Question 1

The current French government is referred to as the:

Accepted Answer

The current French government is referred to as the Fifth Republic, established in 1958 under Charles de Gaulle following the collapse of the Fourth Republic.

Question 2

The Third Republic is perhaps best known for its:

Accepted Answer

The Third Republic in France, lasting from 1870 to 1940, was known for its political instability, characterized by frequent changes in government and short-lived ministries. This instability was due in part to the fragmented nature of the French political landscape, with many parties and factions making it difficult to form stable governing coalitions.

Question 3

The Fourth French Republic came to power:

Accepted Answer

The Fourth French Republic was established after World War II, specifically in 1946, following the provisional government that was in place after the Liberation of France.

Question 4

One of the key conflicts in the Fourth Republic was the crisis in:

Accepted Answer

The key conflict in the Fourth Republic of France was the crisis in Algeria, which was a major factor leading to the collapse of the Fourth Republic and the establishment of the Fifth Republic. The Algerian War (1954-1962) was a complex and brutal conflict that involved demands for independence from French colonial rule.

Question 5

Who led the creation of the Fifth Republic?

Accepted Answer

Charles de Gaulle led the creation of the Fifth Republic in France, establishing a new constitution in 1958 to provide stability after the turmoil of the Fourth Republic.

Question 6

One of the key characteristics of the Fifth Republic constitutional structure is that it has

Accepted Answer

The Fifth Republic in France, established by the 1958 Constitution, is characterized by a powerful elected head of state, the President, rather than a weak hereditary monarch. This system was designed to provide strong executive leadership, contrasting with the parliamentary systems of the Third and Fourth Republics, where the head of state had limited powers.

Question 7

Which is the term used to describe the Fifth Republic constitutional system?

Accepted Answer

The Fifth Republic constitutional system of France is described as quasi-presidential, reflecting its mixed system of government that combines elements of presidential and parliamentary systems.

Question 8

The French political system today is a:

Accepted Answer

The French political system is a unitary system, meaning that the central government holds the primary authority, and any administrative divisions (regions, departments) derive their powers from it, rather than having a federal structure where powers are divided between a central government and its constituent units.

Question 9

The French system includes 22 administrative regions, usually referred to as:

Accepted Answer

The term "metropolitan France" refers to the part of France located in Europe, including the 22 administrative regions. It distinguishes this area from the French overseas departments and territories.

Question 10

What is the second level of French government known as?

Accepted Answer

The second level of French government is known as the département. France is divided into regions, which are then subdivided into départements. These serve as an important administrative division in the country.

Question 11

Making the French president the keystone of the political system is unique to France. The usual model would have which leader as the dominant role?

Accepted Answer

In most parliamentary systems, the Prime Minister is the head of government and plays the dominant role in the political system, unlike France's semi-presidential system where the President holds significant powers.

Question 12

DeGaulle's goal in designing the constitution was to free the executive from domination by:

Accepted Answer

DeGaulle aimed to create a strong executive branch that was not dominated by the legislature, which he believed had led to political instability in the past.

Question 13

Article 16 of the French Constitution refers to:

Accepted Answer

Article 16 of the French Constitution grants the President of France emergency powers to take measures deemed necessary when the institutions of the Republic, the independence of the nation, the integrity of its territory, or the fulfillment of its international commitments are under serious and immediate threat, and the regular functioning of the constitutional public powers is interrupted.

Question 14

The French president has a special power in making laws. He can use his power to

Accepted Answer

The French president has the power to call a referendum and submit a bill directly to the voters, bypassing the traditional legislative process. This is a special power that allows the president to engage directly with the electorate on specific issues.

Question 15

The French president wasn't always directly elected by the people. Originally the president was

Accepted Answer

Originally, the French president was chosen by an electoral college composed of local and provincial officials and national legislators.

Question 16

The term used in French politics to describe a situation in which the president belongs to one political party and the prime minister belongs to a different political party is:

Accepted Answer

Cohabitation refers to the political situation in France where the President and the Prime Minister come from different political parties and must share power. This typically occurs when the party of the President does not have a majority in the National Assembly, leading to the appointment of a Prime Minister from the majority party.

Question 17

In the balance of powers between the president and the legislature, the president

Accepted Answer

The president can influence the legislative process through various means such as proposing legislation, using the veto power, and influencing public opinion, among others. This ability to affect the legislative process demonstrates the president's significant role in governance, contrasting with the options suggesting lesser power or overly simplistic mechanisms of action.

Question 18

The Government has the ability to call for a "blocked vote" from the legislature, which

Accepted Answer

A "blocked vote" typically means that the legislature must vote on a bill in its entirety, including only those amendments proposed or accepted by the Government, without the ability to make further amendments. This ensures that the bill is considered as a whole, reflecting the Government's intentions.

Question 19

The relationship between the Senat and the Assemblée Nationale suggests that the Senat is

Accepted Answer

The Senat in France, while an important part of the bicameral parliamentary system, generally holds less power than the Assemblée Nationale, especially in legislative processes where the Assemblée has the final say on most laws.

Question 20

While France does not have a tradition of judicial review in politics, it does have a government body that ensures that constitutional provisions possess a superiority over ordinary laws. What is that government body known as?

Accepted Answer

The Constitutional Council in France is responsible for ensuring that laws comply with the Constitution, acting as a key body in the French legal system to review laws for their constitutionality before they are promulgated.

Quiz 10: The French Political System