President of France facts for kids

Quick facts for kids President of the French Republic
Presidential standard
Emblem of the French Republic
Incumbent Emmanuel Macron since 14 May 2017
Executive branch of the French Government
Style	Mr. President (informal) His Excellency (diplomatic)
Member of	Defence and National Security Council European Council
Residence	Élysée Palace
Seat	Paris, France
Appointer	Popular vote
Term length	Five years, renewable once consecutively
Constituting instrument	Constitution of France
Inaugural holder	Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte
Formation	20 December 1848; 176 years ago (1848-12-20) (Second Republic) 4 October 1958; 66 years ago (1958-10-04) (Fifth Republic)
Deputy	President of the French Senate
Salary	€182,000 per annum

The president of France, officially called the president of the French Republic (French: Président de la République française), is the main leader of France. This person is the head of state and the commander-in-chief of the French Armed Forces. It is the highest job in France. The president's powers and duties have changed over time with different rules for the country.

The president of France also has other special roles. They are a co-prince of Andorra, which is a small country between France and Spain. They are also the grand master of the Legion of Honour, which is France's highest award.

The current president is Emmanuel Macron. He became president on May 14, 2017, and started his second term on May 7, 2022.

History of the French Presidency

How the President's Role Began

The idea of having a president in France first came up in 1830. But instead, Louis Philippe I became King of the French.

Eighteen years later, in 1848, the title of president was created. The first person to be elected president by the people was Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte. He was the nephew of Emperor Napoleon. Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte was president until he took control of the country in 1851 and made himself Emperor Napoleon III.

Changes in Power Over Time

Under the French Third Republic (starting in 1875), the president was quite powerful at first. People hoped a king might return to France. But soon, elected officials who supported a republic gained power. After 1879, presidents decided not to use their power to dissolve (close down) the parliament. This made the president's role more ceremonial, meaning they had less direct power. This system lasted for 80 years.

After World War II, the French Fourth Republic also had a president with mostly ceremonial duties.

However, when the French Fifth Republic was created in 1958, the president's powers greatly increased. In 1962, a public vote changed the rules so that the president would be directly elected by all citizens. In 2000, another vote shortened the president's term from seven years to five years. In 2008, a new rule was added: a president can only serve two terms in a row.

How the President is Elected

Term Limits for the President

Since 1962, the president has been chosen directly by all voters in France. Before that, a group of electors chose the president. The presidential term used to be seven years. But after a public vote in 2000, it was changed to five years. The first election with the shorter term was in 2002.

A rule added in 2008 says that a president cannot serve more than two terms in a row. Before this rule, some presidents served two full terms, like François Mitterrand (14 years) and Jacques Chirac (12 years). Emmanuel Macron is the fourth president to be re-elected, winning again in 2022.

The Election Process

French presidential elections use a "two-round system." This means the elected president always gets more than half of the votes. If no candidate wins a majority in the first round, the top two candidates go to a second round of voting. After a new president is elected, there is a special ceremony called a "handing over of powers."

To become an official candidate, people must get signatures from more than 500 elected local officials, like mayors. These officials must come from at least 30 different areas of France, and no more than 10% can be from the same area. Each official can only support one candidate.

There are strict rules about how much money candidates can spend on their campaigns. The government also helps fund campaigns. TV advertising for candidates is not allowed, but they get official time on public TV.

Powers of the President

France has a "semi-presidential system." This means the president is quite powerful, unlike leaders in many other European countries. While the Prime Minister of France and the government handle most daily domestic issues, the French president has a lot of influence, especially in national security and foreign policy.

The president's biggest power is choosing the prime minister. However, the French National Assembly (part of the parliament) can remove the prime minister's government. So, the president must choose a prime minister who has the support of most members in the Assembly. Since 2002, elections for the parliament happen shortly after the presidential election. This usually means the president's party will have a majority in the Assembly.

• When the president and the Assembly have different political views, it's called "cohabitation." In this case, the president's power is less because the prime minister and Assembly have more control.
• When the president and the Assembly agree, the president can be more active and influence government policy more easily. The prime minister is then more of the president's personal choice and can be replaced if needed.

Since 2002, both the president and the Assembly serve five-year terms, and their elections are close together. This makes "cohabitation" less likely.

Here are some of the president's powers:

• The president officially signs laws into effect.
• The president can ask the Parliament to review a law again, but only once.
• The president can also send a law to the Constitutional Council for review before signing it.
• The president can dissolve (close down) the French National Assembly, leading to new elections.
• The president can ask the public to vote on certain laws or treaties in a referendum.
• The president is the Chief of the Armed Forces.
• The president can order the use of nuclear weapons.
• The president names the prime minister and, with the prime minister's advice, names and removes other government ministers.
• The president names most government officials.
• The president names some members of the Constitutional Council. (Former presidents are also members of this council).
• The president welcomes foreign ambassadors.
• The president can grant a pardon to convicted criminals, which means lessening or removing their sentences.

Most of the president's decisions must also be signed by the prime minister, except for dissolving the National Assembly, choosing the prime minister, and a few other specific actions.

Key Constitutional Powers

The president's powers are written in the Constitution of France.

• The president makes sure the Constitution is followed and that the government works properly. They also protect the country's independence and agreements with other nations.
• The president appoints the prime minister and other government members.
• The president leads meetings of the Council of Ministers (the cabinet).
• The president signs laws passed by parliament. They can ask parliament to look at a law again, but they cannot simply refuse to sign it.
• The president can propose laws to the people for a referendum, with the government's agreement.
• The president can dissolve the National Assembly after talking with the prime minister and parliamentary leaders. New elections must happen within 20 to 40 days. No new dissolution can happen within a year.
• The president signs official orders and appointments for government jobs.
• The president welcomes foreign ambassadors and sends French ambassadors abroad.
• The president is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and leads defense councils.
• In very serious emergencies, the president can take special measures to protect the country, after consulting with other leaders. This power has only been used once, during the Algerian War.
• The president has the right to grant pardons.
• The president can send messages to the two parts of Parliament, which are read aloud but not debated.

What Happens if the President Can't Serve?

Alain Poher served as acting president in 1969 and 1974.

If the president dies, resigns, or is removed from office, the president of the Senate takes over as acting president. Alain Poher is the only person who has done this, serving twice: in 1969 after Charles de Gaulle resigned, and in 1974 after Georges Pompidou died.

When this happens, a new presidential election must be held quickly, usually within 20 to 35 days. The president of the Senate can only be acting president for a maximum of 50 days. During this time, the acting president cannot dissolve the National Assembly, call for a referendum, or change the Constitution.

If the president cannot attend meetings, they can ask the prime minister to go in their place. This happens if the president is traveling, sick, or having surgery.

Presidents Who Died in Office

Four French presidents have died while in office:

• Sadi Carnot, who was killed on June 25, 1894, at age 56.
• Félix Faure, who died on February 16, 1899, at age 58.
• Paul Doumer, who was killed on May 7, 1932, at age 75.
• Georges Pompidou, who died on April 2, 1974, at age 62.

Pay and Official Homes

The Élysée Palace is the president's main home and office.

The president of France receives a salary. In 2008, it was about €20,963 per month. The official home and office of the president is the Élysée Palace in Paris.

Other places the president can use include:

• The Hôtel de Marigny, next to the Élysée Palace, used for foreign guests.
• The Château de Rambouillet and the Domaine national de Marly, which are usually open to visitors.
• The Fort de Brégançon, a vacation home in southeastern France. It is now also a national monument, but the president can still use private areas there.
• La Lanterne became an official presidential vacation home in 2007.

Latest Election

The most recent presidential election was the 2022 French presidential election.

Pension and Benefits for Former Presidents

French law says that former presidents get a guaranteed lifetime pension. They also receive a diplomatic passport and become members of the Constitutional Council. They also get staff, an apartment or office, and other benefits.

In 2016, President Hollande changed some of these benefits. Former presidents no longer get a car with a driver, and their household staff was reduced. The number of assistants they can have was also cut. However, they still have a state apartment or house available. They can also get train tickets for official business. Their security team remains the same.

More About French Presidents

• List of presidents of France
• List of presidents of France by tenure
• French presidential inauguration
• List of French non-presidential heads of state by tenure

See also

In Spanish: Presidente de Francia para niños