F rance's political institutions have undergone several changes since the 1789 revolution. What is now France made up the bulk of the region known to the Romans as Gaul. Its present name is derived from the Latin Francia, meaning "country of the Franks," a Germanic people who conquered the area during the 5th century, at the time of the fall of the Western Roman Empire. The new Government entered into a treaty with Germany and Italy, and prepared a new constitution for France. He must also ensure the coordination of Government action and prevent different ministers from taking contradictory initiatives through his arbitration. It allows for the ratification of international treaties, especially those related to the European Union, and describes the methods for its amendments. Until relatively recently, French government was extremely centralised, with most law and administration coming from the top. S ince the 17th century, France has played a major role in European and world events. It was a republican government from 1946-1958. The division of function between ruler and ruled occurred only, if at all, within the family . FRENCH GOVERNMENT. With the assistance of Michel Debré, de Gaulle crafted the constitution of the Fifth Republic. It became a separate country in the 9th century. Finally, the power of the president is tied to the parliamentary strength of the parties that support him and that form a majority in the National Assembly. French History Timeline Note: Graphic Intensive Originally ... Vichy's government formed 1944-45: D-Day and Allied victory and Fourth Republic led by de Gaulle 1946-54: … Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Despite spontaneous movements and policies of decentralization, as well as challenges from new forms of local governance, Paris retains its dominant role in the nation. The constitution of 1958 called for a presidential term of seven years, but, in a referendum in 2000, the term was shortened to five years, beginning with the 2002 elections. France (/ˈfræns/ (help ... History. The first written records for the History of France appeared in the Iron Age. By Andrew C. Fix, PhD, Lafayette College Absolutism was a system of government in which all sovereignty resided with the king, true to Louis XIV’s dictum: “I am the state.” Particularly in France and Germany, the wars of religion had seriously weakened national governments and monarchies. The government of France divides into a legislative, a judicial branch and an executive. of France. In 121, the Roman troops won a conclusive victory over the Celtic tribes and the Roman Empire set the First Roman Province (in the area of Narbonne). These demographic trends have been facilitated by substantial improvements to the transport infrastructure, in the form of new motorways and the development of TGV, the high-speed train network. Please use the following links and sources to find information on the French government. Anti-Government Rioting . In an effort to instill vitality into Louisiana, King Louis XIV granted a proprietary charter on September 14, 1712, to the merchant and nobleman, Antoine Crozat. It has a history filled with division, intolerance, absolutism, and imperialism, but also one with strong traditions of popular revolution, republicanism, and human rights. He formed a government and, through the constitutional law of June 1958, was granted responsibility for drafting a new constitution. The French system is characterized by the strong role of the president of the republic. The French Revolution began in May 1789 and eventually overthrew the government of Louis XVI. The constitution gives the president the power to appoint the prime minister (often known as the premier), who oversees the execution of legislation. The drafting of the constitution of the Fifth Republic and its promulgation on October 4, 1958, differed in three main ways from the former constitutions of 1875 (Third Republic) and 1946 (Fourth Republic): first, the parliament did not participate in its drafting, which was done by a government working party aided by a constitutional advisory committee and the Council of State; second, French overseas territories participated in the referendum that ratified it on September 28, 1958; and, third, initial acceptance was widespread, unlike the 1946 constitution, which on first draft was rejected by popular referendum and then in a revised form was only narrowly approved. the french government with its capital at Vichy following hitlers occupation of northern France it collaborated with nazi Germany in many ways and is denounced as a illegitimate traitors government by all french governments that follow it 4th french republic 1947 - 1959 The government of France is a semi-presidential system determined by the French Constitution of the French Fifth Republic. A French Mob Storms the Bastille, 225 Years Ago Despite inheriting tremendous debts from his predecessor, Louis XVI continued spending extravagantly, including by … If that's not enough, click over to our collection of world maps and flags. De Gaulle’s great influence and the pressures of unstable political conditions tended to reinforce the authority of the presidency at the expense of the rest of the government. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. In 1792 Thomas Jefferson stated that the U.S. should “acknowledge any Government to be rightful, which is formed by the will of nation, substantially declared.” This has been U.S. policy ever since. Over recent decades France has experienced extensive change. When France fell into political turmoil after the May 1958 insurrection in Algeria (then still a French colony), General Charles de Gaulle, an outspoken critic of the postwar constitution who had served as the provisional head of government in the mid-1940s, returned to political life as prime minister. The younger mountains and adjacent plains, Gaul and Germany at the end of the 5th century, The shrinking of the frontiers and peripheral areas, Austrasian hegemony and the rise of the Pippinids, The partitioning of the Carolingian empire, The development of institutions in the Carolingian age, The influence of the church on society and legislation, Economy, society, and culture in the Middle Ages (, Economy, society, and culture in the 14th and 15th centuries, The influence of Montesquieu and Rousseau, The French Revolution and Napoleon, 1789–1815, The restoration and constitutional monarchy, The Great Depression and political crises, Society and culture under the Third Republic, The euro-zone crisis and the Socialist resurgence. The Gauls, the largest and best attested group, were Celtic people speaking what is known as the Gaulish language. The President Constitutionally, the office is responsible for the determination of governmental policy and exercises control over the civil service and the armed forces. The Fourth Republic Constitution was adopted into the French government on October 13, 1946. Bonaparte, who led a string of military victories for the French Army during the First Republic, became the head of the French government as consul for life in 1802, and then emperor two years later. France: Government Enter your search terms: The country is governed under the 1958 constitution (as amended), which established the Fifth French Republic and reflected the views of Charles de Gaulle . Page Menu:Click on the menu bar below to navigate this page.. Appointed by the President of the Republic (Head of State), the Prime Minister is the Head of Government. Britannica now has a site just for parents! History of the Metric System. The office of the president is unique in that it has the authority to bypass the parliament by submitting referenda directly to the people and even to dissolve the parliament altogether. However in 1982 significant changes were introduced, giving power to local bodies, and this trend has continued to the present day. But this did not last long: in the Senate elections of September 2014, the Left lost control of the upper house. France is a republic with a mixed presidential-parliamentary system of government. The Government and Politics of France is the authoritative guide to French politics and is essential for undergraduates and postgraduates with interests in French politics, European studies and political science. The name "France" comes from the Latin word Francia ', which means "land of the Franks". The royal charter afforded Crozat exclusive control over all trading and commercial privileges within the colony for a 15-year period. The Government and Politics . 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