Have you ever wondered at some point in your life how the French government works?
The government of France is a semi-presidential representative democratic republic, meaning that it has a President who is the head of state and a Prime Minister who is the head of government. The President is elected for a five-year term by direct universal suffrage, and the Prime Minister is appointed by the President.
“Liberté, égalité et fraternité”
How does it really works?
The French government operates on the principle of separation of powers, with the legislative, executive, and judicial branches being separate and independent from each other.
The Legislative Branch
The legislative branch of the government is the National Assembly and the Senate. The National Assembly is made up of 577 members who are elected for a five-year term by direct universal suffrage. The Senate is made up of 348 members who are also elected for a six-year term by an electoral college. Both houses have the power to pass laws and approve the budget.
The Executive Branch
The executive branch of the government is headed by the President and the Prime Minister. The President is responsible for appointing the Prime Minister and other government ministers, as well as representing the country in international affairs. The Prime Minister is responsible for implementing government policies, managing the day-to-day affairs of the government, and representing the government in the National Assembly.
The Judicial Branch
The judicial branch of the government is made up of the courts and the judiciary. The judiciary is independent from the other branches of government, and its role is to interpret and apply the law. The highest court in the land is the Court of Cassation, which serves as the supreme court of appeal for civil and criminal matters.
Overall, the government of France operates on the principle of separation of powers, with the President and Prime Minister as the head of state and government, respectively. The legislative, executive, and judicial branches are separate and independent from each other, with the National Assembly and the Senate representing the legislative branch, the President and Prime Minister representing the executive branch, and the judiciary representing the judicial branch.
Some real datas about the Government in France you must know
- The current President of France is Emmanuel Macron, who was elected in 2017 for a five-year term.
- The Prime Minister of France is Jean Castex, appointed by President Emmanuel Macron in July 2020.
- The National Assembly is made up of 577 members, known as Deputies, who are elected by universal suffrage for a five-year term.
- The Senate is made up of 348 members, who are elected for a six-year term by an electoral college.
- The unemployment rate in France was 7.1% in December 2020, according to data from the French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE).
- The gross domestic product (GDP) of France was €2,715 billion in 2020, according to data from the World Bank.
- The inflation rate in France was 0.2% in December 2020, according to data from INSEE.
- The population of France was approximately 67 million people in 2020, according to data from the World Bank.
- The life expectancy at birth in France is around 81.5 years, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO).
- The literacy rate in France is around 99%, according to data from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
- The Human Development Index (HDI) ranking of France was 25th in the world in 2020, according to data from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
