National Assembly (France)

The National Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral French Parliament under the Fifth Republic, with the Senate serving as the upper house. It is made up of 577 lawmakers called députés, each elected from a single area called a constituency. To control the Assembly, a group needs at least 289 of these seats.

The National Assembly meets in the Palais Bourbon on the Rive Gauche of the Seine in Paris, and it is protected by the Republican Guards. A tradition from the French Revolution means that left-wing parties sit on one side and right-wing parties sit on the other, showing the different political views in the Assembly.

The group is led by a president, currently Yaël Braun-Pivet, who is usually from the largest party and is helped by others from different parties. The National Assembly works for five years, but the president of France can sometimes call early elections, though this happens less often now. The president of France cannot join debates in the Assembly but can speak to a bigger meeting of both parts of Parliament at the Palace of Versailles.

Relations with the executive

After a big problem in May 1958, France’s rules changed to give more power to the leader, called the president, instead of the group of lawmakers called Parliament.

The president can end the work of the National Assembly and call new votes to help decide what to do when things get stuck. This doesn’t happen often. Once, a president ended the Assembly but it didn’t go as he hoped.

The National Assembly can also tell the leader’s team, called the government, that they are not doing a good job by voting against them. This usually doesn’t happen because the team in power usually has enough votes to stay. Only a few times has this vote succeeded.

The government used to decide almost all the days and topics for the Assembly’s meetings. Now, there are changes so the Assembly has more say on some days. Lawmakers can also ask questions to the leaders, and some of these questions are shown on TV.

Elections

See also: Legislative elections in France, List of constituencies of the National Assembly of France, and 2010 redistricting of French legislative constituencies

Since 1988, the 577 deputies are chosen by voting in a two-round system by constituency, for a five-year term. Each area has about 100,000 people.

To be elected in the first round, a candidate needs at least half of the votes and at least a quarter of registered voters must participate. If no one wins in the first round, the top candidates move to a second round, and the one with the most votes wins. Each candidate has a substitute who steps in if needed.

Procedure

The National Assembly in France mostly follows plans set by the Government, but it can also make its own plans. By law, the Assembly must meet at least once a month.

Laws in France start as proposals, which have three parts: a title, a description of why the law is needed, and the actual law text. These proposals can come from the Government or from a member of Parliament. Some laws, like those about money, must start with the Government.

Before a law can be passed, it is reviewed by special groups in Parliament. Both the Government and Parliament can change the proposal. If the two main parts of Parliament cannot agree, a special group tries to help them find a compromise. Finally, the president can approve the law, or sometimes ask people to vote on it directly in a referendum. Once approved, the law is official and becomes part of France’s rules.

Conditions and benefits of deputies

Main article: Parliamentary immunity in France

Deputies in the National Assembly receive a monthly salary of €7,043.69. They also get extra money each month to help pay for work-related costs and to pay for up to five employees. Deputies have an office and get help with travel, communication, and social security.

To be a deputy, you must be at least 18 years old, a French citizen, and not have any legal problems that stop you from holding public office. Deputies cannot hold certain other government jobs at the same time, like being a senator or a mayor of a big town. If a deputy is asked to join the government, they have one month to decide whether to stay as a deputy or take the new job. If they choose the new job, someone else takes their place in the Assembly.

Historical composition

French Revolution (1789–1799)

Further information: French Revolution

In 1795, 1797 & 1798, only part of the legislature was elected.

Restoration (1815–1848)

Further information: Bourbon Restoration in France and Kingdom of France

Under the Bourbon Restoration and July Monarchy, the term National Assembly was not used for any French government group. The lower house of the French legislature at the time was called the Chamber of Deputies.

Second Republic (1848–1852)

Further information: French Second Republic

Second Empire (1852–1870)

Further information: Second French Empire

Under the Second French Empire, the term National Assembly was not used for any French government group. The lower house of the French legislature at the time was called the Corps législatif.

Third Republic (1870–1940)

Further information: French Third Republic

At first, the National Assembly of the French Third Republic was a single group that helped create new laws. Later, the term National Assembly was used for meetings of both houses of the French legislature. The lower house was called the Chamber of Deputies, and the upper house was called the Senate.

After the Fall of France in 1940, the new Vichy regime made the Assembly lose its power. Free France created a Provisional Consultative Assembly in 1943 in Algiers to represent groups fighting against the Axis powers.

Fourth Republic (1946–1958)

Further information: National Assembly (French Fourth Republic)

Fifth Republic (since 1958)

Further information: French Fifth Republic

17th legislature

Main articles: 17th legislature of the French Fifth Republic and Member of Parliament (France)

See also: 2024 French legislative election