost no provisions on the political system (except for the article on parties) and on the legal status of the individual. Certain provisions of a socio-economic nature are contained in the Declaration of 1789 (on property, on equal taxation, taking into account the state of citizens); some economic, political and social principles are named in the preamble to the 1946 constitution. The Declaration of 1789 and the preamble to the 1946 constitution also list a number of personal rights of citizens and socio-economic rights (freedom of speech, the presumption of innocence, equality before the law, the right to education, health care, etc.).

The 1958 Constitution mainly regulates the relationship between state bodies. It proclaims the principle of national sovereignty, which is exercised by the people through its representatives and in a referendum, as well as the creation of the French Community on the basis of the free self-determination of the peoples of the colonies (the Community actually ceased to exist in the 1960s, and was legally liquidated by the constitutional reform in 1995) ... The 1958 Constitution confirmed the motto of the republic during the first revolution of the late 18th century: "Freedom, Equality, Brotherhood"; she proclaimed the principle of the republic: "Government of the people, according to the will of the people and for the people" (this formulation was first officially proclaimed in the United States in the 19th century); defined the basic conditions for the creation of political parties and their role; proclaimed that the republican form of government cannot be subject to revision. The constitution defines the relationship between domestic and international law: treaties and agreements ratified by France take precedence over domestic law, subject to reciprocity.

The main feature of the 1958 constitution is the concentration of political power in the hands of the executive. The concentration of power in the hands of the head of state and government is one of the manifestations of the constitutionally enshrined authoritarian tendency in the French political regime. The president is at the top of the hierarchy of government bodies. A referendum held on October 28, 1962, approved a constitutional amendment to elect the president by direct universal suffrage rather than by an electoral college. The president is elected for a 5-year term (at a national referendum on September 24, 2002, it was decided to reduce the presidential term of office from 7 to 5 years). The president appoints the prime minister and individual ministers and presides over cabinet meetings. With the consent of the Cabinet of Ministers, the President has the right to bypass parliament to put to a referendum any law or treaty that changes the nature of state institutions. The President has the power to dissolve the lower house of parliament - the National Assembly - and call new elections. The newly elected National Assembly cannot be dissolved within a year after the elections. Article 16 of the constitution allows the president to declare a state of emergency and take full power into his own hands. During this time, the National Assembly cannot be dissolved.

The French government is the Council of Ministers, according to Art. 20 of the Constitution, "determines and conducts the policy of the nation." The government consists of the prime minister, ministers in charge of ministries, and secretaries of state in charge of the units of individual ministries. The government is accountable to the National Assembly. If a resolution of censure is passed by an absolute majority of the National Assembly, the government must resign. In the constitution, the powers of the prime minister are specially designated: in his sphere of competence are national defense, the implementation of laws, rule-making activities. Senior government officials are appointed by the cabinet at the suggestion of the prime minister or president.

The legislature is a bicameral parliament, consisting of the National Assembly and the Senate. The main function of parliament is to pass laws, but this function is significantly limited by the constitution, which precisely defines the range of issues on which the parliament has the right to issue laws. Issues not included in this list are the responsibility of the government. The rights of parliament are also limited in the financial sphere: the Constitution sets a definite deadline for the adoption of financial bills by parliament. At the same time, the parliament has the right to control the activities of the government.

There are six standing committees in each house of parliament. These committees often function through subcommittees. The powers of the committees and subcommittees, which were very broad during the times of the Third and Fourth Republics, are now significantly limited.

The Constitution prescribes two annual parliamentary sessions. The first of them lasts from the beginning of October to the second half of December, the second - in April, while it cannot drag on for more than three months. At any time, at the request of the Prime Minister or at the request of the majority of the members of the National Assembly, a special session of parliament may be called.

Bills are passed by both chambers, then signed by the president and become laws (unless he places a temporary veto on them). When both houses fail to pass a bill, it goes back to a rehearing. If there is still no agreement, the Prime Minister may demand the convening of a meeting of committees composed of an equal number of members of both houses. The text of the bill, with amendments and additions made at this meeting, is again submitted by the government for approval by both chambers. If the meeting fails to reach agreement on the text or the amended and supplemented text is subsequently not approved by both chambers, the government may request a third reading in both chambers. If after this procedure an agreement is not reached, the Cabinet of Ministers has the right to appeal to the National Assembly with a request to finally decide the fate of the project.

The Constitutional Council is a special body overseeing the observance of the constitution. Section VII of the French Constitution is devoted to the Constitutional Council, as well as the law "On the Constitutional Council" adopted by the ordinance of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of November 7, 1958.

All laws, prior to promulgation by the president, and the regulations of the chambers, prior to their adoption, must be submitted to the Constitutional Council, which gives an opinion on whether they are in conformity with the constitution. If the Constitutional Council decides that an act is contrary to the constitution, it has the right to cancel it. Also, the powers of the Constitutional Council include monitoring the presidential elections, holding referendums. The Constitutional Council consists of nine members, three of whom are appointed by the President of the Republic, three by the President of the National Assembly, and three by the President of the Senate (Article 56 of the Constitution).

A special feature of the Constitutional Council is that it includes all former presidents of the French Republic for life. The provisions on resignation, on replacement in the event of performing functions incompatible with membership are not applicable to life members; they do not take the oath when they take office.

• • Constitutional foundations, characteristics of the form of government

France: constitution of 1958 and its features

France has made a special contribution to the development of constitutional legal theory and practice. All French history, starting with the 1789 revolution, is a history of frequent changes in forms of government and constitutional regimes. Consequently, new constitutional texts were developed. And the current state that exists in France is calledV Republic. To the five republics, you can add two monarchies, the July monarchy, and various kinds of directories, consulates, forms of government under Bonaparte, the restoration of the Bourbons, etc.

The events in Algeria and the threat of civil war in France itself led to the adoption by Parliament on June 1, 1958, of a law granting General Ch. De Hopl the powers to draft a constitution. Several mandatory conditions were specified in the law: the main law must be worked out by the government with subsequent transfer to a referendum. Parliament formed an Advisory Committee, in which two-thirds of the seats were held by parliamentarians. In addition to these formal conditions, the law of June 1, 1958 contained requirements in essence:

the principle of separation of powers must be implemented in the constitution - the legislative and executive powers must be separated from each other, and the judiciary must remain independent in order to ensure the observance of the rights and freedoms contained in the preamble to the 1946 constitution and in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen 1789 g.

Finally, the government must be held accountable to parliament;

the last principle - the constitution should allow organizing relations between France and the peoples of its colonies.

After the development of the project by the staff of Charles de Hopl, discussions in the Advisory Constitutional Committee and the Council of Ministers, the constitution was submitted to a referendum and approved at it on October 28, 1958. It entered into force on November 4, 1958. This act marked the beginning of the period of the Fifth Republic.

The 1958 Constitution consists of a short preamble and 15 sections, divided into 93 articles, and a number of them are numbered with signs (Articles 53, 54, 68, 88). The constitution lacks the chapter on rights and freedoms that is usual for modern acts.

The preamble is limited to a reference to the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen of 1789 and to the preamble of the 1946 Constitution, which in this part remains in force from a purely legal point of view. For almost 10 years after the Constitution was voted, there was no consensus in the French courts about the legal validity of the HDRG and the preamble to the 1946 Constitution. Only after a decade (in 1970) both the Constitutional and State Councils came to the conclusion that the norms of these documents are an integral part of the current law. Courts should use them when considering specific cases.

The 1958 Constitution defined the basic parameters of the state, establishing that France is an indivisible, secular, democratic and social republic. The principle of the republic: "Government of the people, according to the will of the people and for the people" (Art. 2).

The constitution establishes a mixed republican form, if, for its definition, proceed from the currently existing ideas about the form of government.

The main law contains an extremely important provision that the republican form of government cannot be subject to revision (last paragraph of Article 89).

France is a secular state, i.e. it has no official religion, and citizens have complete freedom to practice any denomination.

The term "democratic" republic was first included in the constitution of 1848 (paragraph 2 of the entry) and meant the introduction of universal suffrage only for men. At present, the meaning of this term in French literature remains approximately the same; according to article 3 of the current basic law, universal suffrage can be direct and indirect, as well as equal and secret. This term confirms the belonging of national sovereignty to the people and is expressed in a threefold formula: "rule of the people, according to the will of the people and for the people."

The term "social republic" was first included in the 1946 constitution and reproduced in the current act. In the mid 40s. the current century for the founders of the Constitution of the Fourth Republic, this term meant the development of political, economic and social democracy. In the preamble to the 1946 Constitution, these principles were declared "especially necessary in our time." The 1958 Constitution thus confirmed the development of the named principles and goals.

The most important norm of the 1958 act is the provision on the source of state power, enshrined in Article 3: "National sovereignty belongs to the people, who exercise it through their representatives and through a referendum. No part of the people, no individual person can appropriate its implementation." This formula was taken from the 1946 Act (Article 3) and once again confirms the democratic character of the state.

The 1958 Constitution established the rules for interaction with international law. At the request of the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, one of the chairmen of the parliamentary chambers, 60 deputies or 60 senators, the Constitutional Council shall decide whether an international agreement concluded by the executive branch or another organ of the state is in conflict with the fundamental law, and if such a conflict exists, then the procedure for ratifying or accepting such an agreement should be postponed until a corresponding constitutional change. At the same time, the constitution contains a norm (Art. 55) that international treaties or agreements duly ratified or approved have a force exceeding the force of laws from the moment of publication, subject to the application of each agreement or agreement by the other party.

The specificity of the Constitution, first of all, is that it confirms the dominant position of the IW in society, endows the head of state with very significant (including independent) powers.

President of the French Republic, his powers

The President of the Republic occupies the top in the hierarchy of state bodies. The President is the head of state, represents the country both in the domestic and international arena, is the guarantor of the Constitution, independence, territorial integrity, rights and freedoms of citizens.

The President has both his own powers and powers that he exercises jointly with other institutions.

powers related to the implementation of foreign policy. The President conducts international negotiations and concludes international treaties, with him foreign diplomatic representatives are accredited, he appoints diplomatic representatives to foreign states.

defense of the country. The President is the supreme commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, he appoints (and removes) senior military positions, presides over the councils and defense committees. Of great importance is the President's right to put into operation strategic nuclear forces, not regulated by the constitution.

the president has significant powers in the field of administrative management: he appoints the prime minister, on the proposal of the latter, the other ministers. But in France there is an institution of government responsibility: in those cases when parties opposed to the President win the elections to the National Assembly, as a rule, the chairman of the winning party is appointed to the post of prime minister. The President presides over the Council of Ministers (no meeting is possible without his presence, except for direct authorization). He appoints to all senior military and civilian positions.

The President also has the right to issue and sign normative legal acts (these are ordinances and decrees discussed by the Council of Ministers, therefore countersigned). These acts are independent, play the same role as the law (Article 34).

The President can independently, in accordance with Article 16 of the Constitution, introduce a state of emergency on the territory of the country (after a non-binding consultation with the Prime Minister, the chairmen of the chambers and the Constitutional Council). All power is concentrated in the hands of the President. The National Assembly meets regardless of its convocation; it cannot be dissolved, but it also cannot express no confidence in the Government.

The President has certain powers in the legislative process:

the right of a suspensive veto;

the right to apply to the Constitutional Council for checking the compliance of the draft law with the requirements of the Constitution;

promulgation of the law (within 15 days).

the right to submit certain bills to a referendum (Article 11).

the right to address the Parliament with messages that are not subject to discussion.

the right, after the counter-signature of the prime minister, to convene parliament in extraordinary sessions.

The President has the right to dissolve the National Assembly. Exceptions: (1) when the duties of the President are temporarily in office; (2) when the emergency powers under Article 16 are used; (3) within a year after the early elections.

In the judicial sphere:

presides over the Supreme Council of the Magistracy, but in practice the President, as a rule, does not attend meetings;

the right to pardon;

awards orders and confers honorary titles.

The President is a key figure in the state machinery in France, but his role largely depends on who controls the National Assembly.

The presidential apparatus reaches several hundred people and includes: the cabinet, the general secretariat, the military headquarters, officials for special assignments. Staff members are appointed personally by the President.

President of the French Republic, procedure for election

The procedure for electing the president of the republic in the entire history of the Fifth Republic has undergone the only change - instead of the electoral college, who elected the president until 1962, the principle of direct elections was established in the same year. The new election procedure served to strengthen the president's already leading position. Neither the constitution nor other legislation sets a minimum age for candidates for this post. This raises a question, since a citizen can be elected to the National Assembly from the age of 23, and to the Senate - from 35. The term of office of the President is 7 years, there are no restrictions for re-election in France, but such cases are usually more or less rare. For all existenceV Only de Gaulle (in 1958 and 1965) and François Mitterrand (1981 and 1988) were elected republics.

To present a candidate for the presidency (they are submitted to the Constitutional Council), 5,000 signatures are required from persons holding certain elective positions, namely, members of parliament, councils general, council of Paris, territorial assemblies and mayors - and all those who signed the application for nomination must represent at least 30 departments and overseas territories; the names of the signatories are published.

The election of the president is carried out according to a two-round majority system. If in the first round none of the candidates receives an absolute majority of votes, then a second round is held two weeks later. Only the two candidates with the largest number of votes in the first round participate in it. The election of a new president takes place no less than twenty and no more than thirty-five days before the expiration of the term of office of the president in office. In the same terms, the president is elected in case of vacancy of this post. The results of the elections are officially announced by the Constitutional Council within 10 days, and from this moment the President takes up his duties. The official residence of the President is located in Paris at the Elysee Palace.

In case of an early vacancy of the post of President, his duties are temporarily performed by the Chairman of the Senate, and if he is not able, then they are performed by the Government. New elections are held no earlier than 20 and no later than 35 days after the opening of the vacancy.

Features of the form of government in France

France is a republic with a mixed (semi-presidential) form of government, which combines elements characteristic of both a parliamentary and a presidential republic. FeatureV Republics - strengthening the role of IW and weakening the role of Parliament.

There is a bicephalous executive power in the country, i.e. it is divided between the President and the Government.

The President in France has the right to make decisions that do not require the consent of the Government, which is typical for a presidential republic. Armed forces and administrative apparatus run by the government; it is responsible to the National Assembly, and this is an institution that is characteristic of a parliamentary republic.

Accordingly, the principle of the separation of powers in France has changed, nevertheless, it retains its significance.

Feature: the functioning of the state. mechanism depends on whether the parliamentary and presidential majority coincide. If "yes" - the role of the President increases, he forms the government. If “no,” the president is forced to appoint an opposition government, the president's ability to implement IW is reduced, but the role of the government in many respects increases. Such a situation developed in particular in 1997, when the FSP won the early parliamentary elections, while the president relies on the support of the right.

Constitutional Council of the French Republic, formation procedure and powers

France, much later than other European states, introduced the institution of constitutional review. This was due to the French concept of law as the supreme sovereign will of the people. This concept assumed that no one could revise the law as the highest sovereign will of the people. In the 1946 Constitution, a body such as the Constitutional Council appeared, but it did not have real powers, remaining a subsidiary body that only occasionally interpreted the provisions of the 1946 Constitution.

In V The situation is different for the republic. The revision of the powers of the Constitutional Council was associated with ensuring the protection of human and civil rights and freedoms, i.e., again, the concept of sovereignty itself was not revised! It is not the will of the people that is revised, but those provisions that can lead to the violation of rights and freedoms, and this is the highest value.

There was another stumbling block - the Constitution states that the French state system is built on the principle of separation of powers, and the creation of a Constitutional Council, which could audit the actions of the legislative and executive branches, would contradict the provisions of the DPCH. This situation was resolved as follows: a judicial body was not created, but an extra- or quasi-judicial body. He cannot revise a law voted by parliament, but can check whether the bill is in line with the Constitution. In France, constitutional review can only take place at a preliminary stage.

The Constitutional Council of the French Republic consists of the so-called. constitutional advisers (9 in total), of which:

3 appointed by the President;

3 - the chairman of the National Assembly;

3 - the chairman of the Senate;

This includes all the former presidents of the Republic (no one now) for life.

The advisers are appointed for a term of 9 years with no renewal. Every third of the COP is renewed every 3 years.

It is important that none of the members of the Constitutional Council can engage in political activities. The President of the Constitutional Council is appointed by the President. The chairman directs the work, represents the COP at official ceremonies, appoints rapporteurs for pending cases, determines the date and order of the day for the meeting.

The right to request the conclusion of the Constitutional Council is enjoyed by: the President, the Prime Minister, the chairmen of the chambers, as well as groups of deputies of at least 60 people.

Draft laws recognized by the Constitutional Council as unconstitutional at the stage of consideration are not subject to parliamentary approval, or are not subject to signature by the President, if the draft law has already been voted on and submitted for signing. (The term of consideration is 1 month, if the government announces an urgent review, then 8 days).

The regulations of the chambers and all organic laws are automatically submitted to the KSA.

In the same manner as in relation to draft laws, the Constitutional Council may be requested regarding the constitutionality of the relevant international treaties. If the Constitutional Council determines by its decision that a signed international treaty is contrary to the Constitution, it cannot be ratified until a corresponding amendment to the Constitution is made.

The Constitutional Council also oversees:

The Council considers complaints about the correctness of the election of members of both chambers of parliament, issues of non-election and incompatibility of posts arising in relation to members of parliament.

The Constitutional Council has broad competence in relation to the election of the President of the Republic. The Council participates in the preparation of elections, in the conduct of election operations and in the announcement of their results. The Council advises the government on the organization of elections, candidates for the post of President are presented to the Council, and it draws up a list of them; The Council checks the correctness of the nomination of candidates, publishes the list compiled by it.

If the death of the President of the Republic followed, he states the need for a temporary replacement of this post; The President of the Senate becomes interim president. The Council also has the right to ascertain the vacancy of the post of President of the Republic, when he cannot fulfill his duties; then he states that this state is final and there is a need for new elections of the head of state.

The Constitutional Council participates in the introduction of a state of emergency in the country on the basis of Art. 16 of the constitution. Before introducing such a provision, the President of the Republic should consult with the Prime Minister, the chairmen of the parliamentary chambers and the Constitutional Council. However, such consultations do not oblige the head of state to anything. The measures taken by the President during this period are considered by the Constitutional Council.

The Constitutional Council also oversees the conduct of the referendum and announces its results. In this case, he advises the government in the preparation and conduct of such a vote. The Council examines all sorts of protests for violations during referendums. He monitors the total vote count and announces the voting results.

The procedure for revising the Constitution in France

The 1958 Constitution belongs to the so-called. rigid constitutions. There is a special procedure for making changes. The initiator can be the President of the Republic, but in practice both the Government and the parliamentarians themselves submit draft amendments for discussion by the Parliament.

There are 2 procedures:

1) the proposed draft revision of the Constitution is discussed by each of the chambers and, if approved by a majority of votes of each of the chambers, is submitted to a referendum. If the draft has collected a certain majority in a referendum, it is signed by the President, and the corresponding amendment is formalized in the form of a corresponding constitutional law (these are only those acts that amend the Constitution).

2) when introducing a bill on revising the Constitution, the President of the Republic may convene the Constitutional Assembly in the form of a joint meeting of the chambers (they always meet at Versailles). If during the Constitutional Conference the draft is approved by 3/5 of the votes cast, it is considered approved and published with the signature of the President.

But practice gave rise to another procedure. The draft is submitted to the chambers and, after approval by each of them, may be submitted to a referendum by the President. But the President has no obligation to submit the draft to a referendum. This is the so-called “postponed decision” when the President does not submit a draft to a referendum. An example from history - an amendment to change the term of office of the President (it was about replacing a seven-year term with a five-year one) - the project was not submitted to a referendum.

* * *

Over the years of existenceV Of the Republic, a number of amendments were made to the Constitution.

Amendment No. 1 (in 1960) stated the disintegration, the impossibility of implementing the principles of the so-called. The French community, which were set out in the text of the Constitution (for example, “being in the community is incompatible with independence”). In 1960, most of the colonies declared independence. The Constitutional Assembly was convened and the amendment voted.

The 1962 amendment changed the procedure for electing the President. Prior to this amendment, he was elected by an electoral college dominated by representatives of small communes, and now the President is elected through general and direct elections. This amendment provoked objections from the parliament, he not only did not approve it, but also expressed no confidence in the Government. After that, de Gaulle dissolved the National Assembly, and the amendment was put to a referendum without parliamentary approval (since it was dissolved) (while de Gaulle referred to Article 11 of the Constitution). The majority of the population expressed support for the amendment, and it was approved. Opponents spoke in favor of repealing this amendment, since the referendum, in their opinion, was illegal. The matter reached the Constitutional Council, but it refused to consider the case, citing the lack of appropriate powers.

Some of the following amendments (there were more than 10 of them):

Changes were made to the procedure for holding sessions of parliament. Previously - 2 sessions per year with a maximum duration of no more than 5 1/2 months, now - an annual session;

The procedure for applying to the Constitutional Council was changed, groups of deputies and senators received the right to apply;

Article 11 was revised, the subject of a possible referendum was expanded;

Among the latest amendments is also a new chapter of the Constitution, dedicated to France's participation in the European communities and the EU. What is it all about?

1) The introduction of this chapter confirmed the participation of France in the European communities and the EU, secured the possibility of transferring certain powers to the Union for their joint implementation by the member states of these communities, but this is not a transfer of sovereign rights or part of sovereignty!

2) Recognition by France of the principles of construction, action and participation of France in an economic and monetary union with all the ensuing consequences. France also confirmed its agreement with the border crossing rules that are established in the treaty establishing the EU (now an integral part of the text of the Amsterdam Treaty), i.e. recognition of the validity of the Schengen provisions.

3) The legal status of EU citizens is fixed, their right to participate in elections at the level of the formation of municipal bodies.

The 1995 Amendment (currently under implementation) revises articles related to legal proceedings against the President and senior officials. Previously, the creation of a special court was envisaged, but the provisions on the grounds (“treason to the Motherland”) were the same. The procedure for considering such cases was changed: the issue of legal proceedings against the President was separated from the issue of legal proceedings against senior officials. Bodies such as the High Chamber of Justice have emerged, which only considers cases against the President if such an accusation was supported by a majority of both houses. As far as officials are concerned, it is simply the Chamber of Justice, which consists of representatives of parliament and the court of cassation.

Here are the main constitutional amendments.

Legislative procedure

In the adoption of simple laws, the peculiarity is the limitation of the competence of parliament. Article 34 of the Constitution sets out a list of issues on which parliament can legislate. All areas outside of those mentioned in this article are under the jurisdiction of the government. Disputes about the belonging of a particular sphere of regulation are resolved by the Constitutional Council.

In addition to simple laws, parliament adopts organic laws, for which some special rules are established. First of all, 15 days must pass before the consideration of the draft organic law in the chamber, i.e. in this case, time is given to study the draft law and determine their position by parliamentary factions and parliamentarians. Secondly, organic laws concerning the Senate must be passed by both houses in an identical wording, i.e. the government cannot ask the National Assembly to have the "last word" without the consent of the Senate. Third, if the government applies the procedure of a mixed parity commission, then an organic law can ultimately be adopted by the National Assembly, but only by an absolute majority of the payroll, i.e. regardless of whether the deputies are present at this meeting, whether they cast their vote or not participate in the vote.

The legislative initiative belongs to the Prime Minister and parliamentarians. The President of the Republic formally does not have the right to such an initiative. Government bills (there is a difference in terms - bills are submitted by the government; legislative proposals - draft laws submitted by parliamentarians) are prepared by the relevant services of one or more ministries; drafts are considered by the Council of Ministers after they receive the opinion of the Council of State, in this case acting as an advisory body to the government. Projects are submitted to the office of one of the chambers. An exception is financial bills; they must be entered into the Bureau of the National Assembly.

Law proposals are submitted to the bureau of the chamber to which the deputies or political factions belong. Projects are numbered. Based on Art. 40 of the constitution, proposals are not acceptable if the consequence of their adoption would be a reduction in revenues or the creation or increase of government spending. This requirement greatly reduces the possibilities for parliamentarians.

Prior to the discussion of a draft law or a proposal in the National Assembly, it is possible to introduce a preliminary question on the expediency of discussing the act submitted for consideration.

The next stage of the legislative procedure is the submission of projects to a permanent or special commission. The commission considering a project or proposal has competence in relation to these acts throughout the discussion. After the project is included in the agenda, the further (usual) procedure consists of the following stages: general discussion, article-by-article discussion, voting on the project as a whole. First, the first reading in the chamber takes place, including the named stages, and the text is transferred to the second chamber. When the draft is returned from it, a second reading is carried out. There may be a third, fourth, etc. reading.

The conference of chairpersons (it is responsible for setting the agenda; it includes members of the bureau of the chamber and chairmen of factions) determines the duration of the general discussion within the established agenda. The set time is distributed between the factions in such a way that each of them is guaranteed an equal minimum time.

Based on Art. 44 of the constitution, the government has the right to demand from the chamber a unified vote on all or part of the discussed text, subject only to government amendments. This procedure is called "blocked voting". This procedure allows the government to interrupt the discussion at any time. When putting forward demands to governments for a blocked vote, the regulations of the chambers provide for only 5-minute speeches of speakers (one from a faction) to explain the reasons for voting.

A bill or a bill passed in the first reading shall be passed to another chamber for the first reading. If the chamber that received the draft accepts it without changes, then its chairman transmits the final text to the president of the republic, and the chairman of the other is notified of this. After the chamber has submitted a draft, the other most often rejects some articles, changes others, and some articles remain unchanged. The act is returned to the first chamber for a second reading; however, the articles adopted by both chambers can no longer be changed. Rules approved by chambers in identical wording become final at this stage of the procedure. Shuttle procedure, i.e. transfer of the project from chamber to chamber will continue until they come to a consensus.

To avoid "shuttle" when the government wants it: Art. 45: “meeting of the mixed parity commission (7 members from each chamber), authorized to propose an act concerning the provisions on which disagreements remain." , and then to the Senate), then the chamber, which, prior to the convocation of the commission, was the last to discuss the text, can again proceed to its consideration on the basis of the usual procedure, that is, providing for "shuttle" discussion.

A law passed by Parliament is sent to the President for promulgation, who, within 15 days after the transmission of the law, may require a new discussion of the law or its parts (Article 10) or send the text for consideration by the Constitutional Council.

The passage of financial bills through parliament has some peculiarities. The draft is submitted to the National Assembly no later than the third Tuesday of October of the month of the previous year. The meeting must express its opinion on this draft in the first reading within 40 days after its submission. The Senate must make a decision within 20 days after the draft has been submitted to it. If the Assembly has not adopted the draft as a whole in the first reading within the specified time period, the government shall submit the initial draft to the Senate; if necessary, it makes amendments adopted by the Assembly and approved by the government. In this case, the Senate must speak within 15 days. The draft financial law is considered subject to the rules of the expedited procedure. If the parliament has not adopted the draft within 70 days after its submission, then it can be entered into force by issuing an ordinance signed by the President of the Republic.

If the Government has not submitted the draft budget to the Parliament on time, then it urgently asks the Parliament for permission to collect taxes and opens loans by decree in accordance with the adopted parts of the budget.

List of references

For the preparation of this work were used materials from the site

France is the largest country in Europe, one of the most important tourist centers in the world. France also occupies a leading position in the world economy. The main legislative body is the French Parliament, which consists of two chambers: the Senate (upper house) and the National Assembly (lower house).

State structure

At the moment, the form of government in France is a presidential-parliamentary republic. The head of state is the president, who is elected for a term of 5 years. Since 2017, Emmanuel Macron has been President.

Figure: 1. President of France - Emmanuel Macron.

Since 1958, the Fifth Republic has been operating in the country, and it was in this year that a new constitution was adopted. However, France has not always been a presidential republic. An absolute monarchy in France existed from the 16th to the 18th century. At this time, all power belonged to the monarch. Absolutism was overthrown by the Great French Revolution.

In France, as in any democratic country, there are three branches of government: judicial, executive and legislative. In the judicial system, the highest court is the court of cassation. Executive power is exercised by the President, who appoints the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister, in turn, is responsible for the political component of the government. Legislative power is vested in parliament, which makes laws and oversees government action.

Parliament of France

The Parliament of France is bicameral, that is, it consists of an Upper House (Senate) and a Lower House (National Assembly of France), each of which performs specific functions.

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Meetings of the National Assembly are held in the Bourbon Palace, and the Senate in the Luxembourg Palace. When the chambers come together, they sit at Versailles.

Figure: 2. Bourbon Palace in France.

The National Assembly consists of 577 deputies who are elected by direct elections under the majority system for a 5-year term. The main task of the national assembly is to consider and pass new laws, as well as to closely monitor the actions of the government. The president is a representative of the leading party, and the vice president is usually a representative of the other party.

The Senate consists of 348 senators who are elected by popular vote through indirect elections for a term of 6 years.

Figure: 3. Session in the Senate in France.

The minimum age for a senator is 24

What have we learned?

France is a presidential-parliamentary republic. But this was not always the case, since a few centuries ago there was a monarchy in the country, where all power belonged to the king. Now the adoption of laws is in the department of parliament, which consists of two chambers - the Senate and the National Assembly.

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