Cohabitation

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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

  • France is a semi-presidential, representative parliamentary democracy, with clearly defined roles for the President and the Prime Minister.
  • The current political regime, called the Fifth Republic, replaced the former parliamentary republic system in 1958 and made the President more Powerful.
  • Why the need for the 5th republic ?
  • The Fourth Republic, in place from 1946 to 1958, was a parliamentary system 
  • In the absence of an absolute majority, a series of coalition cabinets replaced one another around every six months .
  • Since 1962, the French President has been directly elected by popular vote, while the Prime Minister is the leader of the largest party/coalition in the National Assembly.

Cohabitation

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 

  • The President, elected for a term of five years, serves as the head of the state ,controls the nuclear buttons and Commander of the Armed Forces. 
  • The office enjoys control of all decisions on matters of foreign policy and defence.
  • In contrast, the parliament, headed by the Prime Minister, is responsible for all domestic policy decisions. 
  • Article 21 of the French constitution allows the PM the power to direct the actions of the government.
  • The cabinet is appointed by the President under the PM’s recommendation

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