# Glossary - Constitution of the French Fifth Republic (1958)

**1789 Declaration** — Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, foundational text establishing natural, inalienable rights: liberty, property, security, resistance to oppression (Preamble)

**1946 Preamble** — Preamble of the 1946 Constitution, adding social rights: equality of men and women, social security, right to work, trade union rights, health protection, education (Preamble)

**Absolute Majority** — Majority requiring more than 50% of votes; required for presidential election on first ballot, for motion of censure adoption (Title II, Title IV)

**Accreditation** — Presidential power to accredit ambassadors and receive foreign ambassadors (Article 14)

**Administrative Control** — State representative's power to ensure territorial collectivities comply with national interests and law (Article 72)

**Amendment (Constitutional)** — Process for changing the Constitution requiring parliamentary approval of identical text by both assemblies, then popular referendum (Article 89)

**Armed Forces** — Under command of President as Head (Article 15), under disposal of Government for execution (Article 20)

**Asymmetrical Bicameralism** — Parliamentary system where National Assembly has primacy over Senate (Articles 24-33, 49)

**Bicameral System** — Two-chamber Parliament: National Assembly + Senate (Article 24)

**Bloc de Constitutionnalité (Constitutional Block)** — Unified constitutional foundation comprising 1958 Constitution, 1789 Declaration, 1946 Preamble, and PFRLR (Preamble)

**Cabinet** — Presidential Cabinet assisting the President (Article 13)

**Civil Service** — Under disposal of Government (Article 20)

**Collective Responsibility** — Government as a collective body is responsible to Parliament (Article 20)

**Committee Stage** — Legislative procedure where bills are examined by permanent committees (6 per Assembly) (Article 43)

**Conference Committee** — Joint commission of equal numbers from both assemblies to resolve disputed provisions (Article 45)

**Constitutional Council (Conseil Constitutionnel)** — Guardian of the Constitution, reviews conformity of laws, supervises elections, 9 members + former Presidents (Articles 56-63)

**Constitutional Review** — Examination by Constitutional Council of laws and acts for conformity with Constitution (Article 61)

**Counter-signature** — Requirement that most presidential acts be countersigned by Prime Minister (and relevant Ministers) to ensure Ministerial responsibility (Article 19)

**Court of Justice of the Republic (Cour de Justice de la République)** — Special court trying Government members for acts in official capacity (Articles 68-1 to 68-3)

**Decree** — Government regulatory act in matters not reserved to statute (Article 37)

**Decree-Law** — Government measure with force of law in extraordinary and urgent cases, must be validated by Parliament within time limits (Article 38, 86)

**Democracy (Democratic Republic)** — One of four adjectives defining French Republic; power derives from the people (Article 2)

**Direct Universal Suffrage** — Election method for President (since 1962) and National Assembly deputies (Articles 2, 6)

**Dissolution** — Presidential power to dissolve National Assembly, triggering new elections (Article 12)

**Domain of Law (Domaine de la Loi)** — Matters reserved to statute by Article 34: civil rights, fundamental guarantees, criminal law, electoral system, etc.

**Domain of Regulation (Domaine du Règlement)** — Matters not in legislative domain are regulatory, handled by Government decrees (Article 37)

**Electoral Supervision** — Constitutional Council's role in supervising presidential elections, parliamentary elections, and referendums (Articles 58-59)

**Emergency Measures** — Presidential powers under Article 16 when institutions are under serious and immediate threat

**Equality Before Law** — Constitutional guarantee that Republic ensures equality of all citizens without distinction of origin, race, or religion (Article 1)

**Experimental Powers** — Territorial collectivities may derogate from laws/regulations for limited purpose and duration (Article 72-4)

**Financial Autonomy** — Territorial collectivities have own resources; power transfers must include resource transfers (Article 72-2)

**Former Presidents** — Serve as life members of Constitutional Council (Article 56)

**Free Administration** — Territorial collectivities freely administer themselves through elected councils (Article 72)

**French Language** — Official language of the Republic; regional languages belong to France's heritage (Article 2)

**General Will** — Law is expression of general will; all citizens have right to concur in its formation (1789 Declaration, Article 6)

**Government** — Collective body (Prime Minister + Ministers) determining and conducting national policy (Articles 20-23)

**High Court of Justice (Haute Cour de Justice)** — Special court composed of Parliament members to try President for grave violations of duties (Articles 67-68)

**Immunities (Parliamentary)** — Protection of Parliament members from prosecution for opinions/votes, from arrest without Assembly authorization (Articles 26-27)

**Indirect Suffrage** — Election method for Senate by electoral college (Article 24)

**Indivisible Republic** — Cannot be divided; one of four adjectives defining French Republic (Article 2)

**Inviolability (Presidential)** — President cannot be required to testify or be subject to proceedings during term for official acts (Article 67)

**Judicial Authority** — Independent power, President is its guarantor, Superior Council of Judiciary ensures independence (Articles 64-66)

**Judicial Independence** — Judges subject only to law, protected by CSM and President as guarantor (Article 64)

**Laïcité (Secularism)** — State neutrality in religious matters; Republic does not recognize any religion (Article 1-2, 1789 Declaration Article 10)

**Legislative Domain** — See Domain of Law

**Legislative Initiative** — Power to propose laws held by Government and Parliament members (Article 39)

**Legislative Power** — Exercised by Parliament (National Assembly + Senate) (Article 24)

**Motion of Censure** — Mechanism for National Assembly to bring down Government; requires 1/10 of deputies to sign, 48-hour delay, absolute majority to pass (Article 49)

**National Assembly** — Lower house of Parliament, 577 deputies, direct election, 5-year term, has primacy in legislative matters and Government control (Articles 24-33)

**National Independence** — President is guarantor of national independence and territorial integrity (Article 5)

**National Sovereignty** — Belongs to the people, exercised through representatives and referendum (Article 3)

**New Caledonia** — Special territorial collectivity with distinct citizenship and shared sovereignty with Republic (Articles 76-77)

**New Caledonian Citizenship** — Distinct from French citizenship, established by organic act (Article 76)

**Organic Act (Loi Organique)** — Special category of law requiring identical approval by both assemblies or joint committee, for matters specified in Constitution (Article 46)

**Parliament** — Bicameral institution: National Assembly + Senate, exercises legislative power and controls Government (Article 24)

**Parliamentary Approval (Treaties)** — Required for treaties regarding peace, trade, international organizations, state finances, legislative modifications, status of persons, territorial changes (Article 53)

**Pardon** — Presidential power to pardon individual offenders (Article 17)

**PFRLR (Principes Fondamentaux Reconnus par les Lois de la République)** — Fundamental principles from republican legislation with constitutional value (Preamble)

**Policy of the Nation** — Determined and conducted by Government under Prime Minister's direction (Article 20)

**Preamble** — Incorporates by reference 1789 Declaration, 1946 Preamble, and PFRLR as constitutional block (Preamble)

**Prime Minister** — Head of Government, directs Government action, ensures law execution, has regulatory power (Articles 20-21)

**Promulgation** — Presidential act of officially declaring a law in force (Article 10)

**Public Authorities** — President ensures proper functioning through arbitration (Article 5)

**Quinquennat** — 5-year presidential term (since 2000 constitutional amendment) (Article 6)

**Reciprocity** — Condition for treaty supremacy over domestic law (Article 55)

**Referendum** — Direct popular vote; President may submit Government bills on public authority organization or treaty approval to referendum (Article 11); constitutional amendments require referendum (Article 89)

**Regional Languages** — Belong to the heritage of France (Article 2)

**Regulatory Domain** — See Domain of Regulation

**Regulatory Power** — Government's authority to issue decrees and orders (Article 21, 37)

**Republic (French)** — Indivisible, secular, democratic, and social (Article 2)

**Resistance to Oppression** — Natural, inalienable, and sacred right of man (1789 Declaration Article 2)

**Rules of Procedure** — Each Assembly determines its own rules (Article 33)

**Semi-Presidential System** — System with strong President and Government responsible to Parliament

**Senate** — Upper house of Parliament, 348 senators, indirect election, 6-year term (renewed by halves every 3 years) (Article 24)

**Shuttle (Navette)** — Legislative procedure where bills go back and forth between assemblies (Article 45)

**Social Republic** — One of four adjectives; State has positive obligations for social welfare (Article 2)

**Social Rights** — Established in 1946 Preamble: equality of men and women, social security, right to work, trade union rights, health protection, education (Preamble)

**Special Status (Territorial)** — Special legal regime for certain territorial collectivities like New Caledonia (Article 76)

**State Representative** — Represents State in territorial collectivities, ensures compliance with national interests and law (Article 72)

**Supremacy of Treaties** — Duly ratified treaties have authority superior to domestic laws, subject to reciprocity (Article 55)

**Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSM)** — Body ensuring judicial independence, chaired by President, with members from various judicial bodies (Article 65)

**Territorial Collectivities** — Communes, departments, regions, special collectivities, collectivities with special status (Article 72)

**Treaty Negotiation** — Presidential power to negotiate treaties (Article 52)

**Treaty Ratification** — Presidential power to ratify treaties, with parliamentary approval required for certain categories (Articles 52-53)

**Universal Suffrage** — All citizens have right to vote by universal, equal, and secret ballot (Article 3)

**Veto (Presidential)** — Implicit in presidential power to withhold promulgation, though constitutionally limited