View source for Elections in France

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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}

[[File:Election MG 3468.JPG|thumb|Scene inside a polling station during the [[2007 French presidential election|French presidential election of 2007]]: election officials and a standard transparent [[ballot box]].]]
{{Politics of France}}

[[France]] is a [[unitary state|unitary]] [[Semi-presidential system|semi-presidential]] [[republic]] with a [[bicameral]] legislature. Public officials in the legislative and executive branches are either elected by the citizens ([[directly elected|directly]] or [[representative democracy|indirectly]]) or appointed by elected officials. [[Referendum]]s may also be called to consult the French citizenry directly on a particular question, especially one which concerns amendment to the [[Constitution of France|Constitution]].

France elects on its national level a head of state – the [[president of France|president]] – and a legislature.
* The president is elected for a five-year term (previously, seven years), directly by the citizens.
* The [[French Parliament|Parliament]] ({{lang|fr|Parlement}}) has two [[bicameralism|chambers]].
** The [[French National Assembly|National Assembly]] ({{lang|fr|Assemblée Nationale}}) has 577 members, elected for a five-year term in single seat-[[constituency|constituencies]] directly by the citizens.
** The [[French Senate|Senate]] ({{lang|fr|Sénat}}) has 348 members, elected for six-year terms. 328 members are elected by an electoral college consisting of elected representatives from each of 96 [[département|departments]] in [[metropolitan France]], 8 of which are elected from other [[French overseas departments and territories|dependencies]], and 12 of which are elected by the French [[Assembly of French Citizens Abroad]] ({{lang|fr|Assemblée des Français de l'étranger}}) which has replaced the High Council of French Citizens Abroad ({{lang|fr|Conseil Supérieur des Français de l'Étranger}}) a 155-member assembly elected by citizens living abroad.

In addition, French citizens elect a variety of local governments. There also are public elections for some non-political positions, such as those for the judges of courts administering [[labour law]] ({{lang|fr|[[labour Court (France)|conseils de prud'hommes]]}}), elected by workers and employers, or those for judges administering cases of rural land leases. This article covers only political elections.

French politics has ordinarily displayed some tendencies characterizing a two-party system in which power alternates between relatively stable coalitions, each being led by a major party: on the [[left-wing|left]], the [[Socialist Party (France)|Socialist Party]], on the [[right-wing|right]], {{lang|fr|[[The Republicans (France)|Les Républicains]]}} and its predecessors.  This pattern was upset in 2017, when neither of those parties' candidates reached the second round of the [[2017 French presidential election|presidential election]] and the newly formed party {{lang|fr|[[En Marche!]]}} gained both the presidency and a [[2017 French legislative election|comfortable majority]] in the National Assembly.

Elections are conducted according to rules set down in the [[Constitution of France]], [[organic law]]s ({{lang|fr|lois organiques}}), and the [http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCode.do?cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006070239 electoral code]. Voting is [[compulsory voting|not compulsory]].

Elections are held on Sundays.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCodeArticle.do?idArticle=LEGIARTI000006353155&cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006070239 |title=Electoral code, article L55 |language=fr |publisher=Legifrance.gouv.fr |date=1964-10-27 |access-date=2012-05-06}}</ref>
The campaigns end at midnight the Friday before the election;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCodeArticle.do?idArticle=LEGIARTI000006354466&cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006070239 |title=Electoral code, article R26 |language=fr |publisher=Legifrance.gouv.fr |date=1964-10-27 |access-date=2012-05-06}}</ref> then, on election Sunday, by law, no polls can be published,<ref>[http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexteArticle.do?idArticle=LEGIARTI000006527711&cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006068614 Law 77-808 of 19 July 1977] relative to publication and broadcasting of certain opinion polls, article 11</ref> and no electoral publications or broadcasts can be made.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCodeArticle.do?idArticle=LEGIARTI000006353096&cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006070239 |title=Electoral code, article L49 |language=fr |publisher=Legifrance.gouv.fr |access-date=2012-05-06}}</ref> The voting stations open at 8&nbsp;am and close at 6&nbsp;pm in small towns or at 8&nbsp;pm in cities, depending on [[prefect (France)|prefect]]oral decisions.  By law, publication of results or estimates is prohibited prior to that time; estimates  are however often available from foreign media and Internet sites, e.g. those located in Belgium and Switzerland, before the official publication in France. The specified times are in the time zone of the district, which is uniform (Paris time) across Metropolitan France, but varies in French overseas territories such as [[French Guiana]], [[Martinique]] and [[Guadeloupe]].

The first official estimate of the results can consequently become available from Sunday, 8&nbsp;pm, Paris time. Due to their different time zones, voters in some overseas territories previously knew the probable results of elections before the polling booths in Metropolitan France had closed, which  could have discouraged voter participation in these places. For this reason, since the 2000s,{{when|date=November 2016}} elections in French overseas territories in the Americas, as well as embassies and consulates there, are held on Saturdays as a special exemption.

The most recent national elections took place on [[2024 French legislative election|June 30 and July 7, 2024]].

==Latest election==
===Presidential===
{{Election results
|cand1=Emmanuel Macron|party1=La République En Marche!|votes1=9783058|votes1_2=18768639
|cand2=Marine Le Pen|party2=National Rally|votes2=8133828|votes2_2=13288686
|cand3=Jean-Luc Mélenchon|party3=La France Insoumise|votes3=7712520
|cand4=Éric Zemmour|party4=Reconquête|votes4=2485226
|cand5=Valérie Pécresse|party5=The Republicans (France)|The Republicans|votes5=1679001
|cand6=Yannick Jadot|party6=Europe Ecology – The Greens|votes6=1627853
|cand7=Jean Lassalle|party7=Résistons!|votes7=1101387
|cand8=Fabien Roussel|party8=French Communist Party|votes8=802422
|cand9=Nicolas Dupont-Aignan|party9=Debout la France|votes9=725176
|cand10=Anne Hidalgo|party10=Socialist Party (France)|Socialist Party|votes10=616478
|cand11=Philippe Poutou|party11=New Anticapitalist Party|votes11=268904
|cand12=Nathalie Arthaud|party12=Lutte Ouvrière|votes12=197094
}}

===Legislative===
{{Election results
|image=[[File:2024 French National Assembly after legislative election.svg|360px]]

|alliance1=National Rally and Union of the Far-Right|allies|acolor1={{Party color|National Rally}}
|aspan1=3

|party1=National Rally
|votes1=9379092
|votes1_2=8744080
|seats1=37
|seats1_2=88
|totseats1=125

|colour2={{Party color|Union of the far right}}
|party2=Union of the Far-Right
|votes2=1268822
|votes2_2=1364964
|seats2=1
|seats2_2=16
|totseats2=17

|atotal3=10647914
|avotes3_2=10109044
|aseats3=38
|aseats3_2=104
|atotseats3=142

|alliance4=New Popular Front
|votes4=9042485
|votes4_2=7039429
|seats4=32
|seats4_2=148
|totseats4=180

|alliance5=Together (coalition)|Ensemble pour la République
|votes5=6820446
|votes5_2=6691619
|seats5=2
|seats5_2=157
|totseats5=159

|alliance6=The Republicans (France)|The Republicans
|votes6=2106166
|votes6_2=1474650
|seats6=1
|seats6_2=38
|totseats6=39

|alliance7=Miscellaneous right
|votes7=1154785
|votes7_2=980818
|seats7=2
|seats7_2=25
|totseats7=27

|alliance8=Miscellaneous left
|votes8=490898
|votes8_2=401063
|seats8=0
|seats8_2=12
|totseats8=12

|alliance9=Miscellaneous centre
|votes9=391423
|votes9_2=177167
|seats9=0
|seats9_2=6
|totseats9=6

|acolour10={{party color|Miscellaneous far-left}}
|alliance10=Miscellaneous far-left
|votes10=366594
|votes10_2=0
|seats10=0
|seats10_2=0
|totseats10=0

|acolour11={{party color|Regionalists}}
|alliance11=Regionalists
|votes11=310727
|votes11_2=288202
|seats11=0
|seats11_2=9
|totseats11=9

|alliance12=Reconquête
|votes12=238934
|votes12_2=0
|seats12=0
|seats12_2=0
|totseats12=0

|acolour13={{party color|Ecologists}}
|alliance13=Ecologists
|votes13=182478
|votes13_2=37808
|seats13=0
|seats13_2=1
|totseats13=1

|acolour14={{party color|Miscellaneous}}
|alliance14=Miscellaneous
|votes14=142871
|votes14_2=38025
|seats14=0
|seats14_2=1
|totseats14=1

|acolour15={{party color|Debout la France}}
|alliance15=Sovereigntist Right (French politics)|Sovereignist right
|votes15=90110
|votes15_2=18672
|seats15=0
|seats15_2=0
|totseats15=0

|acolour16={{party color|Far-right}}
|alliance16=Miscellaneous far-right
|votes16=59679
|votes16_2=23217
|seats16=1
|seats16_2=0
|totseats16=1

|alliance17=Radical Party of the Left
|votes17=12434
|votes17_2=0
|seats17=0
|seats17_2=0
|totseats17=0
}}

==Voters==
[[File:Election 2007 MG 2767.jpg|thumb|right|Standard transparent ballot box used in France. The voter puts the envelope containing the votes into the box and then signs the [[electoral roll]] to avoid double votes.]]
[[File:IVotronic img 3452.jpg|thumb|Some French cities use [[voting machine]]s.]]
With the exception of [[Senate (France)|senatorial]] election, for which there is an [[electoral college]], the voters are French citizens over the age of 18 registered on the [[electoral roll]]s. People are automatically registered on reaching the age of 18. For municipal and European, but not national elections, citizens aged 18 or older of other European Union countries may vote in France. Registration is not compulsory, but the absence of registration precludes the possibility of voting.

Citizens may register either in their place of residence or in a place where they have been on the roll of taxpayers for local taxes for at least 5 years, but not in more than one place. Citizens living abroad may register at the consulate responsible for the region in which they live.

Only citizens legally registered as voters can run for public office.<ref>Electoral code, [http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCodeArticle.do;jsessionid=3F92D9F19DE7FDAFDC68143F0FFFF045.tpdjo09v_2?idArticle=LEGIARTI000006353083&cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006070239 L44], [http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCodeArticle.do?idArticle=LEGIARTI000006353301&cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006070239 LO127], [http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCodeArticle.do;jsessionid=3F92D9F19DE7FDAFDC68143F0FFFF045.tpdjo09v_2?idArticle=LEGIARTI000006353454&cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006070239 L194]</ref>

There are exceptions to the above rules. Convicted criminals may be deprived of their civic rights, which include the right to vote, for a certain period of time depending on the crime. In particular, elected officials who have abused public funds may be deprived of the right to run for national public office for as long as 10 years. The application of such rules in the case of certain politicians has been controversial; see for instance the case of [[Alain Juppé]].

Voting by proxy is possible when the citizen cannot easily attend the polling station (reasons include: health problems, the citizen does not live in the voting constituency, away for work or vacations, jailed but has not yet been sentenced and deprived of civic rights etc.) The citizen designates a proxy, who must be a voter from the same ''[[commune in France|commune]]''. The designation of the proxy must be made before a legally capable witness: a judge, a judicial clerk, or an [[Law enforcement in France|officier of judicial police]], or, outside France, before an ambassador or consul. In the case of handicapped or severely ill people, an officer of judicial police or delegate thereof can be sent to the home of the citizen to witness the designation. The procedure is meant to avoid pressures on voters.

==Electoral system==
In all elections where there is a single official to be elected for a given area, including the two major national elections (the election of the [[President of France|President of the Republic]] and the election of the members of the [[French National Assembly|National Assembly]]), the [[electoral system]] of [[two-round system|two-round runoff voting]] is used.

For elections to the [[European Parliament]] and some local elections, [[proportional voting]] is used.

===National Assembly===
The 577 members of the National Assembly are elected using a [[two-round system]] with [[single-member constituency|single-member constituencies]].
To be elected in the first round, a candidate is required to secure an absolute majority of votes cast, and also to secure votes equal to at least 25% of eligible voters in their constituency.  Should none of the candidates satisfy these conditions, a second round of voting ensues.  Most constituencies proceed to a second round election. Only first-round candidates with the support of at least 12.5% of ''eligible'' voters are allowed to participate, but if only one candidate meets that standard the two candidates with the highest number of votes in the first round may continue to the second round. In the second round, the candidate with a [[Plurality (voting)|plurality]] is elected. Of the 577 constituencies, 539 are in [[metropolitan France]], 27 are in [[Overseas departments and territories of France|overseas departments and territories]] and 11 are for French citizens living abroad.<ref name="system">{{cite news|author=Eléa Pommiers|title=Comment se déroulent les élections législatives|url=http://www.lemonde.fr/les-decodeurs/article/2017/04/26/les-elections-legislatives-comment-ca-marche_5117626_4355770.html|newspaper=Le Monde|date=26 April 2017|access-date=4 May 2017}}</ref>

=== Party primary elections ===
Primary elections, within registered political parties, are used to select presidential candidates for the general election. Primaries also use two-round runoff voting when there are multiple candidates within a party. (see [[:Category:Primary elections in France]]). [[Partisan primary|Open primaries]], where any eligible voter may participate with minimal requirements, also occur.

==Voting procedures==
[[File:Election presidentielle 2007 Montauban Isoloirs 331.jpg|thumb|Isolation booth]]
Voting is done using paper and manual counting. The voter gets pre-printed ballot papers ({{lang|fr|bulletin}}) from a table at the entrance of the voting office (mail-in voting is not allowed in France<ref>{{Cite news|last=Corbet|first=Sylvie |date=June 28, 2020 |title=Paris mayor reelected, green wave in France local elections |work=Associated Press |url=https://apnews.com/article/16e161a4349cd2712c5cb084259f1ece}}</ref>). There is one ballot paper for each candidate, pair of candidates (for departmental elections) or list. These ballot papers are also sent by mail to voters before the election. The voter then has their identity and registration checked by an official, after which the voter takes an envelope. If they also act as a proxy for another voter, they take a second envelope. The voter then enters a curtained booth ({{lang|fr|isoloir}}), where they are hidden from sight, and inserts the ballot paper of their candidate into the envelope. They walk to the ballot box, where the president of the voting office or their deputy formally checks their identity.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fonctionnement d'un bureau de vote |trans-title=Operation of a polling station |url=https://www.interieur.gouv.fr/Elections/Comment-voter/Fonctionnement-d-un-bureau-de-vote|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130214050938/http://www.interieur.gouv.fr:80/Elections/Comment-voter/Fonctionnement-d-un-bureau-de-vote |archive-date=14 February 2013 |access-date=2021-01-27 |website=French Ministry of the Interior |language=fr-FR}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCodeArticle.do;jsessionid=F1E251357BC0538B3E909278C0D5C738.tpdila13v_1?idArticle=LEGIARTI000006354555&cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006070239&dateTexte=20150617&categorieLien=id&oldAction=&nbResultRech= |title=Electoral code, R58}}</ref> Only in municipalities under 1,000 inhabitants is an official identity document optional, if the deputy can attest of the identity.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichCodeArticle.do;jsessionid=F1E251357BC0538B3E909278C0D5C738.tpdila13v_1?idArticle=LEGIARTI000028751986&cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006070239&dateTexte=20150617&categorieLien=id&oldAction=&nbResultRech= |title=Electoral code, R60}}</ref>  After the officials have acknowledged their right to vote, the ballot box is opened and the voter inserts the envelope. One of the officials, traditionally loudly, announces "''A voté!'' (Did vote!)".  This is purely ceremonial and has a double meaning: the voter's ''voix'' (voice) will be taken into account and they have accomplished their civic duty. The voter then signs the voters' list and their voter registration card is stamped.

[[Electronic voting]] is used only for French citizens living abroad and for two specific elections: legislative and consular elections.<ref>{{Cite web |last=étrangères |first=Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires |title=Vote par internet |url=https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/services-aux-francais/voter-a-l-etranger/modalites-de-vote/vote-par-internet/ |access-date=2022-06-06 |website=France Diplomatie - Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères |language=fr}}</ref>

==Other elections==
As well as presidential and legislative elections, France also has municipal, cantonal, regional, European, and (indirect) Senatorial elections.

===Regional===
Regional elections have been held since 1986 to elect regional councillors and regional presidents: all elected to serve 6-year terms.
* [[2021 French regional elections|2021]]
* [[2015 French regional elections|2015]]
* [[2010 French regional elections|2010]]
* [[2004 French regional elections|2004]]
* [[1998 French regional elections|1998]]
* [[1992 French regional elections|1992]]
* [[1986 French regional elections|1986]]

===European Parliament===
Elections for the French delegation to the European parliament are held every five years.
* [[2024 European Parliament election in France|2024]]
* [[2019 European Parliament election in France|2019]]
* [[2014 European Parliament election in France|2014]]
* [[2009 European Parliament election in France|2009]]
* [[2004 European Parliament election in France|2004]]
* [[1999 European Parliament election in France|1999]]
* [[1994 European Parliament election in France|1994]]
* [[1989 European Parliament election in France|1989]]

===Senate===
{{main|French senate elections}}

French senators are renewed by halves every six years through an indirect [[electoral college]] composed of elected officials and general, regional, and some local councillors.

* [[2023 French Senate election|2023]]
* [[2020 French Senate election|2020]]
* [[2017 French Senate election|2017]]
* [[2014 French Senate election|2014]]
* [[2011 French Senate election|2011]]
* [[2008 French Senate election|2008]]
* [[1968 French Senate election|1968]]

===Municipal===
Municipal elections to elect city mayors and councillors are held every six years.
* [[2020 French municipal elections|2020]]
* [[2014 French municipal elections|2014]]
* [[2008 French municipal elections|2008]]
* [[2001 French municipal elections|2001]]
* [[1995 French municipal elections|1995]]
* [[1989 French municipal elections|1989]]

===Departmental (Cantonal prior to 2015)===
* [[2021 French departmental elections|2021]]
* [[2015 French departmental elections|2015]]
* [[2011 French cantonal elections|2011]]
* [[2008 French cantonal elections|2008]]
* [[2004 French cantonal elections|2004]]
* [[2001 French cantonal elections|2001]]
* [[1998 French cantonal elections|1998]]

===Referendums===
The [[Constitution of France]] defines in Article 3 that "National sovereignty shall vest in the people, who shall exercise it through their representatives and by means of referendum."<ref name="constitution">{{cite web | title = Constitution | publisher = French National Assembly | url = http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/english/ | access-date = 2013-11-02}}</ref> The Constitution describes two ways for holding a referendum:
* The President may, on the recommendation from the Government or the Parliament, submit to a referendum some government bills.
* A referendum may be held upon the initiative of one fifth of the Members of Parliament, supported by one tenth of the registered voters.

The Constitution explicitly states that a referendum can be called only on a Government Bill "which deals with the organization of the public authorities, or with reforms relating to the economic or social policy of the Nation, and to the public services contributing thereto, or which provides for authorization to ratify a treaty which, although not contrary to the Constitution, would affect the functioning of the institutions" (Article 11 of the Constitution<ref name="constitution" />).

The second procedure for holding a referendum has several limitations:
* it cannot be used to repeal laws which are in effect for less than a year, and
* if the proposal fails on a referendum, it cannot be re-submitted to a referendum for next two years.

The second procedure for holding a referendum was [[French constitutional law of 23 July 2008|added to the Constitution in 2008]], and it still has not come into effect (as of 2013). It will come into effect when appropriate legislation is implemented by the Parliament.

The Constitution of France can be amended in two ways:
* on a referendum, or
* by three-fifths [[super-majority]] of both houses of the Parliament.
Most constitutional revisions went through the super-majority of the Parliament in Congress.

Ratification of treaties of [[Enlargement of the European Union|accession of states to the EU]] must go through the same procedure as amendment of Constitution of France. All of ratifications went through the super-majority of the Parliament, except the first EU enlargement in 1973.

There were nine referendums in [[French Fifth Republic|the Fifth Republic]]:
* two on [[Algeria]] ([[French referendum on Algerian self-determination, 1961|1961]], [[1962 French Évian Accords referendum|1962]])
* two on amending the Constitution ([[1969 French constitutional referendum|1969]], [[2000 French constitutional referendum|2000]])
* two on EU treaties ([[1992 French Maastricht Treaty referendum|1992]], [[2005 French European Constitution referendum|2005]])
* [[1962 French presidential election referendum|French presidential election referendum of 1962]], which also amended the constitution
* one on EU enlargement ([[1972 French European Economic Community enlargement referendum|1972]])
* one on New Caledonia ([[1988 French Matignon Accords referendum|1988]])

===Indirect presidential elections===
* [[French Presidential elections under the Third Republic|3rd Republic]]
* [[1947 French presidential election|1947]]
* [[1953 French presidential election|1953]]
* [[1958 French presidential election|1958]]

==See also==
* [[Electoral abstention in France]]
* [[Gerrymandering in France]]
* [[Censorship_in_France#Political_speech|Political censorship in France]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.interieur.gouv.fr/rubriques/b/b3_elections/b32_resultats Official results] from the Ministry of the Interior
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050320000325/http://www.conseil-constitutionnel.fr/dossier/ thematic files] from the Constitutional Council, including election results
*[http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/f/france/ Adam Carr's Election Archive]
*[http://www.france-politique.fr/election-politique.htm Laurent de Boissieu's Election Archive]
*[http://www.english.rfi.fr/france/20100319-will-regional-poll-mean-political-shake Will 2010 regional elections lead to political shake-up?] gijon Internationale in English
* [http://www.nsd.uib.no/european_election_database/country/france/ NSD: European Election Database – France] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170224133032/http://www.nsd.uib.no/european_election_database/country/france/ |date=24 February 2017 }} publishes regional level election data; allows for comparisons of election results, 1993–2007
* [https://unehistoireduconflitpolitique.fr/ Database of national election results by commune since 1848, with associated socio-economic data] (in French), compiled under the direction of the economists [[Julia Cagé]] et [[Thomas Piketty]]

{{French elections|state=expanded}}
{{Elections in Europe}}
{{France topics}}

[[Category:Elections in France| ]]