France Flashcards
the case + democr. dev
no gradual tranformation, but turbulent history with revolutions
France as driver EU
*dip in demo dev = Vichy regime = Autocratic Nazistate
2022 dominant parties almost disappeared: Macron + extreme-right Le Pen came
nation + culture
no island -> not relatively safe
natural borders but also borders with other countries that may pose challenges
contiguous stretch of territory -> easier/stronger nation building = strong nationalist sentiment
- nationbuilding not without conflict (regional dialects by force overruled by single France language) -> center-periphery cleavage
nation-building but diversity: strong regionalist identities in Corsica, Brittany, Basque Country, Overseas regions
- book: national unity should not be overstated: preservation of rural life as symbol French identity (mainly in south)-> conflicts subsidies and globalization
migration
burkini ban relies on idea difference church-state (strong cleavage) some argue it is more transnational cleavage
historical developments
absolute monarchies: feudalism and wars made the king stronger (in the UK feudalism led to less power monarch: magna carta)
French Revolution 1789-92 = abolition of absolute monarchy (sun king Louis XIV), but powerful state remained
birth of:
- republicanism (anti-monarchy, but still strong state (to avoid return monarchy))
- secularism (laicite) (church was seen as instrument to dominate the people)
- democracy
- nationalism (liberte, egalite, fraternite)
First Republic regime more and more totalitarian (1793-94 Reign of Terror): landed aristrocracy seen as threat, in the end even Robespierre guillotined
1799 Napoleon Bonaparte coup d’etat -> 1804-1815 empire
- Code Law: men is equal for law (republican element in totalitarian regime)
Napoleon defeat -> 1815 return to monarchy (pressure other European states)
1848 social revos across Europe -> second republic with universal male suffrage (unique in Europe)
Second republic was instable -> Napoleon 3 takes over 1852-1871 second empire (1871-1940 third republic)
proportionality systems are seen as leading to instability and gridlock (third and fourth republic)
Vichy Regime ww2 led by Philipe Petain -> discredited after war -> fourth republic
Charles de Gualle seen as war hero -> asked to come back -> wrote constitution 5th Republic (still in place)
decolonization
France played a big role in the world, now smaller (partly due to loss colonies), still member UNSC
decolonization = violent
- Algeria: settler colony = people wanted independence -> threats to settlers -> france didn’t know what to do = destabilizing
Charles de Gualle granted independence -> many settlers returned
France more continued power/influence in its former colonies than the UK:
- CFA = currency tied to the French currency to maintain trade relations (cheap imports)
- undermining democratization by supporting authoritarian regimes
France is known for nationbuilding -> its colonies have stronger national identity than former British colonies
church-state cleavage
= dominant cleavage in France (national revo more important than industrial revo, so diff from UK)
- church conflicts with revolutionary ideals
1789-1958 struggle between
“Reds” = progressive, secular, republican, urban
“Whites” = conservative, Catholic, pro-monarchy, rural
!overlapping cleavage: overlaps with urban-rural
1905 = strong separation between religion and state codified
now: mostly about the role of the islam
assimilation vs integration
idea that minority groups have to adapt to the dominant culture in place
- France
Integration = national identity can be combined with subcultural identities
- UK, e.g. more religious symbols
in both countries = severe tensions around the transnational cleavage
class cleavage
= less important than religion
- working class as divided on religious cleavage
- emerged in the 1900s as salient cleavage with the socialist party
seems counter intuitive: why so many strikes and labor unions if the class cleavage isn’t that important?
- strikes and protests as sign of weakness: labour unions are really fragmented, if they were united, they could negotiate with gov. rather than have to strike and protest so ofen
yellow vest movement is partly class cleavage, but mostly fits under the transnational cleavage
center-periphery cleavage
strong centralized state but gradual devolution since the 1980s
appointed prefects in departments and central control = direct rule from Paris with appointed prefects making sure that the rule of Paris is ensured
2003 change to constitution = financial autonomy, commune departments, regions + transfer new responsibilities away from prefects to directly elected councils
State structures
Fourth Republic 1946-58 = PR -> fragmentation, polarization, gov instability, colonial wars -> 1958 France close to civil war
Charles de Gaulle called in to fix it (already called for stronger president after ww2, but didn’t stick then)
*when he left there were doubts if the 5th republic could survive
- secular, republican (reds)
- socially conservative (white), war hero
- against political parties, for a strong presidency
5th republic =
semi-presidentialism : strong executive president (not always formally, it is not strictly defined)
+ stability
+ powerful/dominant state in econ and society (dirigisme)
*funny bc French concept Laissez Faire is not used in France, is used in e.g. UK
5th republic majoritarian?/liberal? + semi-presidentialism
majoritarian:
- majoritarian notion of volonte generale (algemene wil)
- majoritarian electoral system: majority run-off for presidential elections
- use of referendums (e.g. EU constitution ref failed -> less were used after that)
semi-presidentialism:
- directly elected president and parliament
- dual executive: president and prime minister
- prime minister and gov depend on parliamentary majority
- possibility of cohabitation (divided government)
prime minister and cohabitation
prime minister = leads the government + answers to president and parliament + how strong they are depends on the strength of the president
- appointed by the president (not like the queen/king in the UK, the president actually has a lot more to say: can pick who he wants, just has to take election results into account)
cohabitation = divided government: parliamentary elections can lead to a different party being dominant than the party of the president -> can lead to gridlock + prsidents may have to pick prime minister from different party (middle choice to avoid deadlock)
tries to end/prevent cohabitation:
- 2000: 5y presidential terms so that elections are in the same year
president
formal powers =
- appointment
- no veto (unlike US, Brazil, Nigeria) - right to dismiss prime ministers
- can dismiss legislature -> diff timing elections -> more cohabitation (return cohabitation despite shortening terms in 2000)
higher informal powers
cohabitation -> weaker president: shares power with prime minister
2008 term limits: maximum of 2 terms
elections: 2round system = majority runoff = if no candidate wins first round majority top-2 go second round = stimulates electoral alliances (two-bloc system)
legislature
= bicameral
Assemblee Nationale = parliament = 577 members, 5y terms
not that strong vis a vis the executive (bc poor history proportionality):
- blocked vote = gov. can come with an idea that the parliament can’t amend
- 80% legislature comes from gov.
- if parliament does not approve the budget in time, it just becomes law anyway
- Art 49 = confidence measure: if parliament goes against a law it wil force a no-confidence vote on the government (gov can threaten to pursue anyway and force re-election -> threatening for parties: may lose seats)
*wasn’t meant to be used a lot, isn’t used a lot bc it undermines democratic legitimacy (Macron used it to increase the retirement age)
Senat = second chamber
- 348 members indirectly elected by local councils with constituencies
- 6y terms
- conservatives overrepresented (bc they are overrepresented in local councils)
- can rule on constitution: has to agree together with parliament before change can be made
legislative elections
SMD
two round system
first round: majority (50%) wins parliamentary seat
12.5% votes -> second round with plurality vote
winner take all -> strong disproportionality (like in UK)
1958-1990s two-bloc party system (2 large, 2 small parties)
since 2017 (Macron) party system change/collapse
in comparison with the UK: no first past the post in single round
elections 2024
= snap elections after Macron party (Ensemble) lost and Le Pen (NR) won
-> Macron hoped to bring people together around him, but led to divisions (also within his party)
common policy = not to split the vote to protect against RN (Rassemblement National)
-> Republican Front, didn’t really work: Macron pulled back candidates only really late
judiciary
constitutional court
- 9 members (single 9-y term) + former presidents can join if they want
- Napoleon tradition of code law: man equal for law
- little attention to customary law
tasks = checks and balances + protection individual/minority rights
- e.g. said no to law that would imprison people longer than the issued sentence if they were seen as dangerous
unitary state
centralized and strong state, although some devolution (e.g. Corsica)
full integration of DROMs: Departments and Regions of Overseas France
dirigisme = state-led economy
blurred line between bureaucracy, economy, judiciary and politics
- pantouflage = career bureaucrats move to the private sector (-> tensions)
political parties - (center) right
= often in government
since 2017 existential crisis
Since 1958 = Gaullist
- party de Gaulle: UNR (union pour la nouvelle republique) -> le rassemblement pour la republique -> le mouvement populaire (UMP) -> les republicains
ideology:
- strong, centralized state
- socially conservative
- capitalist, free market
- law and order
- dominant role in foreign affairs
(ideology interesting since it has more left/socialdem attributes right)
political parties - (center) left
Parti Socialiste (PS) founded in 1905
dominated by intellectual elite -> “left caviar”: they have a socialist ideology, but never worked a day in their life
ideology
- left-> center left
- pro-welfare state
- pro-EU integration
- now also progressive, green
presidents: Francois Mitterrand (1981-95) + Francois Hollande (2012-2017)
- Hollande = one of the least popular presidents -> loss elections + existential crisis (like the republicans)
substantial rebound in 2024: grand leftist coalition (with extreme left and le republique en marche)
political parties - far left
parti communist francais (PCF, founded 1920)
la france insoumise
nouveau front populaire
strongest force on the left until 1970, after 1990 decline and fragmentation
ideology:
- anti-free trade
- workers’ rights (lower retirement age)
- reform of the 5th republic
- euro-sceptic
- new: eco-socialism: we have distorted eco production for too long
since 2014: success of Jean-Luc Melenchon (la france insoumise) = points to more personal politics (also seen in popularity Le Pen and Macron)
Political parties - far right
1972 Front National (Jean-Marie Le Pen)
1970s-90s = extreme right fringe
2002: Le Pen reaches second round (19% votes)
2011: Marine Le Pen takes over leadership: softens + renames the party -> rassemblement national (to appeal to broader public, but still quite extreme)
Ideology
- Nationalist/nativist (white majority identity)
- populist
- Anti-immigrant
- Anti-EU
2017 & 2022 second round presidential elections
Political parties - center
Traditionally alligned with Gaullists
Ideology:
- Liberalism
- Free-trade
- Social equality
1978: UDF = Union Pour la Democratie Francaise
2016 foundation la republique en marche (Macron) -> wins 2017 presidential and parliamentary elections
*Macron was once member socialist party, but now more rightwing (e.g. Raising retirment age)
2022: Macron re-elected but loses parliamentary majority, not regained in 2024
transnational cleavage and realignment?
Do the new parties represent new/different cleavages or is there realignment and personalism
transnational cleavage = big in center vs RN
- winners vs losers globalization
- immigration vs multiculturalism
OR: dealignment (voting for different party) and personalism
Entirely diff: Macron and Le Pen
- Le Pen = nationalist/patriotic, nativist, conservative, protectionist -> “white”
- Macron = globalist/internationalist, multiculturalist, progressive, liberal -> “red”
*some people say it is a return to red/white cleavage (aka rural/urban and liberal/conservative)
-> tripolar system: Melenchon vs Macron vs Le Pen
also: concern dealignment (2024 high election turnout, but still lower than in other countries)
breaking news:
radical impeachment effort against Macron
- Macron nominated LR member to be prime minister = not like common: president picks from the biggest party
- NFP starts impeachment process
is unlikely to succeed: requires 2/3 majority in both houses
