French Political System
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Questions and Answers

What power does the president have in relation to the legislature?

  • To pass laws without legislative approval
  • To dissolve the legislature and call new elections (correct)
  • To abolish the legislature
  • To appoint members to the legislature

    • What is the usual reason for the president to dissolve the legislature?

  • To obtain or reinforce legislative majorities to the president's liking (correct)
  • To gain more power for themselves
  • To reduce the power of the prime minister
  • To punish the legislature for not cooperating

    • Who helps the president develop and initiate policy?

  • The president's staff (correct)
  • The cabinet
  • The prime minister
  • The legislature

    • What is the relationship between the president and the prime minister?

    <p>The president has more power than the prime minister</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How often has the president used their power to dissolve the legislature?

    <p>Five times</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of the president's staff?

    <p>To help develop and initiate policy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who works with the president's staff on policy development?

    <p>The prime minister and cabinet</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the system of government described in the content?

    <p>Semi-presidential system</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term used to describe the situation where a French president appoints a prime minister from the opposition party?

    <p>Cohabitation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How long are French presidents elected for?

    <p>Five years</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of the French president in the legislative process?

    <p>They can ask the lower house to reconsider legislation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who elects the French president?

    <p>The people through a national election</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of the precedent set by de Gaulle in the French political system?

    <p>It gives the president more authority</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of the French president in relation to the armed forces?

    <p>They direct the armed forces</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can the French president do if they disagree with a piece of legislation?

    <p>Ask the lower house to reconsider the legislation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of the constitution of the Fifth Republic in relation to the French president?

    <p>It gives the president some formal powers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the minimum number of members from either house of the legislature required to request a constitutional review from the council?

    <p>60</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of electoral system does France use for its lower house elections?

    <p>Single-Member Districts (SMDs)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a requirement to be eligible to run for president in France?

    <p>Be a member of a political party</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How many rounds of voting are used in the French presidential elections?

    <p>Two</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary role of the Constitutional Council in the French political system?

    <p>To rule on constitutional matters</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a body that can request a constitutional review from the council?

    <p>The Constitutional Court</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the significance of the 12.5 percent threshold in the French legislative elections?

    <p>It is the minimum percentage of votes required for a party to be eligible to participate in the second round of elections</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following countries does the text use as examples of countries with single-member district (SMD) electoral systems?

    <p>Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of system is the legislative-executive system in France?

    <p>Semi-presidential</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary judicial body in France?

    <p>Conseil Constitutionnel</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which electoral system is used for the lower house of the French Parliament?

    <p>Single-member districts with two rounds of balloting</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who primarily has the authority to select the prime minister in France?

    <p>The President</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following represents a key feature of France's political structure?

    <p>Unitary division of power</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What must happen for the President's choice of prime minister to take effect?

    <p>The legislature must approve</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of the Conseil d'Etat in the French political system?

    <p>Advisory judicial body</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main geographic subunit in the French political system?

    <p>Regions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a significant feature of the semi-presidential system in the context of cohabitation?

    <p>The prime minister can legislate without a majority in the legislature.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following describes the legislative power limit mentioned in the content?

    <p>The prime minister does not feel bound to subordinate policy matters.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What power is granted to the legislature by Article 38 of the constitution?

    <p>To issue decrees known as ordinances.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How has the legislature gradually asserted itself since the 1970s?

    <p>By conducting weekly question sessions for ministers.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the structure of the French legislature?

    <p>It is a bicameral system known as the Parliament.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the term 'question time' refer to?

    <p>A time allocated for questioning government ministers.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement accurately reflects the legislative conditions during cohabitation?

    <p>The prime minister's powers become more prominent.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    During which decades was the feature of passing legislation without legislative debate most frequently used?

    <p>1980s and 1990s</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    French Political System

    • The French political system is a semi-presidential system with a unitary division of power.
    • The legislature is bicameral, consisting of the Assemblée Nationale (Lower House) and the Sénat (Upper House).

    Electoral System

    • The electoral system for the lower house is a single-member district system with two rounds of balloting.
    • The system encourages more parties and candidates, but the 12.5% threshold for entry into the second round severely limits the number of parties that actually win.

    Constitutional Council

    • The Constitutional Council (Conseil Constitutionnel) is the chief judicial body responsible for ruling on constitutional matters.
    • The Council has the power to act on requests from the government, the president, or at least 60 members of either house of the legislature.
    • In recent years, the Council has shown more independence, as seen in its rejection of legislation in 2008.

    President's Powers

    • The president is the head of state with important political powers, but they are less explicit than those held by their U.S. counterparts.
    • The president appoints a prime minister who must be approved by a majority of the lower house of the legislature.
    • The president has the power to dissolve the legislature and call new elections, a power that has been employed on five occasions.
    • The president also enjoys a powerful staff that helps develop and initiate policy and work with the prime minister and cabinet.

    Prime Minister's Powers

    • The prime minister assumes a greater degree of power when the president lacks a majority in the legislature, leading to a parliamentary system with a more ceremonial president.
    • The prime minister must be approved by a majority of the lower house of the legislature and is responsible for selecting the cabinet.

    Legislature's Powers

    • The legislature has the power to approve the president's choice of prime minister.
    • The legislature can also enable the government to legislate via decrees, known as ordinances, though this power has been used sparingly.
    • The legislature has gradually asserted itself more forcefully since the 1970s, conducting a weekly questioning of government ministers.

    Local Government

    • France has a long history of localism and regionalism, with three levels of local government: region, department, and commune.
    • Corsica is a rare exception to this general picture.

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    Description

    This quiz covers the essential features of the French political system, including the legislative-executive system, legislature, division of power, and electoral system. Test your knowledge of the French government!

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