Government in France

French Republic A form of government used by the France Republic was Semi-

Presidential Republic – it has both a President and a Prime Minister

“France” comes from the Latin word Francia, meaning “country of the Franks.” The “Franks” might

refer to Germanic words for “javelin” or “free.”

France officially the French Republic is a sovereign state comprising territory in 

western Europe and several overseas regions and territories.

The European part of France, called metropolitan France, extends from the 

Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the

Atlantic Ocean.

France spans 643,801 square kilometres and has a total population of 66.6 million, It is a unitary semi-presidential republic with the 

capital in Paris, the country's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre.

French Republic

Government of France

Government of FranceRepublic of France

Judicial Executive Legislative

France’s government is divided into an executive, legislative, and judicial branch, much like the U.S. and

the Philippines.

The President appoints the Prime Minister, who must be approved by the lower house of parliament, the

National Assembly.

Government of FranceExecutive:

Consequently the Presidency is easily the most powerful position in the

French political system. Duties include heading the armed forces, appointment

of the Prime Minister.

In the French political system, the relationship between the President and

the Prime Minister - the first- and second-highest authorities respectively

- is critical.

Government of FranceExecutive:

President Prime Minister The president is directly elected by the French people every five years. The French Constitution declares him head of state and gives him control over foreign policy and defense.

The president names the prime minister

the president can dissolve the national assembly (low chamber of the parliament) and the assembly can remove the prime minister through a vote of no confidence. 

The prime minister serves as head of government and is in charge of domestic policy and day-to-day governing. He also recommends for presidential approval the other members of his Cabinet.

The Prime Minister may propose legislation for Parliament’s approval, or he may issue decrees (i.e. executive orders) within certain constraints.

he/she is usually the first person to go when there is any serious trouble between the president and the assembly, or when the president explicitly wants to show he is changing his policy.

Government of FranceExecutive: Ministries

Similar to “departments” in the U.S. and Philippines, ministries split responsibility in the

executive branch.

Each Ministry is divided into directions, which are each headed by a minister.Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development

Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and EnergyMinistry of National Education, Higher Education and Research

Ministry of JusticeMinistry of Finance and Public Accounts

Ministry of DefenceMinistry of Social Affairs, Health and Women's Rights

Ministry of Labour, Employment, Vocational Training and Social DialogueMinistry of the Interior

Ministry of Agriculture, Agrifood and ForestryMinistry of the Economy, Industry and the Digital SectorMinistry of Housing, Regional Equality and Rural Affairs

Ministry for Decentralization and the Civil ServiceMinistry of Culture and Communication

Ministry of Urban Affairs, Youth and SportMinistry for Overseas France

Government of FranceLegislative:

Divided between the National Assembly and the Senate, much like Congress

in the U.S. and the Philippines.

The Senate’s powers are limited; National Assembly

has the last word in the event of a disagreement.

Government of FranceLegislative: National Assembly The lower house in the French

political system is the National Assembly. This has 577 seats representing single-member

constituencies. The 2.5 million French people living abroad have the

opportunity to vote in one of 11 constituencies grouping areas of the

world together. Members of the National Assembly are directly elected in a two-stage voting system. A candidate who receives more than 50% of the vote in the first round is elected. All elections are held on a Sunday morning.

The National Assembly tends to specialize in scrutinizing day-to-day government business. In cases of disagreement with the Senate, the position of the National Assembly prevails. Critics have argued that the Assembly is weak in terms of setting its own agenda and holding the executive to account.

Government of FranceLegislative: Senate

The upper house in the French political system is the Senate. This currently has a total of 348 seats (the number depends on

population changes): 323 representing mainland France, 13 representing French overseas territories, and 12 representing

French nationals abroad

The Senate tends to specialize in constitutional matters and foreign affairs including European . The Senate meets in the

Luxembourg Palace. Members of the Senate are indirectly elected by an electoral college of 88,000 made up of

city councilors and local officials which provides a rural and therefore Right-wing bias to the

process. Since the Fifth Republic was established in 1958, Right-wing parties have always held a majority in the Senate until the elections when the Left took control for the first time. Members serve a six-year term - a reduction from the previous nine years - and one-half of seats come up for election every

three years.

Government of FranceLegislative: Political Party

France is a multi-party political system which means that often no one party wins a majority of seats in the Assembly. Indeed the major parties

themselves are often very fractional with shifting personal allegiances.

French politics has traditionally been characterized by two politically opposed groupings but, in recent years, a third force has emerged so

that elections are now effectively a triangular contest.

Government of FranceJudicial:

France uses a civil legal system; that is, law arises primarily from

written statutes; judges are not to make law, but merely to interpret it. The basic principles of the rule

of law were laid down in the Napoleonic Code.

The highest appellate court in France is called the Cour de

Cassation and the six chief judges are appointed by the President.

Unlike the supreme courts in other countries (such as the USA, and

Philippines), it does not have the power of judicial review.

Government of FranceJudicial:

The power of judicial review is vested in a separate Constitutional Court which is a unique creation of

the Fifth Republic. The court consists of nine members: one

appointment made by each of the President, the President of the

Senate, and the President of the National Assembly every three

years for a nine-year, non-renewable term. This contrasts

with the US and Philippine system where the President makes all appointments to the Supreme

Court but then the appointments are for life.

Functions of the French

Government According to the Constitution of the French Fifth Republic, the government directs and decides the policy of the nation. In practice,

the government writes bills to be introduced to parliament, and also writes and issues decrees. All

political decisions made by the government must be registered in the government gazette. All bills and some decrees must be approved by the Council of Ministers. Furthermore, it is the Council of Ministers that defines

the collective political and policy direction of the government, and takes practical steps to implement that direction. In addition to writing and implementing policy, the government is responsible for national defense, and

directs the actions of the French Armed Forces. The workings of the government of France are based on the

principle of collegiality.

Functions of the French

Government LEVEL ONE – THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT

So again, their government was Semi-Presidential Republic –

it has both a President and a Prime Minister

The head of state is the president, elected every five years by a majority vote during a general election. There are usually two rounds. If there is no clear

majority winner after the first round of voting, a second is held a few weeks later.

France has a bicameral parliament (parlement) with two houses – the National Assembly  and the Senate .

Functions of the French

Government The National Assembly is the lower house and consists of 577 members (called députés) who are elected by majority

during one or two rounds (in a similar system to the presidential voting) in constituencies through the country. A

constituency comprises 100,000 inhabitants or fewer. Each député serves a five-year term.

The premier minister and Conseil des Ministres are responsible only to the Assemblée nationale. If the National

Assembly passes a motion of censure, or rejects a programme or declaration of policy, then the prime minister must resign.

The Senate is the upper house and consists of 349 seats – 326 for metropolitan France, 10 for overseas departments and territories and 12 for French nationals abroad. In the

past senators (served for nine years, with new elections for one-third of the seats held every three years.

Functions of the French

Government LEVEL TWO – REGIONS Members of the regional council are elected for six years, and they oversee

planning, regional town and country planning, economic development,

vocational training and the building, equipment and running costs of high-

schools. The regional council has a budget and they are directly responsible to the

Treasury.

They are assisted by an economic and social committee, a consultative assembly made up of representatives of businesses,

the professions, trade unions and other employees’ organizations, and regional

voluntary organizations.

Functions of the French

Government France is divided into 101 departments, four of which are overseas.

 it consists of the heads of the largest part of the executive branch of the national government of the France. Currently, it

includes the secretaries of 19 executive department and the heads of other several other minor agencies and offices that are

subordinate to the President of the France.

The Cabinet secretaries are tasked to advise the President on the different affairs of the state like agriculture, budget, education and

etc.

LEVEL THREE – DEPARTMENTS

Functions of the French

Government Voters elect a municipal council every six years, and the council elects

its chief executive, in this case the mayor. The mayor is also considered a

representative of the government.

The Mayos and the municipal council propose and implement the municipal budget and ensure the

conservation and management of the commune’s natural environment

including issues over heritage and building permits. Mayors are also

responsible for security and public health and have at their disposal the

municipal administration.

LEVEL FOUR – COMMUNES

Functions of the French

Government AND FINALLY.. INTERCOMMUNALITY

The basic form of intercommunality is the communauté de communes (municipalities), a

federation of municipalities geographically adjacent to each other. Another form of

intercommunal organization is the barangay/pays. A pays is an area with common geographical,

economic, cultural, or social interests and which has entered into a communal planning contract,

more of a forum for discussion and setting objectives, rather than a formal governmental body

as it has no budgetary or law-making powers.

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