vote, second ballot - Jacques CHIRAC (RPR) 81.96%, Jean-Marie LE PEN
(FN) 18.04%

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat
(321 seats - 296 for metropolitan France, 13 for overseas
departments and territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad;
members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve
nine-year terms; elected by thirds every three years); note -
between now and 2010, 25 new seats will be added to the Senate for a
total of 346 seats - 326 for metropolitan France and overseas
departments, 2 for New Caledonia, 2 for Mayotte, 1 for Saint-Pierre
and Miquelon, 3 for overseas territories, and 12 for French
nationals abroad; members will be indirectly elected by an electoral
college to serve six-year terms, with one-half the seats being
renewed every three years; and the National Assembly or Assemblee
Nationale (577 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a
single-member majority system to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 26 September 2004 (next to be held
September 2007); National Assembly - last held 8-16 June 2002 (next
to be held not later than June 2007)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - UMP 156, PS 97, UDF 33, PCF 23, RDSE 15, other 7; National
Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP 355,
PS 140, UDF 29, PCF 21, Radical Party 7, Greens 3, other 22

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are appointed
by the president from nominations of the High Council of the
Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (three
members appointed by the president, three appointed by the president
of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the president of
the Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat

Political parties and leaders:
Citizen and Republican Movement or MCR [Jean Pierre CHEVENEMENT];
Democratic and European Social Rally or RDSE (mainly Radical
Republican and Socialist Parties, and PRG) [Jacques PELLETIER];
French Communist Party or PCF [Marie-George BUFFET]; Left Radical
Party or PRG (previously Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left
Radical Movement or MRG) [Jean-Michel BAYLET]; Movement for France
or MPF [Philippe DE VILLIERS]; National Front or NF [Jean-Marie LE
PEN]; Rally for France or RPF [Charles PASQUA]; Socialist Party o