1. Revolution and Democracy
France
Revolution and Democracy

2. France Population 59 million President Jacques Chiraq
Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin
Religion: 73% R.C., 1.3% Jewish, 1.7% Protestant, million Muslims
Practice for all groups is down
Ethnic groups: Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Sub-Saharan African, Indochinese, and Basque minorities
Current constitution since 1958

3. Historic Chronology 1791-89 Constitutional Monarchy 1789 Bastille Day
First Republic
Statist tradition: state bureaucracy, govt administered separately from crown
1789 Bastille Day
1799 Napoleon seizes power
1830 Louis Philippe replaces last Bourbon on throne
Second Republic est. in Paris Revolution
Characterized by conflict, unable to govern
1852 Napoleon III crowned
1870 defeat in Franco-Prussian War leads to revolution

4. Historic Chronology 1871 Third Republic emerges German Occupation
Competing groups develop constitution
Endures through world war one (Maginot Line) until German occupation, 1940
German Occupation
Northern zone occupied by Nazis
Southern zone governed by sympathetic French
Vichy regime, Marshall Petain
Charles de Gaulle
Leader of resistance movement

5. Constitutional History
1791 – establishment of constitutional monarchy – French Revolution begins
Monarchy overthrown one year later
Three other attempts at constitutional government
November 10, 1799
Napoleon Bonaparte seizes power

6. Constitutional History
Bonaparte overthrown by coalition of European powers and the Bourbon monarchy was restored.
Monarchical government continues until 1848 when citizens revolted.
The Second Republic ( ) is declared.
Universal male suffrage
Class conflict
Republican government ineffective
Napoleon’s nephew rises to power ( )
Dictatorial rule brings brief stability

7. Constitutional History
1871 Third Republic established, new constitution promulgated in 1875 ( ).
Emerged from struggle between monarchists and republicans.
Would be a long lived form of democracy ending only with the occupation of France by Germany.

8. Constitutional History
World War II
France militarily defeated by Germany
Partitioned by Nazis into a northern and a southern zone
Northern zone under direct occupation
Southern zone, a sympathetic government formed and based in Vichy, France
Leader was Marshall Petain
Dictatorship ( )

9. Constitutional History
German forces forced from France in 1944
Charles de Gaulle leads the provisional government and begins work for democratic transition.
1946 de Gaulle resigns
1946 the Fourth Republic established
During the 12 years of the Fourth Republic there were 24 governments.

10. Fourth Republic
Weak constitutional structure plus election rules allowed multiple parties to compete in the legislature
Parties were unable to garner electoral majorities
Fourth Republic governments were coalition governments within a society characterized by cleavage and conflict
National and International tensions from the Cold War, Indochina, and independence movements in colonial holdings such as Algeria.
1958 French political leaders asked de Gaulle to return to the leadership of France

11. The Fifth Republic 1958-? Enacted by referendum in 1958
Combination presidential/prime ministerial style of government.
Presidency was moved from mostly ceremonial role to a political position constitutionally above the legislature.
President would be the symbol of national unity
Powers include: submit legislation for referendum, ability to dissolve parliament and call for new elections, emergency powers.

12. Executive Dual Executive: President and Prime Minister
President: “Guardian of the constitution”
Direct popular vote (term was 7 years; in 2000 changed to 5 year terms)
Prime Minister presides over government
Support from majority of deputies in National Assembly (propose PM to the president)
Appointed by the President
Government operation (Cabinet – Council of Ministers) resembled U.S. Cabinet
More than 1st among equals
President is actual head of the political system
Cohabitation ( , , ).

13. Legislature Bicameral National Assembly (577)
Strict rules on individuals and the Parliament
National Assembly (577)
Direct election 5 year terms
May be dissolved by President (once yearly)
Enacts laws within a strictly defined domain (defined by the executive)
Committee system: 6 large standing committees to prevent specialization (domination) – check of executive
Motion of censure passed by of members

14. Legislature
Senate (321)
Shares (but is subordinate to) legislative functions with the National Assembly
May initiate legislation, must consider all legislation adopted by N.A.
In case of disagreement – reconciliation committee appointed by government
If unable to resolve differences N.A. may reconsider the legislation and take a final vote
Indirect, staggered (1/3) elections – 9 year terms
Electoral college comprised of officials at local level

15. Electoral System
2 ballot system within single member districts taking place on successive Sundays.
Candidates receiving 50% or more can win. Second round is achieved by winning 12.5% of vote in first round. At second round candidate with most votes elected.

16. Associational Groups Tend to be weak
Not a lot of formal interest group activity.
A result of the 1789 revolution abolishing the ancien regime and the guild system (closed craft networks, entrance via long apprenticeship, members had monopoly priviliges…this was viewed in the revolution as an impediment to liberty).
France is a plural system but not in the same manner or to the extent of other western democracies (patchy development, tendency to be low key).

17. Background to Anti-clericalism
The Dreyfus affair
Jewish military officer wrongly accused and convicted of treason
Long fight between church officials, military and political conservatives eventually resolved the problem
result was a strong separation between church and state.

18. Ideology and Parties in France
Strong leftist overtones inherited from the Resistance movement
Socialist party (Lionel Jospin – PM )
Communist party
Green party
Presence of strong conservative, nationalistic groups.
Gaullist party (nationalistic/anti-communist) – Chirac (president 1995-)
Small factions of ideological right wing, fascist groups.
National Front (immigration) – Le Pen (defeats Jospin in first round 2002), fascist
Center groups
Rally for the Republic, French Social Party, Popular Republican Party, Union for French Democracy, and others.
Center groups (smaller parties) have pattern of alliance with right groups.
These alliances have formed the bedrock of French political system.

19. Web Sites
The Prime Minister’s Official Web Site:
1958 Constitution:
Events of October 27th,