This article is about the post-Revolutionary and present-day institution. For the Ancien Régime institution, see Parlement.
The French Parliament (French: Parlement français) is the bicameral legislature of the French Republic, consisting of the Senate (Sénat) and the National Assembly (Assemblée nationale). Each assembly conducts legislative sessions at separate locations in Paris: the Senate meets in the Palais du Luxembourg and the National Assembly convenes at Palais Bourbon.
The French Parliament, as a legislative body, should not be confused with the various parlements of the Ancien Régime in France, which were courts of justice and tribunals with certain political functions varying from province to province and as to whether the local law was written and Roman, or customary common law.
The word "Parliament", in the modern meaning of the term, appeared in France in the 19th century, at the time of the constitutional monarchy of 1830–1848. It is never mentioned in any constitutional text until the Constitution of the 4th Republic in 1948. Before that time, reference was made to "les Chambres" or to each assembly, whatever its name, but never to a generic term as in Britain. Its form – unicameral, bicameral, or multicameral – and its functions have varied throughout the different political regimes and according to the various French constitutions:
The current Parliament is composed of two chambers: the upper Senate (French: le Sénat) and the lower National Assembly, which have 349 and 577 members respectively.
Deputies, who sit in the National Assembly, are elected by first past the post voting in two rounds for a term of five years, notwithstanding a dissolution of the Assembly. Each constituency has around 100,000 residents, though some variance of size exists between rural and urban constituencies. For example, the Val-d'Oise constituency has 188,000 electors, while Lozère has just 34,000.[1]
Senators are elected by indirect universal suffrage by the grands électeurs, who consist of deputies, regional councillors, departmental councillors and representatives of municipal councillors. The latter constitute 95% of the electoral body.
Organization and powers
Normally, the parliament meets for a single nine-month session each year but under special circumstances the President of France can call an additional session. Parliamentary power was limited after the establishment of the Fourth Republic; however, the National Assembly can still cause a government to fall if an absolute majority of the legislators votes for a motion of no confidence. As a result, the government usually consists of members from the political party that dominates the Assembly and must be supported by a majority there to prevent a vote of no-confidence.
The Prime Minister and other government Ministers are appointed by the President, who is under no constitutional or other mandatory obligation to make governmental appointments from the ranks of the majority party in parliament. This is a safeguard that was introduced by the founder of the Fifth Republic, Charles de Gaulle, to attempt to prevent the disarray and horse-trading seen in the parliamentary regimes of the Third and Fourth Republics; however, in practice the prime minister and other ministers usually do belong to the majority party. A notable exception to this custom occurred during Nicolas Sarkozy's premiership when he appointed socialist ministers and Secretary of State-level junior ministers to his government. The rare periods during which the president is not from the same political party as the prime minister are usually known as cohabitation. The Cabinet of Ministers is led by the President rather than the Prime Minister.
The government (or, when it sits in session every Wednesday, the cabinet) exerts considerable influence on the agenda of Parliament. The government can link its term to a legislative text which it proposes, and unless a motion of censure is introduced within 24 hours of the proposal and passed within 48 hours of introduction – thus full procedures last at most 72 hours – the text is considered adopted without a vote. However, this procedure was limited by a 2008 constitutional amendment. Legislative initiative rests with the National Assembly.
Legislators enjoy parliamentary immunity.[2] Both assemblies have committees that write reports on a variety of topics. If necessary, they can establish parliamentary commissions of inquiry with broad investigative power. However, this is almost never exercised because the majority can reject a proposition by the opposition to create an investigatory commission. Also, such a commission may only be created if it does not interfere with a judicial investigation, meaning that in order to cancel its creation, one just needs to press charges on the topic concerned by the investigatory commission. Since 2008, the opposition may impose the creation of an investigative commission once a year, even against the wishes of the majority. However, they still cannot lead investigations if there is a judicial case in process already (or that starts after the commission is formed).
^The Tribunate was abolished by a decree of the Senate in 1807, with its remaining functions and members absorbed into the Corps législatif.
References
^Source in French: Stéphane Mandard (2007) Un rapport préconisait le remodelage des circonscriptions avant les législatives de 2007, Le Monde. 7 juin 2007.
^In France, for nearly a century, article 121 of the Penal Code punished with civic degradation all police officers, all prosecutors and all judges if they had caused, issued or signed a judgment, an order or a warrant, tending to a personal process or an accusation against a member of the Senate or of the legislative body, without the authorization prescribed by the Constitutions: Buonomo, Giampiero (2014). . L'Ago e Il Filo. Archived from the original on 11 December 2019. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
This article is based mainly on the article Parlement français from the French Wikipedia, Retrieved 13 October 2006.[circular reference]
Further reading
Frank R. Baumgartner, "Parliament's Capacity to Expand Political Controversy in France", Legislative Studies Quarterly, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Feb. 1987), pp. 33–54. JSTOR: 440044
Marc Abélès, Un ethnologue à l'Assemblée. Paris: Odile Jacob, 2000. An anthropological study of the French National Assembly, of its personnel, lawmakers, codes of behaviors and rites.
External links
Official website(in French)
Site of the CHPP (Comité d'histoire parlementaire et politique) and of Parlement(s), Revue d'histoire politique(in French)
January 28, 2023
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This article is about the post Revolutionary and present day institution For the Ancien Regime institution see Parlement The French Parliament French Parlement francais is the bicameral legislature of the French Republic consisting of the Senate Senat and the National Assembly Assemblee nationale Each assembly conducts legislative sessions at separate locations in Paris the Senate meets in the Palais du Luxembourg and the National Assembly convenes at Palais Bourbon French Parliament Parlement francais16th Legislature of the French Fifth RepublicEmblem of the French RepublicTypeTypeBicameralHousesSenateNational AssemblyLeadershipPresident of the SenateGerard Larcher LR since 1 October 2014President of the National AssemblyYael Braun Pivet REM since 28 June 2022StructureSeats925348 Senate 577 National Assembly Senate political groups REP 148 a SER 65 UC 57 b RDPI 24 CRCE 15 c RDSE 14 d LIRT 13 e EST 12 RASNAG 3 f National Assembly political groupsGovernment 249 RE 169 g DEM 51 h HOR 29 i Opposition 318 RN 88 j LFI 74 l LR 62 m SOC 30 n ECO 22 o GDR 22 p LIOT 20 q Others 10 NI 5 r Vacant 5 ElectionsSenate voting systemIndirect electionNational Assembly voting systemFirst past the post voting 577 seats two round system Senate last election27 September 2020National Assembly last election12 and 19 June 2022Senate next electionBy September 2023National Assembly next electionBy June 2027Meeting placeAile du Midi Chateau de Versailles joint session Websiteparlement frPalais du Luxembourg meeting place of the French Senate Palais Bourbon meeting place of the French National Assembly Each house has its own regulations and rules of procedure However occasionally they may meet as a single house known as the Congress of the French Parliament Congres du Parlement francais convened at the Palace of Versailles to revise and amend the Constitution of France Contents 1 History and name 2 Election of representatives 3 Organization and powers 4 List 5 See also 6 Notes 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External linksHistory and name EditThe French Parliament as a legislative body should not be confused with the various parlements of the Ancien Regime in France which were courts of justice and tribunals with certain political functions varying from province to province and as to whether the local law was written and Roman or customary common law The word Parliament in the modern meaning of the term appeared in France in the 19th century at the time of the constitutional monarchy of 1830 1848 It is never mentioned in any constitutional text until the Constitution of the 4th Republic in 1948 Before that time reference was made to les Chambres or to each assembly whatever its name but never to a generic term as in Britain Its form unicameral bicameral or multicameral and its functions have varied throughout the different political regimes and according to the various French constitutions Date Constitution Upper chamber Lower chamber Other chamber Joint sitting Single chamber1791 French Constitution of 1791 Assemblee Nationale1793 French Constitution of 1793 Corps legislatif1795 1799 Constitution of the Year III Conseil des Anciens Conseil des Cinq Cents1799 1802 Constitution of the Year VIII Senat conservateur Corps legislatif Tribunat1802 1804 Constitution of the Year X Senat conservateur Corps legislatif Tribunat1804 1814 Constitution of the Year XII Senat conservateur Corps legislatif Tribunat Note 1 1814 1815 Charter of 1814 Chamber of Peers Chambre des deputes des departements1815 Additional Act to the Constitutions of the Empire Chamber of Peers Chamber of Representatives1830 1848 Charter of 1830 Chamber of Peers Chamber of Deputies1848 1852 French Constitution of 1848 Assemblee Nationale1852 1870 French Constitution of 1852 Senat Corps legislatif1871 1875 Assemblee Nationale1875 1940 French Constitutional Laws of 1875 Senat Chamber of Deputies Assemblee Nationale1940 1944 French Constitutional Law of 19401944 1946 Provisional Government of the French Republic Assemblee Nationale1946 1958 French Constitution of 1946 Conseil de la Republique Assemblee Nationale Parliamentsince 1958 French Constitution of 1958 Senat Assemblee Nationale Parlement reuni en CongresElection of representatives EditThe current Parliament is composed of two chambers the upper Senate French le Senat and the lower National Assembly which have 349 and 577 members respectively Deputies who sit in the National Assembly are elected by first past the post voting in two rounds for a term of five years notwithstanding a dissolution of the Assembly Each constituency has around 100 000 residents though some variance of size exists between rural and urban constituencies For example the Val d Oise constituency has 188 000 electors while Lozere has just 34 000 1 Senators are elected by indirect universal suffrage by the grands electeurs who consist of deputies regional councillors departmental councillors and representatives of municipal councillors The latter constitute 95 of the electoral body Organization and powers EditNormally the parliament meets for a single nine month session each year but under special circumstances the President of France can call an additional session Parliamentary power was limited after the establishment of the Fourth Republic however the National Assembly can still cause a government to fall if an absolute majority of the legislators votes for a motion of no confidence As a result the government usually consists of members from the political party that dominates the Assembly and must be supported by a majority there to prevent a vote of no confidence The Prime Minister and other government Ministers are appointed by the President who is under no constitutional or other mandatory obligation to make governmental appointments from the ranks of the majority party in parliament This is a safeguard that was introduced by the founder of the Fifth Republic Charles de Gaulle to attempt to prevent the disarray and horse trading seen in the parliamentary regimes of the Third and Fourth Republics however in practice the prime minister and other ministers usually do belong to the majority party A notable exception to this custom occurred during Nicolas Sarkozy s premiership when he appointed socialist ministers and Secretary of State level junior ministers to his government The rare periods during which the president is not from the same political party as the prime minister are usually known as cohabitation The Cabinet of Ministers is led by the President rather than the Prime Minister The government or when it sits in session every Wednesday the cabinet exerts considerable influence on the agenda of Parliament The government can link its term to a legislative text which it proposes and unless a motion of censure is introduced within 24 hours of the proposal and passed within 48 hours of introduction thus full procedures last at most 72 hours the text is considered adopted without a vote However this procedure was limited by a 2008 constitutional amendment Legislative initiative rests with the National Assembly Legislators enjoy parliamentary immunity 2 Both assemblies have committees that write reports on a variety of topics If necessary they can establish parliamentary commissions of inquiry with broad investigative power However this is almost never exercised because the majority can reject a proposition by the opposition to create an investigatory commission Also such a commission may only be created if it does not interfere with a judicial investigation meaning that in order to cancel its creation one just needs to press charges on the topic concerned by the investigatory commission Since 2008 the opposition may impose the creation of an investigative commission once a year even against the wishes of the majority However they still cannot lead investigations if there is a judicial case in process already or that starts after the commission is formed List EditMain article List of French legislaturesSee also EditConstitution of France Government of France History of France Politics of France Member of Parliament France List of French legislaturesNotes Edit LR 124 LR SL 6 LR OLF 4 LR NF 4 ASFE 2 RSM 1 LR SBD 1 R LR 1 REC 1 DVD 1 UDI 35 MoDem 5 LC 4 DVD 4 AC 3 PRV 2 FED 2 CE 1 Tapura 1 PCF 14 GRS 1 PRV 4 PRG 3 Renaissance 2 PS 2 LF13 1 AD 1 DVG 1 HOR 6 DVD 5 PRV 3 DVD 2 REC 1 Renaissance 149 PRV 4 EC 4 Horizons 2 PE 1 FP 1 GNC 1 CE 1 DVC 5 DVD 3 MoDem 45 Renaissance 3 Horizons 27 LFA 1 CCB 1 Renaissance 1 RN 88 LS 1 PG 21 RE974 1 PD 1 Peyi A 1 REV 1 LFI 69 k Ensemble 5 POI 1 LR 58 LR SL 2 UDI 1 DVD 1 PS 27 FGPS 1 PPDG 1 PPM 1 DVG 1 EELV 15 G s 4 GE 2 ND 1 PCF 12 TH 3 PLR 2 DVG 2 MDES 1 Progres 1 Peyi A 1 UDI 5 PS dissents 4 Femu 2 DVG 2 DVD 2 PRV dissents 1 AD 1 LC 1 PNC 1 REG 1 DLF 1 LFI 1 DVG 1 DVD 1 EXD 1 The Tribunate was abolished by a decree of the Senate in 1807 with its remaining functions and members absorbed into the Corps legislatif References Edit Source in French Stephane Mandard 2007 Un rapport preconisait le remodelage des circonscriptions avant les legislatives de 2007 Le Monde 7 juin 2007 In France for nearly a century article 121 of the Penal Code punished with civic degradation all police officers all prosecutors and all judges if they had caused issued or signed a judgment an order or a warrant tending to a personal process or an accusation against a member of the Senate or of the legislative body without the authorization prescribed by the Constitutions Buonomo Giampiero 2014 Immunita parlamentari Why not L Ago e Il Filo Archived from the original on 11 December 2019 Retrieved 12 April 2016 This article is based mainly on the article Parlement francais from the French Wikipedia Retrieved 13 October 2006 circular reference Further reading EditFrank R Baumgartner Parliament s Capacity to Expand Political Controversy in France Legislative Studies Quarterly Vol 12 No 1 Feb 1987 pp 33 54 JSTOR 440044 Marc Abeles Un ethnologue a l Assemblee Paris Odile Jacob 2000 An anthropological study of the French National Assembly of its personnel lawmakers codes of behaviors and rites External links EditOfficial website in French Site of the CHPP Comite d histoire parlementaire et politique and of Parlement s Revue d histoire politique in French Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title French Parliament amp oldid 1135232675, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
