Last updated on November 23rd, 2023 at 11:46 am
As you may know, French elections regularly take place and make the news worldwide, in particular, the presidential election. It’s a great opportunity to learn some new French vocabulary around the topic of the elections and learn more about the French system.
French elections
French elections are of different nature. You have:
– les élections présidentielles: Held every five years, the President is elected through a two-round system if no candidate wins an absolute majority in the first round. The President’s role includes setting national policy, appointing the Prime Minister, and representing France internationally.
– les élections législatives: These elect members to l’Assemblée Nationale, France’s lower house of Parliament, every five years. The Assembly plays a crucial role in law-making and can overthrow the government through a vote of no confidence. The elect members are called les députés.
– les éléctions régionales: Voters elect regional councilors every six years. These councils manage local affairs like transportation, education, and economic development.
– les élections municipales: Held every six years to elect city councilors and mayors, who are responsible for local administration, urban planning, and community services.
– and many more.
The people who vote are called the électeurs. They vote for un parti de gauche ou de droite.
In France, you need to be at least 18 years old to vote (verb:voter). In the last elections, le taux d’abstention was very high.
A Brief History of the French Electoral System
The French electoral system has undergone significant transformations since the French Revolution. Initially, voting was limited to property-owning males, but it gradually evolved to universal male suffrage in 1848. Women were granted the right to vote much later, in 1944. Key developments include:
The Third Republic (1870-1940): Established a parliamentary system with a President elected by the legislature.
The Fourth Republic (1946-1958): Characterized by political instability, it saw numerous governments formed and dissolved in a short span.
The Fifth Republic (1958-Present): Initiated by Charles de Gaulle, it strengthened the role of the President, who is now elected by direct popular vote.
Landmark elections, such as the first presidential election by direct vote in 1965 and the introduction of a two-round system in legislative elections, have shaped modern French politics.
More keywords about French elections
le suffrage universelle
le Président de la République
l’Assemblée Nationale
le Premier Ministre
les partis politiques
l’extrême droite
l’extrême gauche
le bulletin de vote
l’isoloir
le débat politique
les sondages
les intentions de vote
le mandat
la majorité absolue
Elections in your country
The système électoral in your country might be very different to the one in France. Can you think of any difference? For example:
– Who can vote in your country?
– Who is at the head of your country?
– How do you elect your President or the Prime minister?
– Do you have many levels of councils like in France?
Discuss all this and many more topics through online French conversation lessons with one of our teachers at Live-French.net.
