La France

1
La France

• Political system
• Actors and institutions

2
Un Peu DHistoire

• Pre-Revolution
• Revolution
• Regimes since Revolution
• 5 republics
• 3 monarchies
• 2 empires
• 1 fascist puppet state
• Regime instability

3
Encore dHistoire

• 1st Republic (1792-99)
• 2nd Republic (1848-52)
• 3rd Republic (1875-1940)
• 4th Republic (1946 1958)
• 5th Republic (1958 today)
• Republicanism - the default system
• But enduring pre-republican patterns
• Tradition of political change combined with
  socio-cultural conservatism

4
The 4th Republic (1946-58)

• End of WWII - republicanism dominant credo
• but conflict about form
• constitution eventually agreed (hated by de
  Gaulle)
• lack of strong executive
• President as figurehead
• Prime Minister chosen by and responsible to
  legislature

5
4th Republic - Problems

• No coherent or stable majorities
• 25 governments in 12 years
• civil servants more influential than politicians
  (technocratic)
• But some good points
• However, French generals not happy
• And then there was Algeria

6
The 5th Republic (1958 - today)

• A coup détat?
• How different from 4th Republic?
• Much stronger executive (quasi-monarchical?)
• Plebiscitary features
• Reacting to different circumstances

7
La Constitution

• Popular election of President
• Strong Presidential powers
• Incompatibility of cabinet office with
  parliamentary mandate
• Referenda
• Traditional Republican features
• Constitutional adaptation relatively easy

8
LÉtat

• Unitary
• Democratic
• Republic
• Secular
• Elected President
• Strong executive
• Traditionally centralised administration

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10
Le Système Politique

• The President
• The Prime Minister
• Parliament
• The National Assembly
• The Senate
• Sub-state territorial government

11
LExécutif

• Dual Executive
• President
• Prime Minister
• Cohabitation
• Powerful
• Assisted by powerful and prestigious bureaucratic
  élite

12
La Législature

• 5th Republic different from 4th
• National Assembly
• Rules of procedure
• Bills
• Accumulation of mandates
• Not the centre of French political life
• Senate
• Conservative
• Limited power

13
Les Faiblesses du Parlement

• Weak Parliament?
• 5th Republic - paradoxical position
• Constitutional reduction of powers from 4th
  Republic
• executive power not to emanate from Parliament
• restrictions in legislative competence
• Government sets agenda and timetable
• Committee structure weakened
• Financial powers constrained
• Limited power to force government from office
• Government able to legislate by decree

14
Les Faiblesses (cont.)

• Extra-Constitutional weaknesses
• Prime Ministers treat Parliament with disdain
• Too much work
• Deputies frequently indifferent to Government
  abuse of power
• Debates not well attended
• Scope of policies considered limited
• Lack of effective, coherent opposition

15
Cest pour quoi, le Parlement?

• Rubber stamp executive decisions?
• Taken for granted?
• Senate can be hostile (especially to Left)
• Amendments are increasing
• Parliamentary Commissions do expose wrongdoing
• Parliament may submit laws to Constitutional
  Council if unhappy

16
La Culture Politique

• Étatisme - state centrality
• Dirigisme - state managed capitalism
• Nationalism
• Rural outlook?
• Protectionist?
• Long tradition of democracy
• but flaws in democratic behaviour?

17
Plus ça change ?

• Increasing societal cynicism?
• Change in political activism
• A demystification of the state?
• French exceptionalism
• Or are political attitudes and behaviour
  increasingly resembling those of other W
  Europeans?