LANG 1035 France Today, An Overview Political life : Institutions, current issues and debates

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LANG 1035 France Today, An OverviewPolitical
life Institutions, current issues and debates

• Sam Fong Wai Sum 2007653210
• Florence Ho Kit Ying 2005627487

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Content

• Political institution in France (Sam)
• Current Hot debates in France (Florence)
• Politics
• Economy
• Society

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Political institution
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• The government of France is a semi-presidential
  system
• semi-presidential system a prime minister and a
  president are both active in the administration
  of the state

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• The national government of France is divided into
  an
• executive---------------------?pink
• a legislative ------------------?blue
• and a judicial branch.-----?yellow
• It provides for a separation of powers, so can
  prevent dictatorship and promote democracy

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The Constitutional Council

• the highest constitutional authority in France
• two main areas of Power
• supervise elections, both presidential and
  parliamentary. They issue the official results,
  ensure proper conduct and fairness
• interpretate the fundamental meanings of the
  constitution, procedure, legislation, and treaties

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• Membership
• is by appointment
• former presidents of the Republic.
• The Council is made up of
• 1.nine members , 2.non-renewable, 3.terms of nine
  years

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Palais Royal
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• The new President of the Constitutional Council

On 23rd February 2007
Jacques Chirac
Jean-Louis Debré
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President

• head of the state
• The President has a degree of direct executive
  power
• Powers of the president
• Can choose the Prime Minister
• may dissolve the French National Assembly
• is the Commander-in-Chief (CINC) of the armies
• lessen criminal sentences
• Mandatory period is 5 years

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• The current president of the French Republic

elected on 6 May 2007
Nicolas Sarkozy
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Prime Minister

• functional head of the government and the
  council of the ministry
• he is named by the president but can be accused
  or dismissed by the National Assembly
• The president appoints most of the executive
  power to him to oversee the administrative court
  system
• Be the final arbiter when different comments
  arise from ministers.
• responsible for governmental policy, so he is
  generally blamed for the government's failings.

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• The current Prime Minister of France

On May 17, 2007
Appointed by President Nicolas Sarkozy
François Fillon
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Parliament

• is the legislative branch
• comprises the National Assembly and the Senate
• The Palais du Luxembourg?Senate
• The Palais Bourbon?National Assembly
• Parliament meets for one 9-month session each
  year
• to revise and amend the Constitution of France
  and bills

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National Assembly

• (Assemblée nationale)
  
• can overthrow the executive government
• but may dissolve by the president
• Membership
• 577 members, known as députés (deputies)
• directly elected by Universal suffrage, ie.
  extension of the right to vote by all adults
• under a two-round system?see picture
• Mandatory period of the Assembly is 5 years

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députés
two-round system
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The current president of the National Assembly
on June 26, 2007
Bernard Accoyer
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The Palais Bourbon
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Senate (Sénat)

• has nearly the same powers as the National
  Assembly, however, the National Assembly
  ultimately has the final say
• Membership
• the Senate had 321 senators
• 6-year term period
• Senators are elected indirectly by approximately
  150,000 local elected officials, including
  mayors, city councilors, and deputies of the
  National Assembly
• Senators elect among themselves a President

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• The current president of the Senate

October 1, 1998
Christian Poncelet
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The Senate amphitheater in the Luxembourg Palace
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The Luxembourg Palace
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The French Congress

• (Congrès du Parlement français)
• is composed of senators and deputies who come
  together in the meeting hall
• at the Château of Versailles
• to vote on revisions to the Constitution
• procedure
• Meeting at Versailles
• members of parliament can approve constitutional
  revisions with a three-fifths majority vote
• the head of state enacts the changes within
  fifteen days

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• Château de Versailles

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• Courts of cassation judicial branch (dealing
  with civil law and criminal law
• Conseil d'Etat administrative branch (dealing
  with appeals against executive decisions)

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Current Issues and Debates
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Latest news! Politics

• France local election every six years
• gt 36,000 towns ? mayors, deputy mayors and
  municipal councilors
• Background information
• Nicolas Sarkozy Ruling party of Conservative
  Union for a Popular Movement (UMP)
• Socialist as the opposite Paris in 2001
• Leftist dominate in Lyon

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Latest news! Politics
Municipal election II Sarkozys popularity

• Importance of this local election
• ?New conservative leaders first electoral test
  and a barometer of his partys political strength
• As Frances economy remains sluggish and Sarkozy
  has backed off from many promises

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Latest news! Politics

• First round last Sunday, 9 March 2008
• Result 47.5 VS 44.4 (UMP)
• Socialist Lyon
• Second round
• 17 March 2008

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Latest news! Politics

• Current response from Sarkozy
• Fine-tuning after the election
• Reconstruct the team communication and appoint
  new faces into the cabinet
• Consider the public opinion
• Continue to implement the plans to reform the
  system

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What happen to Sakozy??

• Fulfill his commitment in breaking the political
  tradition/old order?reform
• Receive lost in popularity in the past ten months
  of his office
• Satisfaction Index below 40 in mid-Feb 2008
• Public opinion only 41 think he is a competent
  president
• ?beyond the bottom line and touch the threshold
  of public acceptance??

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What happen to Sakozy??

• Reasons of the slipped index
• Did not meet the promise during presidential
  election
• E.g. no improvement in political and economic
  situation
• Different style before and after election which
  receive criticism
• E.g. signed statement from 17 political parties

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What happen to Sakozy??

• Reasons of the slipped index
• His private life in related to public affairs

Private Affairs
Public Affairs
Public Affairs
Private Affairs
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Economy

• unemployment rate (Insee 06-03-2008)
• 2007 third season 8.2
• 2007 forth season 7.8
• ?2,084,000 people
• ?decreasing
• BUT
• Financial deficit in 2007
• High inflation rate (Iscaro)
• Uncertainty of the (both domestic and
  international) economy
• gtgtgtgtgt the decreasing unemployment rate

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Economy

• Negative effect from the sub prime mortgage
  market
• ?BNP (largest bank in France) forth season 1
  billion Euro as surplus, decreased by 42
• ?write-off 5000 million Euro dollars
• Societe Generale incident illegal transaction

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Economy

• 2008 expectation (Iscaro)
• Merely change in unemployment rate
• Decrease in the activeness of external market
• Private consumption rate decrease
• ?tough year

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Society

• Pluralistic society with numerous minorities
• Conflict among different races and interest
• Case 2005 Riot (regarding racial issue)
• 2 minorities rejected the inspection from police
  October 2005, escaped to a electricity factory
  and died due to electric shock
• ? Revealed the implicit problems of new
  immigrants and racial discrimination
  
  

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La Fin

• Merci