2. 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.”
3. 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
5. Government of Franc
Republic 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.
6. Government of Franc
Executive:
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.
7. Government of Franc
Executive:
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.
8. Government of Franc
Executive: 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 Energy
Ministry of National Education, Higher Education and Research
Ministry of Justice
Ministry of Finance and Public Accounts
Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Social Affairs, Health and Women's Rights
Ministry of Labour, Employment, Vocational Training and Social Dialogue
Ministry of the Interior
Ministry of Agriculture, Agrifood and Forestry
Ministry of the Economy, Industry and the Digital Sector
Ministry of Housing, Regional Equality and Rural Affairs
Ministry for Decentralization and the Civil Service
Ministry of Culture and Communication
Ministry of Urban Affairs, Youth and Sport
Ministry for Overseas France
9. Government of Franc
Legislative:
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.
10. Government of Franc
Legislative: 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.
11. Government of France
Legislative: 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.
12. Government of Franc
Legislative: 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.
13. Government of Franc
Judicial:
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.
14. Government of Franc
Judicial:
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.
15. 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.
16. 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 .
17. 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.
18. 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.
19. 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
20. 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
21. 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.
