12 September 2024
France’s Shifting Constitutional Landscape
France is experiencing a major shift in its constitutional and political landscape. After weeks of uncertainty, President Emmanuel Macron has now appointed Michel Barnier as Prime Minister, sparking new protests against Macron’s actions since the election. From a constitutional perspective, it is becoming clear that the President cannot simultaneously serve as an impartial guarantor of institutions on one hand and the most powerful political actor on the other. While the country’s presidentialist tradition is not over, the era of fait majoritaire — a cornerstone of the stability of the French system — has ended. Continue reading >>
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08 August 2024
Konfrontation, Kohabitation, Koalition
Die Parlamentswahlen in Frankreich 2024 haben bisher wenig Konstantes, sondern vor allem Unerwartetes hervorgebracht. Dieser Artikel versucht, das verfassungsrechtliche und politische Geflecht in einem Vierschritt zu entwirren: von der Konfrontationslage zur Kohabitation und Koalitionsbildung sowie zuletzt zu den Konsequenzen für die Europäische Union. Die französischen Parlamentswahlen haben das Land in ein verfassungsrechtliches Spannungsfeld geführt, das die politischen Akteure zwingt, Koalitionen neu zu erlernen, während dabei die europäische Stabilität durch die innerfranzösischen Machtkämpfe auf die Probe gestellt werden wird. Continue reading >>08 July 2024
The French Fifth Republic Enters Uncharted Waters
After yesterday's elections, the French Fifth Republic steps into uncharted waters. In the short term, France’s role at the heart of EU integration and as a key supporter of Ukraine remains steadfast. This stability is impressive, given most predictions. However, this new phase of French politics will be fragmented and fluid, demanding a recalibration to find a stable equilibrium while countering the far right. French moderate parties face a tough road ahead. Their success or failure will not only shape France’s future but also reverberate beyond its borders. Continue reading >>
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02 July 2024
France’s Legislative Elections and the Uncertain Path to 2027
As most expected, Marine Le Pen’s Rassemblement National (RN) was the clear winner of the first round of the snap legislative elections in France, unexpectedly called by President Macron three weeks ago. Le Pen’s party, allied with a rump Les Républicains, led by Eric Ciotti, obtained 33.1% of the votes. A coalition including moderate and radical left parties, the Nouveau Front Populaire (NFP), came second with 28.1%, while the centrist parties supporting Gabriel Attal’s government received 21.3%. The mainstream right Républicains who refused to ally with the RN stopped at 6.6%. The RN confirmed its strong showing at last month’s European elections and more than doubled its votes in comparison to the last legislative elections of April 2022. Yet, an RN-led government is not a foregone conclusion. Continue reading >>
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26 April 2023
A Conservative Constitutional Council Watching over a Conservative Constitution
On 14 April 2023, the French Constitutional Council handed down its decisions on the constitutionality of the controversial pension reform and on the referendum that was supposed to stop it. In substance, the decisions were met with little surprise. What is noteworthy about them, however, is something else: Both decisions are excellent indicators of the profoundly conservative nature of the French Constitution and of the judges watching over its observance. Continue reading >>
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17 April 2023
Die Renten- als Demokratiedebatte
Am Freitag hat der französische Verfassungsrat die Rentennovelle der Borne-Regierung im Wesentlichen nach präventiver Normenkontrolle bestätigt und die Initiative der linken Opposition zu einem Referendum („RIP“) über das Rentenalter verworfen. Die Entscheidungen sind juristisch so erwart- wie politisch kritisierbar und werfen mehrere grundsätzliche Fragen auf, die die Zukunft der französischen konstitutionellen Demokratie betreffen. Continue reading >>27 March 2023
Constitutional? Perhaps. Democratic? Not so much
The adoption of the Law on Retirement without a majority in the National Assembly has caused a huge uproar in France. The use by the executive of an article or two of the Constitution, as well as the combination thereof, is deemed constitutional until a competent organ says otherwise. And the only one who could, the Constitutional Council, will probably not say otherwise. But even if something is constitutional, that does not make it democratic. A look into the justifications given by the head of State and the head of Government stirs reflection on the relationship between the constitutional and democratic character of the proceedings. Continue reading >>
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24 March 2023
La Foule, le Peuple et la Societé
In Frankreich brennt es lichterloh. Continue reading >>
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14 July 2022