On April 23, 2017, the next presidential election in France will be held . How will they go, according to which system? This will be discussed in the article.
Legal Status of the French President
As in the Russian Federation, the president in France is the head of state. He is elected by secret, universal and direct suffrage. The presidential term of office is exactly five years.
According to the fifth article of the Constitution, the president is obliged to monitor the functioning of all public authorities (while the type of mixed republic is established in the French state). The head of state acts as a guarantor of independence, integrity and international treaties.
According to the ninth article of the Constitution, the French president is required to chair the Council of Ministers (Government). According to other articles, the head of state is the head of the armed forces, has the right to pardon, signs ordinances, etc.
It is worth noting that the post of the French president is very similar to the Russian one (if we consider the status and powers). And what about the presidential election in France?
Voters and Elected
The French state has an active suffrage system. Any citizen who has reached 18 years of age, as well as persons who do not have restrictions in political and civil rights, are capable of voting. It is worth noting another prerequisite for voting: the inclusion of citizens in the voters list.
And who can be a candidate for the presidential election in France? This is any person who has political rights and has reached 23 years (by the way, in Russia it is necessary to reach the age of 35 years). To be able to be elected, a French citizen must enlist the support of at least 500 electors (members of Parliament, mayors, advisers, etc.). At the same time, elected representatives must represent at least 30 departments.
Election system
The electoral system of the French Republic secures the majority election system, which takes place in 2 rounds. In the first round, the person who won the absolute majority of votes wins. If such a person is absent, then two leading candidates are immediately admitted to the second round. Accordingly, election results are determined by the largest number of votes for a person.
French presidential elections are announced by the Government. The question of when exactly they are announced is most likely clear: when the president’s five-year term expires, or when the head of state dies or resigns. Until the inauguration of the new president takes place, the duties of the head of state are performed by the chairman of the Senate (however, he is forbidden to dissolve the National Assembly, amend the Constitution or call a referendum).
President bias
It is also necessary to talk about what may precede the election of the French president. This is a procedure for the removal of the head of state from office. Naturally, very serious reasons are needed to start such a procedure. As a rule, this is not a high-quality performance by the president of his duties, his commission of a crime, conflicts with other authorities, etc.
Article 68 of the French constitution governs the removal of the head of state from his post at his own request. A similar decision by the president must be approved by the High Chamber of Justice. Who can launch the initiative to remove the head of state from office? By law, it must be one of the houses of Parliament. At the same time, another chamber should support her initiative. This whole procedure can be interpreted as impeachment.
Does the French president have special immunity? This is worth further discussion.
Presidential immunity
Article 67 of the French Constitution speaks about the immunity of the head of state. Thus, the ex-president of France is officially exempted from any responsibility for any acts committed by him as head of state. However, it is worth highlighting one really important point: this immunity does not last long - only one month after the termination of presidential powers.
Has a certain immunity and the current president. So, he cannot be summoned to the following state bodies and structures:
- French court
- French administrative justice authorities;
- Investigative Committee, bodies of inquiry, prosecution, etc.
The President cannot be the subject of a claim, a witness and a person collecting information. However, no head of state can oppose an international criminal court. In particular, the same is stated in Articles 532 and 68 of the French Constitution.
Personal Powers of the President
The issue of the election of the French president cannot be considered without addressing the most basic points. So, you should definitely talk about the powers of the French head of state. They are spelled out in the fifth article of the French constitution. The following groups of personal presidential powers can be distinguished:
- The functions of the head of state as an arbitrator and guarantor. This includes the appointment of a referendum, the adoption of an ordinance or the rejection of it, the appointment of members of the Constitutional Council, ensuring the independence of the judiciary.
- Functions for interaction with various state bodies: Government, Parliament, Council of Ministers.
- Functions related to overcoming the crisis. This includes all the emergency powers of the head of state: the introduction of martial law or a state of emergency, foreign policy issues, and so on.
About the inauguration ceremony
The main points regarding the election of the French president have already been outlined above. It was also told about the status of the head of state, about his powers. But what about such an important procedure as inauguration?
After the election results have been announced, preparations for the ceremony begin. In fact, this is a whole ritual: thoughtful and calculated to the smallest detail. So, the former president of France (if the newly elected head of state is a new person) meets the new on the steps of the presidential residence.
After that, both represented persons retire. The new head of state receives codes from nuclear weapons, as well as all necessary documents. After that, the head of the Constitutional Court announces who ran for the presidency of France (list of candidates) and who won. As a rule, the whole ceremony ends with the laying of wreaths at the Heroes' Square.
2017 election
The next presidential election in the Fifth French Republic is scheduled for April 23. Who is running for president of France? The list of the main active candidates is as follows:
- Francois Fillon stands for the Republican Party;
- from the party called “Forward!” stands Macron Emanuel;
- Marine Le Pen represents the National Front;
- Benoit Amon from the Socialist Party;
- Jean-Luc Melanshon from the party, which has the loud name of "Defiant France."
It is worth noting that Francois Hollande, the representative of the Socialist Party, as well as the president from 2012 to 2017, repeatedly refused to participate in the elections. The survey shows that most French would vote for Fillon or Le Pen.
And who is listed as the very first president of France?
He was Emperor Napoleon III, who ruled from 1848 to 1870. Now you know everything about how the elections are held in France, and what are the powers of the president of this country.