This course will examine French political institutions, with a double focus on history and comparative law. Particular importance will be placed on the elements that make it possible to understand the specificities of the French political system.
Prerequisites:
Knowledge of the US constitutional system (federal and presidential) can be useful to understand the notions that will be used about France.
Method of presentation:
Lecture and discussion.
Required work and form of assessment:
Attendance and participation (10%); assignments (25%); mid-term exam (25%); final exam (40%).
content:
Theme 1 – The State and the nation in France – 1791: four years after the Constitution of the United-States, the first French Constitution. – Since this first Constitution, ten have followed: why this instability? – Montesquieu, Alexis de Tocqueville.
Theme 2 – Common law of the European States constitutional organization: parliamentary system – Brief comparison with the American presidential system.
Theme 3 – Origins of the 5th Republic – From 1940 to 1958 – The death throes of the 3rd Republic – The government of Vichy and de Gaulle – 1944-1946 – The death throes of the 4th Republic – From the 4th to the 5th Republic. Organization chart of the 5th Republic.
Theme 4 – Main dates of the development of the 5th Republic.
Theme 5 – Elections in France: calendar, voting systems, financing.
Theme 6 – Who governs France? Dualism head of State – head of government – The question of cohabitation – What does the Parliament do?
Theme 7 – French political life – Left and right – Multiparty system and bipolarization.
Theme 8 – Two fundamental principles of the French Republic: indivisibility and secularism.
Theme 9 – Justice – France’s refusal of judiciary power – Simplified chart of the French jurisdictional organization – Status and mission of the Conseil constitutionnel.
Theme 10 – The 5th Republic and Europe: sovereignty challenge.
Required readings:
Ardant Ph. And Formery S., Les institutions de la Vème République, Hachette.
Recommended readings:
de Villiers M. and Le Divellec A., Dictionnaire du droit constitutionnel, 8ème éd., Dalloz.
Chagnollaud, D., Droit constitutionnel contemporain, tome 3, éd. A. Colin.
Chantebout, B. Brève histoire politique et institutionnelle de la 5ème République. A. Colin.
Chevallier, J.J., G. Carcassonne, and O. Duhamel, Histoire des institutions et des régimes politiques de la France de 1789 à nos jours, 2 tomes, éd. Dalloz.
Suleiman E., Schizophrénies françaises, Grasset, 2008.
This course will examine French political institutions, with a double focus on history and comparative law. Particular importance will be placed on the elements that make it possible to understand the specificities of the French political system.
Knowledge of the US constitutional system (federal and presidential) can be useful to understand the notions that will be used about France.
Lecture and discussion.
Attendance and participation (10%); assignments (25%); mid-term exam (25%); final exam (40%).
Theme 1 – The State and the nation in France – 1791: four years after the Constitution of the United-States, the first French Constitution. – Since this first Constitution, ten have followed: why this instability? – Montesquieu, Alexis de Tocqueville.
Theme 2 – Common law of the European States constitutional organization: parliamentary system – Brief comparison with the American presidential system.
Theme 3 – Origins of the 5th Republic – From 1940 to 1958 – The death throes of the 3rd Republic – The government of Vichy and de Gaulle – 1944-1946 – The death throes of the 4th Republic – From the 4th to the 5th Republic. Organization chart of the 5th Republic.
Theme 4 – Main dates of the development of the 5th Republic.
Theme 5 – Elections in France: calendar, voting systems, financing.
Theme 6 – Who governs France? Dualism head of State – head of government – The question of cohabitation – What does the Parliament do?
Theme 7 – French political life – Left and right – Multiparty system and bipolarization.
Theme 8 – Two fundamental principles of the French Republic: indivisibility and secularism.
Theme 9 – Justice – France’s refusal of judiciary power – Simplified chart of the French jurisdictional organization – Status and mission of the Conseil constitutionnel.
Theme 10 – The 5th Republic and Europe: sovereignty challenge.
Ardant Ph. And Formery S., Les institutions de la Vème République, Hachette.
de Villiers M. and Le Divellec A., Dictionnaire du droit constitutionnel, 8ème éd., Dalloz.
Chagnollaud, D., Droit constitutionnel contemporain, tome 3, éd. A. Colin.
Chantebout, B. Brève histoire politique et institutionnelle de la 5ème République. A. Colin.
Chevallier, J.J., G. Carcassonne, and O. Duhamel, Histoire des institutions et des régimes politiques de la France de 1789 à nos jours, 2 tomes, éd. Dalloz.
Suleiman E., Schizophrénies françaises, Grasset, 2008.