Cohabitation
Context :
For the first time in 22 years, there is a real possibility of cohabitation in France which has only occurred thrice since France transitioned into the Fifth Republic .
The Fifth Republic
Cohabitation in France
- It is a situation where the French legislature is dominated by a coalition/party opposing the President.
- In such instances, the President is obliged to appoint a leader from the opposing party as Prime Minister, who enjoys the support of a parliamentary majority.
- Cohabitation is very rare in France, and there have only been three such instances in the French Fifth Republic in (1986-88),(1993-95),(1997-2002).
- Impact of Cohabitation
- Each of these periods was marked by administrative logjam and friction between the PM and the President.
- Since 2000, the switch to a five-year presidential term and the modification of the electoral calendar, where legislative elections immediately follow the presidential election have made cohabitation situations quite unlikely as legislative decisions were similar to presidential ones.
- As a result, the president has consistently won a majority in the National Assembly in the weeks following his presidential election.
President vs Prime Minister of France
