Treaty of Nice; amended to tighten immigration laws in 1993;
amended in 2000 to change the seven-year presidential term to a
five-year term; amended in 2005 to make the EU constitutional treaty
compatible with the Constitution of France and to ensure that the
decision to ratify EU accession treaties would be made by referendum

Legal system:
civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative
but not legislative acts

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)
head of government: Prime Minister Dominique DE VILLEPIN (since 31
May 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
suggestion of the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(changed from seven-year term in October 2000); election last held
21 April and 5 May 2002 (next to be held, first round 22 April 2007,
second round 6 May 2007); prime minister nominated by the National
Assembly majority and appointed by the president
election results: Jacques CHIRAC reelected president; percent of
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
(331 seats - 305 for metropolitan France, 9 for overseas
departments, 5 for dependencies, 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 2006 and 2010, 15 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; starting in 2008, 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 - 555 for metropolitan
France, 15 for overseas departments, 7 for dependencies; 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 2008); National Assembly - last held 8-16 June 2002 (next
to be held on 10 and 17 June 2007