French Fifth Republic Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

French Republic

Cinquième république française (French)

1958–present

Flag

Emblem

Motto: "Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité"

"Liberty, Equality, Fraternity"

Anthem: "La Marseillaise"

Great Seal:

Location of France (dark green)

– on the European continent (green & dark grey)
– in the European Union (green)

Capital

and largest city

Paris
48°51.4′N 2°21.05′E / 48.8567°N 2.35083°E

Official language
and national language

French

Religion

Secular State

In Alsace-Moselle

Government

Unitary semi-presidential constitutional republic

• President

• Prime Minister

Legislature

• Upper house

• Lower house

Establishment

History

• Current constitution

4 October 1958 (66 years)

• Established

1958

• Disestablished

present

Currency

Euro (EUR)
CFP franc (XPF)

Date format

dd/mm/yyyy (AD)

Calling code

+33

ISO 3166 code

Internet TLD

.fr

Preceded by

French Fourth Republic

The Fifth Republic (French: Cinquième République) is the way France is governed today. It's a type of republic (where people elect their leaders). This system started on October 4, 1958. It was created by Charles de Gaulle with a special set of rules called the Constitution of the Fifth Republic.

Before the Fifth Republic, France had a different system called the Fourth Republic. It didn't work very well. So, the Fifth Republic was created to be stronger. It's a 'semi-presidential' system. This means power is shared between two main leaders: the President (who is the head of state, like a country's main representative) and the Prime Minister (who is the head of government, in charge of day-to-day running of the country).

How France is Governed
- The President's Role
- When Power is Shared: Cohabitation
History of the Fifth Republic
Images for kids
See also

How France is Governed

Charles de Gaulle became the first President of the Fifth Republic in December 1958. He believed in a strong leader for the country. He felt the President should represent "the spirit of the nation."

The President's Role

Under the Fifth Republic, the President has important powers. The President can decide to end the term of the National Assembly (France's main law-making body) and call for new elections.

If the President's political party has the most seats in the National Assembly, the President usually sets the country's main policies. The Prime Minister then helps put these policies into action. The President can also choose a new Prime Minister or change other government ministers during their time in office.

When Power is Shared: Cohabitation

Sometimes, the President and the National Assembly might be from different political parties. This situation is called cohabitation. When this happens, the President has to choose a Prime Minister from the party that has the majority in the National Assembly. This means the President and Prime Minister might not always agree on everything.

At first, presidential elections were held every seven years, and parliamentary elections every five years. This made cohabitation more likely. But since the year 2000, both presidential and parliamentary elections happen every five years. This usually means the President's party also wins the majority in the National Assembly, making cohabitation less common. However, it can still happen if the President calls for new parliamentary elections in the middle of their term.

History of the Fifth Republic

The Fifth Republic is one of the longest-lasting systems of government in France's history. It has been around for over 65 years. Before this, France had a long period of kings and queens, and then other republics like the Third Republic. The Fifth Republic is expected to become the second-longest French government system on August 8, 2028.