Political and Diplomatic assessment of France

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Generally speaking, the French political system is special in two ways. First, It is neither a parliamentary system like the British one, where the executive emerges from Parliament, nor a system of separation of powers like the American one, where the President must take account of Congress. The French Fifth Republic is a hybrid system characterized by a Presidency that is oversized in the absence of adequate counterweights. Second, France also differs from most major modern democracies in using two-round single-winner voting rather than one-round (United States, United Kingdom) or proportional representation (continental Europe), which encourages a large number of parties (in the first round) and two major electoral coalitions (in the second), left and right. However, there have been many changes to the French sys tem since the foundation of the Fifth Republic: institutions and politics have continually evolved to achieve their present shape.

The constitution of the Fifth Republic has retained many traditional features of France's governmental structure while significantly enhancing the powers of the presidency in a mixed presidential-parliamentary system. The president, originally chosen by an electoral college but now directly elected in accordance with a 1962 constitutional amendment, holds powers expanded not only by the terms of the constitution itself but also by President de Gaulle's broad interpretation of executive prerogative. In addition to having the power to dissolve the National Assembly with the advice (but not necessarily the concurrence) of the premier, the president may hold national referenda on some issues and is granted full legislative and executive powers in times of emergency. A partial check on th...

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...and conflicts with police. Moreover, the growing Muslim community in France, numbering 5–10 million according to various estimates, continued to face major social barriers to integration, including widespread discrimination in housing and employment. By November 8 the riots had spread to some 300 communities, prompting Prime Minister de Villepin to declare a state of emergency. By mid-November the “popular revolt” (to quote a police intelligence agency report) had significantly diminished in intensity, although the state of emergency was not lifted until January 4, 2006. More than 250 schools and 200 other public buildings had been burned or attacked and 10, 000 vehicles destroyed. Arrests totaled 4, 800.

As a permanent member of The UN Security Council and one of the founding countries of European Union, France has very complex multilateral relationships.

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