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Administrative divisions > A note
metropolitan France is divided into 22 regions (including the "territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and is subdivided into 96 departments; see separate entries for the overseas departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion) and the overseas territorial collectivities (Mayotte, Saint Pierre and Miquelon) |
Capital city
Paris |
Constitution
adopted by referendum 28 September 1958, effective 4 October 1958 |
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Corruption
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18 |
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[18th of 160]
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Executive branch > Chief of state
President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007) |
Executive branch > Elections
president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (changed from seven-year term in October 2000); election last held 22 April and 6 May 2007 (next to be held spring 2012); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly majority and appointed by the president |
Executive branch > Head of government
Prime Minister Francois FILLON (since 17 May 2007) |
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Flag modification
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80 |
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[80th of 197]
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Government type
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republic |
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Judicial branch
Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are appointed by the president from nominations of the High Council of the Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (three members appointed by the president, three appointed by the president of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the president of the Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat |
Legal system
civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative but not legislative acts |
Legislative branch
bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat (331 seats, 305 for metropolitan France, 9 for overseas departments, 5 for dependencies, and 12 for French nationals abroad; members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve nine-year terms; one third elected every three years); note - between 2006 and 2010, 15 new seats will be added to the Senate for a total of 346 seats - 326 for metropolitan France and overseas departments, 2 for New Caledonia, 2 for Mayotte, 1 for Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, 3 for overseas territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad; starting in 2008, members will be indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve six-year terms, with one-half elected every three years; and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (577 seats, 555 for metropolitan France, 15 for overseas departments, 7 for dependencies; members are elected by popular vote under a single-member majority system to serve five-year terms) |
National holiday
Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - although often incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, the celebration actually commemorates the holiday held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille (on 14 July 1789) and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are Fete Nationale (National Holiday) and quatorze juillet (14th of July) |
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Parliamentary seats > Female
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61% |
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[61st of 143]
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Political pressure groups and leaders
historically-Communist labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail) or CGT, approximately 700,000 members (claimed); left-leaning labor union (Confederation Francaise Democratique du Travail) or CFDT, approximately 889,000 members (claimed); independent labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail - Force Ouvriere) or FO, 300,000 members (est.); independent white-collar union (Confederation Generale des Cadres) or CGC, 196,000 members (claimed); employers' union (Mouvement des Entreprises de France) or MEDEF, 750,000 companies as members (claimed) |
Secession attempts
Corsica, the Bretons, the Alsatians |
Status
democracy |
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal |
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UN membership date
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24 Oct. 1945 |
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United Nations mission
http://www.un.int/france/frame_anglais/accueil_frame/accueil_ang.htm |
... View all Government stats
SOURCES: ; The location of the seat of government.; The dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments to a nation's constitution
; A CPI Score relates to perceptions of the degree of corruption as seen by business people and country analysts and ranges between 10 (highly clean) and 0 (highly corrupt). Includes police corruption, business corruption, political corruption, etc. Data for 2005.; The name and title of any person or role roughly equivalent to a U.S. Chief of State. This means the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government
; Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election
; Head of government includes the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. For example, in the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the president is both the chief of state and the head of government.
; The date on which the nation's flag was last modified.; A description of the basic form of government (e.g., republic, constitutional monarchy, federal republic, parliamentary democracy, military dictatorship).
; The name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members.
; A brief description of the legal system's historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction.
; This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.
; The primary national day of celebration - often independence day.
; Organizations with leaders involved in politics, but not standing for legislative election.
; Lists groups or areas that have mounted major unilateral secession attempts in selected nations since 1945.; Democracy: state in which democratic structures provide for an alternance of power
Pseudo-Democracy: state in which there are democratic structures but without a real chance for an alternance of power
Transition State: a state with a transitional structure
Absolute Monarchy: a one-party state, or a state governed by an absolute monarchy or dictatorship.; The age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted
; Date of United Nations Membership; United Missions mission or approximate website
ALTERNATIVE NAMES:
France, French Republic, Republique Francaise
Related links:
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