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France

French Republic

Civil lawUnitary semi-presidential republicReviewed· 2026-05-29
Capital
Paris
Population
68,200,000
Languages
French
Currency
EUR

France · Constitution

Constitution of the Fifth Republic

Created a strong directly elected presidency alongside a Prime Minister accountable to the National Assembly. The 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen has full constitutional force through the preamble.

The constitutional text

Created a strong directly elected presidency alongside a Prime Minister accountable to the National Assembly. The 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen has full constitutional force through the preamble.

Separation of powers

Semi-presidential: the President holds reserved powers over defence and foreign affairs; the Government answers to Parliament. The Conseil constitutionnel reviews statutes before promulgation and, since 2008, on referral from litigation.

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