1988 French presidential election facts for kids
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Results of the second round by department
Mitterrand: 50–55% 55–60% >60% Chirac: >50% |
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In 1988, France held important presidential elections. These elections decided who would be the next President of France. The voting happened in two parts: the first round on April 24, 1988, and the second round on May 8, 1988.
The main candidates were the current president, François Mitterrand, and his prime minister, Jacques Chirac. Mitterrand won the election, starting his second term as president.
Contents
What is a Presidential Election?
A presidential election is when people vote to choose their country's leader. In France, the president is chosen directly by the people. They serve a term of seven years. The president has many important jobs, like leading the government and representing the country.
Before the Election: A Divided Government
Before the 1988 election, France had a special situation. In 1981, François Mitterrand from the Socialist Party became president. His party also won the parliamentary election that year. This meant the president and the parliament worked well together.
However, in 1986, things changed. The right-wing parties won the parliamentary election. This meant the president (Mitterrand, a Socialist) and the prime minister (Jacques Chirac, from a right-wing party) were from different political groups. This situation is called "cohabitation" in France. It can be tricky because the president and the prime minister have to work together even if they have different ideas.
Who Were the Main Candidates?
Several people ran for president in 1988. The two main candidates were François Mitterrand and Jacques Chirac.
François Mitterrand
François Mitterrand was the current president. He belonged to the Socialist Party. He was first elected in 1981. Many people saw him as a calm and experienced leader. He wanted to continue his work for France.
Jacques Chirac
Jacques Chirac was the prime minister at the time. He was from the Rally for the Republic (RPR) party, which was a right-wing party. He was known for being energetic and a strong debater. He wanted to bring new leadership to France.
How the Election Worked
French presidential elections have two rounds of voting.
- First Round: On April 24, 1988, all the candidates ran. Voters chose their favorite. If no candidate got more than half of the votes (50% + 1), the top two candidates moved on to the second round.
- Second Round: On May 8, 1988, only the top two candidates from the first round competed. Voters then chose between these two. The person with the most votes in the second round became president.
In the first round, Mitterrand and Chirac received the most votes. So, they went head-to-head in the second round.
The Results: Mitterrand Wins Again!
The second round of the election was very important. After all the votes were counted, François Mitterrand won. He received about 54% of the votes. Jacques Chirac received about 46%. This meant Mitterrand would serve another seven years as president. His victory showed that many French people wanted him to continue leading the country.
See also
In Spanish: Elecciones presidenciales de Francia de 1988 para niños
