Senate (France)

The Senate is the upper house of the French Parliament, with the lower house being the National Assembly. Together, they form the legislature of France. It has 348 senators who are elected by local councillors in indirect elections. These senators serve six-year terms, with half of the seats up for election every three years. They represent France's departments, overseas collectivities, and citizens living abroad.

Senators are elected differently depending on the population size of their area. In areas with fewer people, they are elected individually, while in more populated areas, they are elected as part of a group. Many senators also hold other government positions, such as serving on regional or departmental councils.

Although the Senate is less powerful than the National Assembly, it still plays an important role. If there is a disagreement between the two houses, the National Assembly usually has the final say. However, after the 2024 snap legislative election, the new government had a majority in the Senate but not in the National Assembly, giving the Senate more influence than before. The Senate has traditionally been seen as a place for experienced leaders and often has a right-wing majority.

The President of the Senate steps in to act as President of France if the president cannot perform their duties. The Senate meets in the Luxembourg Palace in Paris, and the garden in front of the building, the Jardin du Luxembourg, is open to the public.

History

France's first upper house was called the Council of Ancients and existed from 1795 to 1799 under the Directory. Later, during the First and Second Empires, there were bodies called Senates, but they mostly gave advice rather than making laws.

After the Restoration in 1814, France created a new group called the Chamber of Peers, inspired by the British House of Lords. Members were first chosen by birthright but later appointed for life after the July Revolution in 1830. The Second Republic briefly used only one house for laws, but a Senate was brought back when the Second Empire began in 1852. In the Fourth Republic, this was changed to the Council of the Republic, which did similar work. When the Fifth Republic started in 1958, the name Senate was used again.

In recent years, different groups have taken control of the Senate. The Socialist Party first won control in 2011. Then, in 2014, the centre-right Gaullists and their allies took control again, keeping it in later elections.

Powers

The Senate in France has almost the same powers as the National Assembly. Laws, called bills, can be suggested by the government or by either house of Parliament. Both houses can change the bills, so it might take a few tries to agree on a final version. If they still can't agree, the government can decide to let the National Assembly make the final choice, though this doesn't happen often. Usually, they find a way to agree, or the government decides not to push the bill forward.

The Senate can also express disapproval of the government, but this is not easy. Only after 10% of members agree can a vote happen, and it needs more than half of all members to say "no" for it to work. If the Senate and National Assembly have different leaders, the National Assembly usually has the final say. Big fights between the two groups are rare. The Senate represents the areas of France and watches over the government's work by sharing reports on many subjects each year.

Composition

Until September 2004, the Senate had 321 members, each serving for nine years. In that month, the term was changed to six years, and the number of senators was set to grow to 348 by 2011. Now, half of the senators are elected every three years.

President

Further information: List of presidents of the Senate of France

The president of the Senate is chosen by the senators themselves. The current president is Gérard Larcher. If the president of France leaves office, the Senate president becomes acting president until a new election. This has happened twice for Alain Poher—once when Charles de Gaulle left and once when Georges Pompidou passed away.

The Senate president can also choose three members of the Constitutional Council for nine years.

Election

Main article: French Senate elections

Senators are chosen by about 150,000 local officials, such as regional and department councillors, mayors, and others. Most of these officials are chosen by local councillors, which often gives rural areas more influence in the Senate. This has led to some disagreements, especially when the Senate’s political makeup does not match that of the National Assembly.

Parliamentary groups

Criticism

The Senate is sometimes criticized because it is not directly elected by the people. Some political groups feel it does not represent ordinary people well. They have less influence in the Senate even though they have many members in the other part of Parliament.

There are ongoing debates about whether the Senate should exist. Some people think it slows down important new laws.