Prime Minister of France facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Prime Minister of the French Republic
Flag of France
Emblem of the French Republic
Incumbent Vacant since 6 October 2025
Council of Ministers of the French Republic Government of France
Style	Mr. Prime Minister (informal) His Excellency (diplomatic)
Member of	Council of Ministers Council of State National Defence and Security Council
Reports to	President Parliament
Residence	Hôtel Matignon
Seat	Paris, France
Appointer	President
Term length	Not fixed
Constituting instrument	Constitution of France
Precursor	Several titles were used since the Ancien Régime
Inaugural holder	Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord
Formation	9 July 1815; 210 years ago (1815-07-09)
Salary	€178,920 annually

The Prime Minister of France (French: Premier ministre français ), officially the Prime Minister of the French Republic (Premier ministre de la République française ), is a very important leader in the French government. Think of them as the main manager of the country's daily operations. While the President is the head of state and makes big decisions about the country's future and international relations, the Prime Minister leads the team of ministers who handle everything inside France.

The President chooses the Prime Minister. However, the President cannot simply fire the Prime Minister. The team of ministers, led by the Prime Minister, can be asked to resign by the President or removed by the National Assembly, which is like France's parliament. When a Prime Minister is chosen, they suggest a list of other ministers to the President. These ministers then work on different areas, like education, health, or the economy.

The most recent Prime Minister was Sébastien Lecornu, who was appointed on 9 September 2025. He resigned on 6 October 2025, and the position is currently vacant.

How the Prime Minister is Chosen
- What is "Cohabitation"?
What the Prime Minister Does
- Leading the Government
- Working with Parliament
A Look Back: History of the Role
Former Prime Ministers of France
See also

How the Prime Minister is Chosen

The President of France picks the Prime Minister. In theory, the President can choose anyone. But in reality, the person chosen must have the support of the majority of members in the National Assembly. This is because the National Assembly has the power to make the government resign if they don't agree with its actions.

Sometimes, the President and the National Assembly's majority come from different political groups. This situation is called "cohabitation."

What is "Cohabitation"?

"Cohabitation" happens when the President and the Prime Minister are from different political parties. For example, in 1986, President François Mitterrand (from the Socialist Party) had to appoint Jacques Chirac (from a different party) as Prime Minister. This was because Chirac's party had the most seats in the National Assembly. During cohabitation, the Prime Minister often has more power over domestic issues. The President then focuses more on defense and foreign policy.

Most Prime Ministers are chosen from the National Assembly. But sometimes, a President might pick someone who hasn't been elected to parliament before. This could be someone with a lot of experience in government work or international relations. For instance, Dominique de Villepin served as Prime Minister from 2005 to 2007 without having been an elected official.

Once the President chooses a Prime Minister and approves their team of ministers, the government doesn't need a special vote of confidence from the National Assembly to start working.

What the Prime Minister Does

The Prime Minister is in charge of guiding the government's actions. The government's main job is to decide and carry out the country's policies. This includes all the important issues within France, like schools, hospitals, and roads. The President, on the other hand, usually focuses on national defense and how France deals with other countries.

Leading the Government

The President appoints other ministers based on the Prime Minister's suggestions. The Prime Minister works closely with these ministers. They help make sure that all parts of the government are working well together. During "cohabitation," when the President and Prime Minister are from different parties, the Prime Minister often takes the lead on most domestic decisions.

Working with Parliament

The Prime Minister can present a new law to the National Assembly and ask them to approve it. This is a way to make sure the government still has the support of the parliament. Sometimes, if a law is very important but might be difficult to pass, the Prime Minister can use a special rule (Article 49.3 of the Constitution). This rule allows the law to pass automatically unless the National Assembly votes to remove the government. This happened in 2024 when Michel Barnier's government used this rule for the Social Security budget, and the National Assembly then voted to remove his government.

The Prime Minister is also the only member of the government who can introduce new laws in Parliament. Before the President can dissolve the National Assembly and call for new elections, they must talk to the Prime Minister and the leaders of both parts of Parliament.

A Look Back: History of the Role

Hôtel Matignon, the official home and office of the Prime Minister of France.

Before the current system, during the time known as the Third Republic, the leader of the government was called the "President of the Council of Ministers." People outside France often called them the "prime minister."

Back then, this leader had powers similar to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. However, France had many political parties, and it was hard for any government to keep enough support in parliament. Governments often changed very quickly, sometimes twice a year! This meant the "President of the Council" was often not very powerful. They were more like a chairperson for the group of ministers rather than a strong leader.

In 1958, France created its Fifth Republic and a new semi-presidential system. This is when the role was officially named "Prime Minister" and became much stronger. The new 1958 Constitution made it harder for parliament to remove the government.

Since then, a government has only been removed by a vote of no confidence twice. The first time was in 1962, when Georges Pompidou's government was removed. But after new elections, he was reappointed. The second time was in 2024, when Michel Barnier's government was removed after using a special rule to pass a budget.

Former Prime Ministers of France

As of today, there are eighteen people who have served as Prime Minister and are still living. The most recent former Prime Minister to pass away was Jacques Chirac in 2019.