French Electoral Politics A Case Study in Electoral

French Electoral Politics: A Case Study in Electoral Systems

What are the prevailing definitions of democracy? l Class suggestions: n Equality of the people n Checks & balances n Freedom of speech, association n Right to own property n Due process before the law l “A system in which the most powerful decision makers are selected through fair and periodic voting procedures in which candidates can compete for votes, and in which virtually all the people have the right to vote. ” - Samuel Huntington

Definitions of Democracy, cont’d. Robert Dahl’s 8 essential components of a full (liberal) democracy: 1) Right to vote 2) Right to be elected/eligibility for public office 3) The right of political leaders to compete for support and votes 4) Free and fair elections 5) Freedom of association 6) Freedom of expression 7) Alternative sources of information 8) Institutions that make government policies dependent on votes and voter preference - Robert Dahl, Polyarchy

France: A Democracy? • France is an electoral democracy • Elites in executive and legislative branch elected, responsive to voters • High rate of participation • 2007 Presidential Election: ~44 million registered (60 million total) 83% of those registered vote • Media operate freely • Freedom of religion is protected by Constitution • Controversial law in 2004 bans “ostentatious” religious symbols in school • Freedom of assembly & association respected • Well qualified judiciary with firm rule of law • Gender equality, rights of homosexuals protected Source: Freedom House

Paris, France: The streets of the country's capital are filled with workers who are worried about what is going to happen to their jobs in the economic downturn. January 29, 2009.

What type of democracy? Characteristics of French model in comparative politics: 1) Presidential-parliamentary system of governance 2) Two round system for presidential and singlemember legislative elections 3) Unitary center-periphery relations

France: A Brief History Monarchy and Absolutism (e. g. Louis XIV) First Republic (1782 -1804) n n French Revolution and end of monarchy (1789) Napoleon is named Emperor (1804 -1815) Second Republic (1848 -1852) Third Republic (1870 -1940) n n WWI (1914 -1918) WWII (1939 -1945) Fourth Republic (1946 -1958) Fifth Republic (1958 -Present) n n n n Charles de Gaulle serves as President (1959 -1969) Constitutional Amendment expanding presidential power (1962) Algerian War for Independence (1954 -1962) François Mitterrand elected President (1980) Jacques Chirac elected Prime Minister - First cohabitation (1986) Referendum reduces presidential term to 5 years (2002) Nicolas Sarkozy elected President (2007)

Presidential Parliamentarian System Dual-executive system l President and prime minister each with significant decision-making powers l Maximizes efficiency of decision-making process in parliamentary system l Provides stability of executive authority in presidential system l Seeks separation-on-powers l Danger of all-too powerful president

Institutions of governance l Dual executive: n President serves 5 -year term Directly elected, appoints Prime Minister and Cabinet of Ministers, command military, may submit questions to referendum l Cannot post legislation, but strongly urge P. M. and National Assembly to act l Preeminent figure if supporters control Parliament, he sets tone l Examples Charles de Gaulle, Nicolas Sarkozy l n Prime Minister l l l n Manages agenda in Parliament, maintains party discipline Must command majority Subject to no-confidence resolutions Much of 5 th republic P. M. and President of same party Cohabitation: When President is of different party than majority in Parliament l President will guide foreign policy and P. M. determines domestic affairs l

Institutions of governance II Legislature n 577 -seat National Assembly serve 5 -year term l Principal legislative body l May force resignation of cabinet via censure motion n 321 -seat Senate l Chosen via electoral college l Limited legislative power n Multiple mandates l Customary for members of Parliament to have additional offices (e. g. deputy- mayor) Judiciary n Independent, ensures rule of law n n Judicial, administrative bodies Conseil d’État oversee executive decisions

Elections Part I l What are the different categories of elections?

Elections Part Deux l What type of system does France have? l President n Directly elected to five-year term n Candidates that win more than 50% in the first round win seat n Otherwise 2 nd round: the candidates that wins the most votes wins the seat l National Assembly - 577 members n Single-district, plurality system (2 rounds of voting) n Also subject to runoff l Senate - 321 members n l Elected for six-year terms by an electoral college of elected representatives from each département National referendums on key issues

2007 French Presidential Elections Candidate (Parties) 1 st Round 2 nd Round Nicolas Sarkozy (Union for a Popular Movement) 11, 448, 663 (31. 1%) 18, 983, 138 (53. 06%) Ségolène Royal (Socialist Party) 9, 500, 112 (25. 87%) 16, 790, 440 (46. 94%) François Bayrou (Union for French Democracy) 6, 820, 119 (18. 57%) Jean-Marie Le Pen (National Front) 3, 834, 530 Olivier Besancenot (Revolutionary Communist League) 1, 498, 581 (4. 08%) l (10. 44%) Not a 2 -party system, but power alternates betw. steady left / right coalitions

Centralization l Unitary v. Federalism n l What is the difference? France as a model unitary state n High degree of political centralization n Authority, sovereignty, policy dictated by “center” n Role of state in construction of French identity n Expansive powers in all aspects of daily life l State industry, education n Local government largely subservient n Growing call for regionalism

Comparative with Other Systems l How does this contrast with the U. S. system? l Other systems we’ve studied? l More or less democratic?