Utilizing this overview of the political system and major political parties in France, you will be able to navigate your way through the French government with ease.
If you are thinking about migrating to another nation, you must have a solid understanding of the way the government and political system operate in that country. It is also a good idea to have a solid knowledge of criminal law and the judicial system, in addition to human and civil rights, the rights of women, and the rights of LGBTQI people. After all, these aspects might end up being decisive factors in whether or not we relocate there at all.
If you are considering migrating to France, this guide will help you obtain a better understanding of the country's governance and political system so that you can make an informed decision.
The French political system and the administration that runs the country
France is considered to be one of the birthplaces of modern democracy because the country's contemporary political structures date back to 1789. The Constitution of the Fifth Republic, which was ratified in 1958, is the guiding document for the present administration of the French republic. The political system of France is a hybrid that combines presidential and parliamentary elements. France is both a republic and a parliamentary democracy. The President of France serves as both the head of state and the person who selects the Prime Minister for his position as head of government.
The Palais Bourbon in Paris
There are two chambers in the French parliament. The National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale) is the lower chamber of the French parliament. It is housed at the Palais Bourbon and has a total of 577 elected députés. The Senate, often known as the Sénat, is located inside the Luxembourg Palace and serves as the upper chamber. There are 348 senators in total, all of whom are chosen by an electoral college made up of representatives. In recent times, the Senate has been politically conservative, and since 1958, there has been a majority of conservative senators in all but three of those years. The National Assembly is the more well-known of the two houses, although both have comparable levels of authority.
The centralized government of France is the primary decision-making body in the country and is responsible for the establishment of policies in a variety of fields, including healthcare, education, and public transportation. Nevertheless, three levels of administration exist below the national government and are responsible for a variety of administrative and judicial tasks: 18 regions (régions) comprising five overseas territories; 96 departments (départements); and roughly 35,000 communes.
According to the 2021 Democracy Index, France is ranked 22nd and is considered to be a "flawed democracy."
Who is the ruling party in France at the moment?
Both a president and a prime minister serve the country of France. The President of France is the head of state, the most influential person in French politics, and the figurehead of the French government who is typically the most well-known to the general public. The public votes for the president of France, who often hails from one of the country's many political parties. The President of France is the one who is tasked with filling the role of Prime Minister, which is the most senior position in the French government.
It is very uncommon for the Prime Minister of France to resign before the end of their time in office, and many have done so in the past for a variety of reasons. Although presidents do not have the authority to remove prime ministers from office, they do have the ability to ask for their resignations.
French President Emmanuel Macron
Emmanuel Macron is the current President of France. He won 66.1% of the vote in 2017 to become president and has been in office since. In 2022, he received 58.5% of the vote, which was enough to win reelection. In the second round of voting, Emmanuel Macron, candidate for La République En Marche!, was victorious against Marine Le Pen, candidate for the National Rally (previously the National Front).
Elisabeth Borne, who has served as Prime Minister since Emmanuel Macron selected her to the position in 2022, is now in office. She is a member of the centrist coalition of parties (which also includes En Marche!) that triumphed in the legislative elections of 2022 and obtained a majority of the seats.
French Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne
The election for the president of France was held in April 2022, while the elections for the French parliament are scheduled to take place in June 2022. The most recent polling indicates that the left-leaning Nouvelle Union Populaire might gain 33-34% of the vote in the first round of legislative elections, with the right-centrist Ensemble and Les Republicains receiving another third of the vote each. It is expected that the remaining votes will be distributed among parties on the extreme right, regional parties, and independent parties.
Principal political parties in the French republic
The French political system might be difficult to understand for an outsider. This is because there is a wide variety of political parties, each of which has the potential to split off into a new party, evolve into a new party, establish coalitions with other parties, or perhaps simply disappear entirely. In nations like the United Kingdom and the United States, where just a few parties have held power for many years, this is in stark contrast.
The vast majority of French parties may be pretty readily categorized along the classic economic scale of left to right. It is interesting to note that in French politics, the word libéral tends to indicate mainly economic liberalism (free-market liberalism) – the antithesis of socialism – rather than the social liberalism (civil rights, etc.) that is often referred to in American and British discourse.
The following is an overview of the major political parties that are currently active in France.
La République En Marche!
This political party, whose name translates to "Republic On The Move" in English, moved from its inception to be the most successful party in French elections in less than two years. It is sometimes shortened as "En Marche!" It was established in 2016 by the incumbent President of France, Emmanuel Macron, as a moderate liberal centrist party. The party, which adheres to principles of economic and social liberalism as well as pro-Europeanism, is analogous to the Liberal Democrats of the United Kingdom. Nonetheless, there has been a tilt to the right within the party since 2017.
In addition to Macron's victory in the presidential elections in 2017 and 2022, En Marche! was the most successful party in the parliamentary elections of 2017, winning 280 seats and becoming the biggest party overall. In addition, it has a total of 23 seats in the Senate.
The Republicans (Les Républicains)
This mainstream conservative party was established in 2015 by Nicolas Sarkozy, who had previously served as President of France. From the ashes of the Popular Union Movement sprang the Gaullist Party, which belonged to the Gaullist political heritage (Union pours un Mouvement Populaire – UMP). That organization was first established in 2002 by Jacques Chirac, who had already served as president. One of the most significant political forces in French politics in the 21st century has been the Republicans/UMP.
The party embraces several different varieties of conservatism, from moderate conservatism to neoconservatism, throughout its ideological spectrum. During the parliamentary elections in 2017, it participated in a right-wing coalition with four other parties but was ultimately unsuccessful. Despite this, it maintains its majority position in the Senate. The party has 104 seats in the Assembly and 148 seats in the Senate at the moment. Valérie Pécresse, the party's candidate for president of France in the 2022 election, received 5% of the vote in the first round of voting and finished in fourth place. Christian Jacob is now in charge of everything.
Democratic Movement (Mouvement démocrate - MoDem)
Francois Bayrou is the founder of MoDem and now serves as the party's leader. A moDem was established in 2007. It is a successor of the Union for French Democracy (formerly known as the UDF), and it largely adheres to the third-way doctrine of social and economic liberalism. Additionally, it is a powerful pro-European party.
The parallels between this party and En Marche! saw it form a coalition with Macron's party in the elections for the French parliament in 2017, as well as lend its support to Macron's successful presidential campaign that same year. This support was sustained in the presidential elections of 2022. At this time, it has a total of 46 members in the Assembly as well as 5 seats in the Senate.
Party of Socialists (Parti socialiste)
Although support for the Socialist Party has been on the slide in recent years, it was once the dominant left-leaning party in France at one time. It was established in 1969 as a coalition of parties and organizations on the non-communist left, and it has been responsible for producing two presidents of France: Francois Mitterrand (1981-1986 and 1988-1993) and Francois Hollande (2007-present).
The Socialist Party's policy has always been underpinned by social democracy, Keynesian economics, and a robust welfare state. This orientation is comparable to that of other prominent left-wing parties found elsewhere in Europe. However, during its existence, it has gradually drifted away from the socialist policies that have historically been practiced; for instance, it has permitted a certain amount of privatization of the economy to take place.
Since 2017, the party has had a series of unsuccessful election campaigns. Anne Hidalgo, the party's candidate for president in the election held in 2022, finished in tenth place. It presently has 73 Senate seats and 25 Assembly seats available for use. Oliver Faure is the one in charge right now.
Union of Democrats and Independents (Union des démocrates et indépendants - UDI)
The UDI is a liberal party that was established in the year 2012. Nevertheless, it is more consistent with the traditional notion of liberalism than either En Marche! or MoDem. Because of this, it is located farther to the right of the political spectrum and is more aligned with conservative parties in France. In the presidential elections of 2017 and 2022, the party backed the candidate put forth by the Republican Party, and in legislative elections, it aligned itself with parties that adhered to the right-wing ideology. At the moment, it has a total of 42 members in the Senate and 18 seats in the Assembly. Jean-Christophe Lagarde is now serving as the head of the party.
La France Insoumise
La France Insoumise is yet another brand-new political party in France. It was established in 2016, and its name translates to "Rebellious France." Its goal is to establish a radical democratic socialist platform that integrates elements of ecosocialism and left-wing populism. It is a faction of the left that is skeptical about Europe.
Learn more about the minimum wage and average pay in France here.
La France Insoumise has proposed several policies, some of which include transitioning to the new Sixth Republic, withdrawing from treaties with the EU and NATO, closing down nuclear power facilities, and enhancing the rights and earnings of workers. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, a former co-president of the Left Party who finished third in the election for the French presidency in 2022, is credited with founding this political party. In the elections for the Assembly that was held in 2017, it was successful in winning 17 seats.
French Communist Party (Parti communiste francais - PCF)
The Communist Party of France (PCF) was established in 1920 and was the most influential political organization on France's left until the 1970s. On the other hand, nowadays days fewer people use it. Additionally, in comparison to other communist parties found across Europe, this party is moderate in its ideology. For instance, it was formerly involved in the governance of France at various points throughout history (1981-84 and 1997-2002).
However, one of the primary objectives of the party is and will continue to be, the ultimate communist-inspired destruction of capitalism. Over the last several years, it has also revised its stances on several important social issues, and it now advocates for the rights of LGBT people, gender equality, and migrant workers. The PCF has the goal of supplanting the EU with a new European model that is heavily inspired by communism.
The party currently has 12 seats in the Assembly and 14 seats in the Senate. In the presidential election of 2022, the party's leader, Fabien Roussel, finished in ninth place.
Rally on a National Scale (Rassemblement national)
Jean-Marie Le Pen established what is now known as the National Rally in 1972 under the name National Front (Front National). His daughter Marine, who relaunched the party in 2018, is the current leader of the organization. The party is one of the most well-known and has been around for a very long time in Europe. It is also the most famous far-right party in France. The party that campaigns on anti-immigration (especially from Islamic nations) and a zero-tolerance attitude to law and order uses nationalism as its platform. This party's program is rooted in French nationalism.
The National Rally is another Euroskeptic party, although it has somewhat softened its position on the issue. It is currently advocating for change inside the EU rather than departure, as well as maintaining membership in the Eurozone and the Schengen Area. Although Marine Le Pen came in second place during the presidential election of 2022, the National Front has had far less success in legislative elections. At this time, it has a total of six members in the Assembly and one seat in the Senate.
Left Party (Parti de Gauche)
The Left Party is another relatively young left-wing party, having been formed in 2009 as a break from the Socialist Party. However, the Left Party is rather old when compared to the criteria used for French political parties! As a democratic socialist party with anti-European Union views, it occupies the middle ground between socialists and communists. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who had been a founding member of the organization, departed in 2014 and went on to create La France Insoumise. Although the party did not have a candidate for president in the 2017 election, it was successful in gaining eight seats in the Assembly in the subsequent elections.
Europe Ecology – The Greens (Europe Écologie Les Verts)
In 2010, a merger between The Green Party and Europe Ecology resulted in the formation of this political party. The party, like many other green movements, incorporates social democratic economics, pro-Europeanism, social justice, and support for direct democracy into its green environmental policies. Its plans include gradually eliminating nuclear power and raising income taxes at the same time.
In recent election cycles, the Green Party has shown a greater interest in running candidates for local government seats, both in the European Parliament and on various municipal councils. Additionally, the party has seven seats in the Senate. Julian Bayou is the one in charge right now.
The method of voting that is used in France
There are four different elections that French residents are eligible to vote in: presidential, legislative, municipal, and European. Elections at the national level take place once every five years, whilst elections at the local level (including municipal, regional, and departmental levels) typically take place once every six years. Sundays are always chosen as the day for holding elections.
The United Kingdom is the only other European democracy outside France that does not employ any kind of proportional representation (PR) in its elections. France is one of just two European democracies that does not utilize PR. The French presidential election and parliamentary elections both take place throughout two rounds. If no candidate receives at least half of the votes cast in the first round of voting, then there will be a second round on a separate day.
Only the top two candidates from the first round of voting in presidential elections go on to compete against one another in the second round. If a party or an independent candidate receives sufficient support, they are both able to submit candidates for the election. When it comes to electing candidates, many political parties, especially the smaller ones, choose to back members of other parties rather than fielding their own.
In legislative elections, 577 MPs (députés) are chosen in single-seat districts. Each voter receives a single vote. Candidates may only advance to the second round if they get the support of at least 12.5% of eligible voters (rather than actual votes). The victor is determined to be the candidate who received the most votes in the second round. In France's local elections, a combination of two-round voting and proportional representation (PR) voting is used.
The establishment of a government in France
After the national elections, the newly elected President of France will make the appointment of the Prime Minister, who will then form the new French government. The Prime Minister is typically the head of the party or coalition of parties that won the most seats in the National Assembly. This includes the members of the Council of Ministers as well as any additional ministers or secretaries of state. The approval of any ministry appointment rests solely in the hands of the President.
The French government is now comprised of sixteen different ministries. Even if a single party secures an absolute majority in the National Assembly, the French administration is often comprised of many parties, in contrast to the situation in other nations such as the United Kingdom. It is common practice for prime ministers to fill ministry seats with politicians who come from parties that they favor. On the website of the French government, you can find additional information about the functioning of the parliament.
Voting in France
Voting in French elections is open to all citizens of France who are at least 18 years old. EU nationals who live in France are eligible to vote in both local and European elections, however non-EU residents in France who want to use their voting rights must first become citizens of France.
Find out how you may exercise your right to vote if you are a French citizen.
When a citizen of France reaches the age of 18, they are automatically registered to vote. Nevertheless, inhabitants of the EU are required to register themselves. They may do this either online or at the town hall in their local community (mairie). On the website for French public services, you will find a link that allows you to check your voter registration status. Notably, some groups of individuals who have been convicted of a crime do not have voting rights and are not allowed to vote in any elections held in France.
On election day, you are required to go to the polling location in your neighborhood and have either your voter registration card or another form of government-issued photo identification with you. You can vote by proxy if you are unable to physically vote owing to an illness or injury, or if you have certain other professional or familial responsibilities. You will, however, need to make these preparations well in advance of Election Day.
Representation of Political Parties in France
In France, everyone who is qualified to vote may potentially run for office. This indicates that the majority of French residents have the opportunity to run for election to the National Assembly, whereas EU citizens have the opportunity to run in both local and European elections.
It's interesting to note that France was one of the first nations in the world to implement gender quotas to increase the number of women who hold political office. As a consequence of this, all political parties are required to submit candidate lists for most elections that include at least fifty percent, female candidates. Because of this, there are now more women in positions of power, and 2017 saw a record number of women elected to the House of Representatives. At this time, women make up 35% of French Senators and 39.5% of Members of Parliament in France. This percentage is higher than the EU average of 32%.
There are now 35 members of parliament in France who belong to an ethnic minority, which accounts for slightly over 6% of the National Assembly. This is far lower than the proportion of minorities as a percentage of the total population, which is somewhere between 13 and 15%.
The course of political events in France's history
The contemporary political system of France may be traced back to the French Revolution, which began in 1789 and resulted in the establishment of the National Assembly. This event marked the commencement of democratic politics in its present form in France.
Despite this, the nation saw a turbulent 19th century, switching back and forth between republican and monarchical governments. Additionally, in 1871, a workers' commune in Paris established direct democratic control for a short time. In 1958, Charles de Gaulle became president of France, ushering in the country's Fifth Republic and ushering in a new constitution that established a bicameral semi-presidential government and increased the authority of the French president. The first presidents of the Fifth Republic each served for a period of seven years; however, in the year 2000, this was shortened to five years.
During the time of the Fifth Republic, France maintained its status as a reliable democracy. Having said that, the French government has been through times of crisis in the past, such as the demonstrations in 1968 that came dangerously close to bringing an end to the presidency of Charles de Gaulle. In the years immediately after World War II, this nation too saw the dismantling of its colonial empire, much as the United Kingdom did. This included waging a bloody war in its Algerian colony, which was one of the primary contributing factors that led to the collapse of the Fourth Republic.
In the contemporary age of French politics, the center of political power has shifted back and forth between the center-right and center-left, with presidents and administrations from the extremes of the political spectrum often taking part.
The legal and judicial process in France
France, like many other democratic nations, has a judicial system that is distinct from the executive branch and the legislative branch of the French state (executive and legislative). It is governed by a civil law system with laws that are mostly based on written codes, the Napoleonic Code from 1804 being the oldest of these codes. Additionally, it is subject to EU legislation in addition to its own Constitution. In contrast, the common law relies heavily on previous judicial decisions as its primary source of authority.
Private law, or droit privé, is one component of the French legal system, along with public law (Droit public). Infractions committed by private people and organizations are within the purview of private law, whereas those committed by the state and other public entities are the provinces of public law.
Cases involving private law are heard in the regular circuit courts. These are organized as follows throughout their three levels:
Courts of the first degree hear the majority of civil and criminal cases. These courts include police courts (tribunaux de police), civil courts (tribunaux d'instance/grande instance), and criminal courts (tribunaux de première instance) (tribunaux correctionnels).
The Court of Appeal, also known as the Cour d'Appel, hears appeals from decisions made by lower courts.
The Court of Cassation, often known as the Cour de Cassation, is the highest court of appeal in France for matters about criminal law.
Cases brought before the public are heard in administrative courts (tribunaux administratifs). The Council of State (Conseil d'Etat), sometimes known as the Supreme Court for public law, is the administrative court in France that has the highest degree of jurisdiction. In addition, France has something called the Constitutional Council (sometimes written as Conseil constitutionnel), which is responsible for conducting judicial reviews.
The European Union/European Economic Area and France
Because France is a member state of the European Union (EU), its citizens are eligible to vote in elections held at the European level. It was one of the first members of the EU, having entered in the year 1958. Additionally, it is a member of the Eurozone as well as the Schengen Area.
There are 74 French Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in total, in addition to French representation on a variety of committees and permanent representation in Brussels. Thierry Breton, a businessman, and politician from France, now serves as the European Commissioner for the Internal Market.
Read our moving guide for nationals of the EU and EFTA relocating to France.
However, there remains a significant amount of Euroskepticism in France, and it is not possible to rule out the prospect of a future "Frexit." Several parties on the right, as well as the left, propose either exiting the EU or drastically changing its institutions. In addition, the National Rally, a party that opposes the EU, won the European elections in France in 2019, taking 22 seats and receiving 23.3% of the vote.
The country of France's current economic situation
France is one of the leading economic powers in the world and has an economy that is extremely diverse and focused on the market. It is now ranked seventh in terms of GDP and twenty-fourth in terms of GDP per capita. The Gini Coefficient for France is 32.4, which indicates that the country has relatively low levels of inequality. The output of the service sector accounts for approximately 79% of GDP, and tourism is also a significant industry, with France continuing to rank as the most visited country in the world.
Despite this, the COVID-19 pandemic affected the French economy in the year 2020, causing an 8.3% decrease in output. Having said that, analysts forecast that it will bounce back by 5.8% in 2021. The economy as a whole is slowly and unevenly recovering, and the parts of society that are the most economically vulnerable have been hit the hardest. Despite this, the unemployment rate has remained relatively unchanged throughout the last few years and is at 8.1%.
Political activity and politics at the grassroots level in France
There has been a tradition of political protest and grassroots action in France for a very long time, which most likely contributed to the growth of the country's political parties throughout the country's history. Both the left and the right have been quite successful in mobilizing members of the public. There were several demonstrations against the austerity measures that were enacted by the previous administration, with more than 100,000 people taking to the streets in 2015.
Since 2018, a group of people calling themselves the "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) have also been mobilizing and holding frequent protests over a variety of concerns, including changes to the fuel tax and pension systems. In France, the movement is linked to what is known as the populist right, even though it attracts citizens from across the political spectrum.
Climate change is also encouraging public participation. Extinction Rebellion is a worldwide movement that has local chapters in 14 different locations in France. A Individuals' Convention on Climate (Convention Citoyenne pour le Climat) was also organized throughout the nation in 2019-20, with the participation of 150 different citizens.
Participating in French politics or political or social causes may be done in several different ways, including the following:
Participating in or establishing a local activist organization is an option. On Meetup, you may look for groups that are local to you or you can form your group.
You have the right to participate in the political process in your community if you are a citizen of the EU. This might involve participating in meetings at the municipal or communal level or even running for a seat on the local council.
You have the option of joining a trade union if you are employed in France. Even though just around 11% of workers in France are members of unions, French unions wield a significant amount of political influence and are skilled at organizing employees.
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