France

The Fifth Republic (1958-present)

• De Gaulle's constitution that was in reaction to the perceived instability of previous two regimes

• It eliminated the prime ministerial system and enhance the presidential executive (creating a semi-presidential system)– Power is shared by the legislature, a directly elected

president, and a prime minister who reports to both– President – head of state– PM – head of government– http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Forms_of_governm

ent.svg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_of_France#Government

Presidency

• Francois Hollande (since May 2012)• Constitution is ambiguous on powers between

head of state and head of govt.• During the Fifth Republic the President has

acquired more power – above the parties– Credit goes to de Gaulle and the fact that it is the

only nationally elected official• More than the UK, but less than the US• 5-yr. terms with no limits

• According to the Constitution the French President– Does not directly govern (appoints the PM (

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Marc_Ayrault) – approved by a majority of the lower house)• PM is becomes a chief aide

– Select a cabinet (Council of Ministers)– Preside over day-to-day affairs

• But what if opposing parties dominate the Presidency and the lower house?

• Presidents– Direct the armed forces– Cannot veto (can ask lower house to reconsider)– Submit referenda directly to the people– Must sign all laws and decrees (but also have to

be signed by all of the Council of Ministers)– Can dissolve the legislature and call new elections– Can remove PM and Ministers

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_presidential_election,_2012

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_National_Assembly

Prime Minister• Appointed by the President• Article 23 of Constitution prevents members of

the legislature from serving simultaneously as PM and deputy

• They cultivate support for President’s policies• PM’s power is enhanced when President doesn’t

have a majority in the legislature– Calls for cohabitation

• If PM is censured, the whole Cabinet of Ministers Resigns.

The Legislature

• Bicameral – named Parlement– National Assembly (lower) with 577 deputies– Senate (upper) with 348

• National Assembly– Five year term

• Senate– Six year term

• Legislature is weaker than most other places– Blocked vote – must accept or reject bills in

their entirety and allows votes on only amendments approved by the government

– Can’t introduce bills or amendments to raise money

– Matters of confidence – proposed laws are passed unless the legislature passes a motion of censure (however this calls for a new legislature election)

– decrees

• Senate– Elected indirectly– Can only delay legislation passed by the

lower house– Main power is the rejection of

constitutional amendments (because these require both houses to approve)

Judicial• Follow the continental European code – Laws are derived from detailed legal codes

rather than precedent• The role of judges is to interpret and apply

the codes– They have less discretion than American judges

• However, judges determine whether charges should be brought and they assume many of the roles of U.S. prosecuting attorneys

Constitutional Council• Due to potential conflict of the semi-presidential

system the Constitutional Council was created• They settle constitutional disputes

– At the request of PM, head of either house, or a group of 60 members of either house

– Rule on it only before it is passed

• Nine members – 3 are appointed by the President; 6 appointed by leaders of both houses- 3 by NA and 3 by the Senate

• All ex-presidents are life-time members• Non-renewable 9 year term (1/3 every three years)

• They assure –the proper conduct of

referendums–Conduct of the Presidential

election–Conduct of election of NA

and Senate should issues arise

Electoral System• Presidents are elected in two rounds

every 5 years• Must get over 50% in the first round to

avoid the second round (has not happened in the Fifth Republic)

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_presidential_election,_2012

• SMD, two-round system in the National Assembly as well

• Candidates with over 12.5% of the vote make it to the second round (unless someone gets 50% to start)

• They had a brief period of Proportional Representation during Mitterrand, but returned to SMD after two years

• Two rounds of voting creates many parties

• The Senate is elected indirectly through the electoral college of local representatives

• This makes it a “local interest” body that tends to be very conservative

• Long history of localism and regionalism for a unitary state, but limited separatism issues

• 22 French Regions

French Departments

Headed by Prefects (government appointed official)

• representing the state to local governments;• security

– the coordination of police and gendarmerie forces;– handling major crises;– emergency defence procedures;

• safety– the decision to evacuate zones facing natural disasters; the organisation of

relief operations;• responsibility for official documents, such as

– the production of identity documents, including identity cards and passports;

– the issuing of driving licences, and their administrative withdrawal in case of certain offenses;

– the application of immigration rules;• ensuring respect for legality: officials working for the prefect verify the

legality of decisions made by local governments and submit doubtful cases to administrative courts or to financial auditing courts.

French Communes

• Like our townships

• Policies enacted by the French Third Republic also encouraged this displacement through mandatory military service, a centralized national educational system, and suppression of regional languages

French Bureaucracy• Best in the world

– Republican meritocracy• Ecole Polytechnic (X)

– admission after two years of highly competitive university work in math/science

– Less than 3000• Ecole nationale d’administration (ENA)

– About 100 grads a year• Pantouflage (putting on slippers)

– The move from the administrative elite to the top of the private sector

• Very much apart of the state planning– Government consumption is 25% (U.S. is 18%; UK is 21%)

Party System

• By the 1970s– Right: Rally for the French Republic

(RPR) and the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP)

– Left: French Communist Part (PCF) and the Socialist Party (PS

French Society

Ethnic & National Identity

• In the past France had many distinct ethnic identities with their own culture and language. Over time these diverse identities assimilated into one French identity.

• This was connected to the state in its role of national identity.

• French Revolutionaries, unlike American Revolutionaries, wanted a powerful state that would destroy the former institutions.

• The concept of laicite’ is the subordination of religious identity to state and national identity (Illegal to take ethnicity and religion in their census).

Ethnic & National Identity Continued…

• In the past this assimilation has been effective, but in the past few decades, due to the influx of immigration.– Largest Muslim population in Europe (5-7

million)– Muslims are expected to put faith below the national

and patriotic identity.– French elites fear multiculturalism because it may

“undermine the political fabric that binds the country.”

Ideology & Political Culture

• The French favor individual political leaders instead of ideological groupings.

• Strong populist ideas and common mistrust of institutions such as political parties.

• With the populist notions comes the many protests that France has each year (Between 1998 & 2001 France experienced an average of 1,000 industrial actions per year. In 2001 alone there were 800 political protests).

Dirigism

• By the 20th Century France was behind the rest of the world in its economic development.

• They had a large agricultural sector and low urbanization.

• After WWII France wanted to rapidly transform their economy which lead to what they termed dirigism.

• Nationalism of several sectors of the economy(i.e. utilities).

• Promotion of “National Champion” industries to compete internationally.

• Creation of the National Planning Ministry.

Dirigism Continued…• Established the ENA to ensure the education

of bureaucrats who would be able to direct the economy.

• The dirigist system helped economic wealth grow and urbanization increased as promised.

• With the help of the EU, by 1973 France had transformed their agricultural sector to one of large-scale production and had increased its GDP to 80% of the US’ GDP.

Foreign Relations & the World

• With the onset of the Cold War, France felt that their national identity was threatened by the ideology of the two super powers, Russia and the United States.

• French Foreign policy over the past 50 years has been dictated by its desire to amplify the country’s position in the world.

• France used the EU to extend its power and level the playing field with Russia and the United States.

• France wasn’t involved with NATO to the extent they were involved with the EU because they didn’t want the American interests to take hold.

Foreign Relations Continued…

• France was threatened by the end of the Cold War and the rise of US stature. They feared it would undermine France’s place in world order.

• With the rise of US power, the French desire to make the EU independent of the US has intensified.

• France has good relations in the Middle East which caused a conflict when the US decided to go to war with Iraq.

• France fears EU expansion eastward because more diverse voices may dilute French influence.