1995 French presidential election facts for kids
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Results of the second round by department
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In 1995, France held an important election to choose its new president. This election was for the fifth president of the French Fifth Republic. The voting happened in two parts: the first round on April 23, 1995, and the second round on May 7, 1995.
Contents
Understanding the 1995 French Presidential Election
A presidential election is when people vote to choose their country's leader, called the president. In France, the president is a very important person. They lead the government and represent the country.
What Does a President Do?
The president of France has many big jobs. They are the head of the country and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. They also help make important decisions about how France works.
How French Elections Work
French presidential elections usually have two rounds of voting. In the first round, many candidates can run. People vote for their favorite. If no one gets more than half of the votes, the top two candidates go to a second round. This second round is a final vote between just those two. The person who gets the most votes in the second round wins.
Who Were the Main Candidates?
Two main candidates stood out in the 1995 election. They were Jacques Chirac and Lionel Jospin.
Jacques Chirac's Campaign
Jacques Chirac was from a political group called the Rally for the Republic. He had been a mayor of Paris and a prime minister before. He wanted to become president to lead France into the future.
Lionel Jospin's Campaign
Lionel Jospin was from the Socialist Party. He was also a well-known politician. He offered different ideas for France's future.
The Election Results
After the first round of voting, Jacques Chirac and Lionel Jospin were the two candidates who moved on. They had received the most votes.
Second Round Voting
In the second round on May 7, 1995, people voted again. This time, they chose between only Chirac and Jospin.
Who Won the Election?
Jacques Chirac won the election. He received 15,763,027 votes, which was about 52.6% of all the votes. Lionel Jospin received 14,180,644 votes, about 47.4%. Because of this, Jacques Chirac became the new president of France. He took over from the previous president, François Mitterrand.
