1. Politics in a semi-presidential regime
France:
Politics in a semi-presidential regime

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

13. Incidence of cohabitation
(Mitterand presidency)
Right wins 1986 National Assembly elections
Mitterand appoints Chirac as Premier
Right wins National Assembly
Mitterand appoints Balladur as Premier
(Chirac presidency)
Chirac dissolves National Assembly
Left majority
Chirac appoints Socialist, Lionel Jospin as Premier

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