National Assembly (France)

"Assemblée Nationale" redirects here. For other uses, see Assemblée Nationale (disambiguation).

National Assembly Assemblée nationale
16th legislature of the French Fifth Republic
Type
Type	Lower house
History
Founded	4 October 1958 (1958-10-04)
Preceded by	National Assembly (French Fourth Republic)
Leadership
President	Yaël Braun-Pivet, LREM since 28 June 2022
Structure
Seats	577
Political groups	Minority government (250)   ENS (250)   REN (172)   DEM (48)   HOR (30) Opposition (327)   NUPES (151)   LFI (75)   SOC (31)   PE (23)   GDR (22)   RN (89)   LR (62)   LIOT (16)   NI (9)
Elections
Voting system	Two-round system
Last election	12 and 19 June 2022
Next election	2027
Meeting place
Palais Bourbon, Paris
Website
assemblee-nationale.fr
Rules
Règlement de l’Assemblée nationale

The National Assembly (Template:Lang-fr; pronounced [asɑ̃ble nɑsjɔnal]) is the lower house of the bicameral French Parliament under the Fifth Republic, the upper house being the Senate (Sénat). The National Assembly's legislators are known as députés (French pronunciation: [depyˈte]), meaning "delegate" or "envoy" in English; etymologically, it is a cognate of the English word deputy, which is the standard term for legislators in many parliamentary systems).

There are 577 députés, each elected by a single-member constituency (at least one per department) through a two-round system; thus, 289 seats are required for a majority. The president of the National Assembly, Richard Ferrand, presides over the body. The officeholder is usually a member of the largest party represented, assisted by vice presidents from across the represented political spectrum. The National Assembly's term is five years; however, the President of France may dissolve the Assembly, thereby calling for new elections, unless it has been dissolved in the preceding twelve months. This measure has become rarer since the 2000 French constitutional referendum reduced the presidential term from seven to five years; since the 2002 French legislative election and until the 2022 French legislative election, the President of the Republic has always had a coattail effect of majority in the Assembly two months after the presidential election, and it would accordingly be of little benefit to dissolve it. Due to the separation of powers, the President of the Republic may not take part in parliamentary debates. They can address the Congress of the French Parliament, which meets at the Palace of Versailles, or have the address read by the presidents of both chambers of Parliament, with no subsequent debate.

Following a tradition started by the first National Assembly during the French Revolution, the left-wing parties sit to the left as seen from the president's seat and the right-wing parties to the right; the seating arrangement thus directly indicates the left–right political spectrum as represented in the Assembly. The official seat of the National Assembly is the Palais Bourbon on the Rive Gauche of the Seine in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. The Assembly also uses other neighbouring buildings, including the Immeuble Chaban-Delmas on the Rue de l'Université, Paris. Like most institutions of importance in Paris, it is guarded by Republican Guards.

Relations with the executive

Jacques Chaban-Delmas served three times President of the Assembly between 1958 and 1988

The Constitution of France in the Fifth Republic greatly increased the power of the executive at the expense of Parliament, compared to previous constitutions (Third and Fourth Republics), following the May 1958 crisis.

The President of the Republic can decide to dissolve the National Assembly and call for new legislative elections. This is meant as a way to resolve stalemates where the Assembly cannot decide on a clear political direction. This possibility is seldom exercised. The last dissolution was by President Jacques Chirac in 1997, following from the lack of popularity of Prime Minister Alain Juppé. However, the plan backfired, as the newly elected majority was opposed to Chirac.

The National Assembly can overthrow the executive government (that is, the Prime Minister and other ministers) by a motion of no confidence (motion de censure). For this reason, Prime Ministers and their government are necessarily from the dominant party or coalition in the assembly. In the case of a President of the Republic and National Assembly from opposing parties, this leads to the situation known as cohabitation; this situation, which has occurred three times (twice under François Mitterrand, once under Jacques Chirac), is likely to be rarer now that terms of the President and Assembly are the same length (5 years since the 2000 referendum) and are elected in the same year.

While motions de censure are periodically proposed by the opposition following government actions that it deems highly inappropriate, they are purely rhetorical; party discipline ensures that, throughout a parliamentary term, the Government is never overthrown by the Assembly. Since the beginning of the Fifth Republic, there has only been one single successful motion de censure, in 1962 in hostility to the referendum on the method of election of the President of the Republic; President Charles de Gaulle dissolved the Assembly within a few days.

The Government (the Prime Minister and the Minister in charge of Relations with Parliament) used to set the priorities of the agenda for the Assembly's sessions, except for a single day each month. In practice, given the number of priority items, it meant that the schedule of the Assembly was almost entirely set by the executive; bills generally only have a chance to be examined if proposed or supported by the executive. This, however, was amended on 23 July 2008. Under the amended Constitution, the Government sets the priorities for two weeks in a month. Another week is designated for the Assembly's "control" prerogatives (consisting mainly of oral questions addressed to the Government). The fourth one is also set by the Assembly. Furthermore, one day per month is set by a "minority" (group supporting the Government but which is not the largest group) or "opposition" group (having officially declared it did not support the Government).

Legislators of the Assembly can ask written or oral questions to ministers. The Wednesday afternoon 3 p.m. session of "questions to the government" is broadcast live on television. Like Prime Minister's Questions in the United Kingdom, it is largely a show for the viewers, with members of the majority asking flattering questions, while the opposition tries to embarrass the government.

Elections

See also: List of constituencies of the National Assembly of France and 2010 redistricting of French legislative constituencies

Since 1988, the 577 deputies are elected by direct universal suffrage with a two-round system by constituency, for a five-year mandate, subject to dissolution. The constituencies each have about 100,000 inhabitants. The electoral law of 1986 specifies their variance of population within a department should not exceed 20%, when conducting any redistribution. However, none were redrawn between 1982 and 2009. As a result of population movements, births and deaths inequalities between the less populous rural districts and the urban districts arose. The deputy for the most populous (within Val-d'Oise), represented 188,000 voters, while that for the other extreme (for Lozère at-large), represented 34,000. That for Saint Pierre and Miquelon serves fewer than 6,000. Most were redrawn in 2009 (boundaries officially adopted in 2010, effective in 2012), but this redistribution was controversial, such as the creation of eleven constituencies for French residents overseas without increasing the number of seats. The electoral map is drawn by an independent commission.

To be elected in the first round of voting, a candidate must obtain at least 50% of the votes cast, with a turnout of at least 25% of the registered voters on the electoral rolls. If no candidate is elected in the first round, those who account for in excess of 12.5% (1⁄8) of the registered voters are entered in the second round of voting. If no three or more meet such conditions, the two highest-placing candidates automatically advance to the second round of voting – at which, the candidate who receives the most votes is elected. Each candidate is enrolled along with a substitute, who takes the candidate's place if during tenure incapacitated or barred – if the deputy becomes a government member, most notably.

The organic law of 10 July 1985 established a system of party-list proportional representation within the framework of the département. It was necessary within this framework to obtain at least 5% of the vote to elect an official. However, the legislative election of 1986, carried out under this system, gave France a new majority which returned the National Assembly to the aforementioned two-round system.

Of the 577 elected deputies, 539 represent metropolitan France, 27 represent the overseas departments and overseas collectivities; 11 represent French residents overseas.

Procedure

The agenda of the National Assembly is mostly decided by the Government, although the Assembly can also enforce its own agenda. Indeed, article 48 of the Constitution guarantees at least a monthly session decided by the Assembly.

Law proposal

A law proposal is a document divided into three distinct parts: a title, an exposé des motifs and a dispositif. The exposé des motifs describes the arguments in favour of a modification of a given law or new measurements that are proposed. The dispositif is the normative part, which is developed within articles.

A proposal for a law can originate from the Government (projet de loi) or a Member of Parliament (proposition de loi). Certain laws must come from the Government, including financial regulations. The law proposals may pass through the National Assembly and Senate in an indifferent order, except for financial laws which must go through the Assembly first, or territorial organisational laws or laws for French citizens living in foreign countries, which must first pass through the Senate.

Deposit of a law

For an ordinary proposition of law, texts must be first reviewed by a permanent parliamentary commission, or a special commission designated for this purpose. During the discussion in the commission, or in plenary sessions in the Assembly, the Government and Parliament can add, modify or delete articles of the proposal. The text is thus amended. Amendments proposed by a parliamentarian cannot mobilise further public funding. The Government has to right to ask the Assembly to pronounce itself in one vote only with the amendments proposed or accepted by the Government itself.

Projects of propositions of laws will be examined succinctly by the two chambers of Parliament (National Assembly and Senate) until the text is identical. After two lectures by the two chambers (or just one if the Government chooses to engage an acceleration of the text adoption, which can happen only in certain conditions) and without any accord, the Prime Minister or the two presidents of the chambers, conjointly with first, can convoke a special commission composed by an equal number of members of Assembly and Senators to reach a compromise and propose a new text. The new proposition has to be approved by the Government before being re-proposed to the two chambers. No new amendments can be added except on the Government's approval. If the new proposal of law fails to be approved by the two chambers, the Government can, after a new lecture by the National Assembly and the Senate, ask the National Assembly to rule a final judgement. In that case, the National Assembly can either take back the text elaborated by the special commission or the last one that they voted for – possibly modified by several amendments by the Senate.

The President of the Republic, on the Government or the two chambers' proposal, can submit every law proposal as a referendum if it concerns the organisation of public powers, reforms on the economy, social and environmental measures, or every proposition that would have an impact on the functioning of the institutions. A referendum on the previous conditions can also be initiated by a fifth of the membership of Parliament, supported by a tenth of the voters inscribed on the electoral lists. Finally, the laws are promulgated by the President of the Republic's signature. The officeholder may call for a new legislative deliberation of the law or one of its articles in front of the National Assembly, which cannot be denied.

Conditions and benefits of deputies

Main article: Parliamentary immunity in France

Remuneration

Deputies wear tricolor sashes on official occasions outside the Assembly or on public marches, like other elected officials in France; former President of the National Assembly Bernard Accoyer is pictured here.

The Palais Bourbon in Paris, where the National Assembly meets

Ceiling paintings in the Library of the Assemblée nationale in the Palais Bourbon, on a series of cupolas and pendentives, are by Eugène Delacroix.

Assembly legislators receive a salary of €7,043.69 per month. There is also the "compensation representing official expenses" (indemnité représentative de frais de mandat, IRFM) of €5,867.39 per month to pay costs related to the office, as well as a total of €8,949 per month to pay up to five employees. They also have an office in the Assembly, various perquisites in terms of transport and communications, social security, a pension fund and unemployment insurance. Under article 26 of the Constitution, deputies, like Senators, are protected by parliamentary immunity. In the case of an accumulation of mandates, a deputy cannot receive a wage of more than €9,779.11. Deputies' expenses can be scrutinised by a commission; sanctions can be pronounced if expenses were undue.

Accumulation of mandates and minimum age

See also: Cumul des mandats

The position of deputy of the National Assembly is incompatible with that of any other elected legislative position (Senator or since 2000, Member of European Parliament) or with some administrative functions (members of the Constitutional Council and senior officials such as prefects, magistrates, or officers who are ineligible for department where they are stationed).

Deputies may not have more than one local mandate (in a municipal, intercommunal, general, or regional council) in addition to their incumbent mandate. Since the 2017 legislative election, deputies cannot hold an executive position in any local government (municipality, department, region). However, they can hold a part-time councillor mandate. In July 2017, 58% of deputies held such a seat. Since 1958, the mandate is also incompatible with a ministerial function. Upon appointment to the Government, the elected deputy has one month to choose between the mandate and the office. If they choose the second option, then they are replaced by their substitute. Since a change validated by the National Assembly in 2008, deputies can return to their seat in the Assembly one month after the end of their cabinet position. Previously, a special election had to be held.

To be eligible to be elected to the National Assembly, one must be at least 18 years old, of French citizenship, as well as not subject to a sentence of deprivation of civil rights or to personal bankruptcy.

Eligibility conditions

1. Eligibility due to personal requirements

The essential conditions to run for elections are the following. First, a candidate must have French citizenship. Secondly, the minimum age required to run for a seat at the National Assembly is set at 18 years old. The candidate must also have fulfilled his National Civic Day, a special day created to replace the military service. Finally, a candidate under guardianship and curatorship cannot be elected to the Assembly.

Furthermore, a person cannot be elected if they were declared ineligible following fraudulent funding of a previous electoral campaign. Indeed, the voter could be considered as highly influenced and their decision making could be impacted. The sincerity of the results could thus not be regarded as viable and legitimate.

2. Eligibility due to positions that a person may occupy

The deputy mandate cannot be cumulated with a mandate of Senator, MEP, member of the Government or of the Constitutional Council.

The deputy mandate is also incompatible with being a member of the military corps on duty, as well as with the exercise of one of the following mandates: regional council executive, Corsican Assembly executive, departmental council executive or municipal council executive in a municipality of a least or more than 3,500 inhabitants. Prefects are also unable to be elected in France in every district they are exercising power or exercised power for less than three years before the date of the election.

Since the 31 March 2017, being elected deputy is incompatible with most executive local mandates such as mayors, president of a regional council or member of the departmental council.

Historical composition

Election	Metropolitan France	Overseas France			Total seats	Changes
		Overseas departments (DOM)	Overseas territories (TOM)	Territorial collectivities
1958	465	10 + 71	33	−	579	−
1962	465	10	7	−	482	A new constituency was created for Wallis and Futuna (TOM) in 1961.
1967	470	10	7	−	487	5 new constituencies were created in 1966.
1968	470	10	7	−	487	−
1973	473	10	7	−	490	3 new constituencies were created in 1972.
1978	474	11	5	1	491	An additional constituency was created in Corsica in 1975. In 1976, Comoros gained their independence except Mayotte, which became a Territorial collectivity (one constituency), and Saint Pierre and Miquelon (formerly TOM) became a DOM. In 1977, French Territory of the Afars and the Issas (formerly known as French Somali Coast) became independent; moreover, a new constituency was created in Polynesia (TOM) and another in New Caledonia (TOM).
1981	474	11	5	1	491	−
1986	555 (95 departments)	15 (5 DOM)	5 (3 TOM)	2 (2 Territorial collectivities)	577	In 1985, Saint Pierre and Miquelon (formerly DOM) became a Territorial collectivity. In 1986, party-list proportional representation system was introduced and the majoritarian two-ballot system remained only in 3 single-member constituencies: Wallis et Futuna (TOM), Mayotte and Saint Pierre and Miquelon (Territorial collectivities).
1988	555	15	5	2	577	In 1988, the majoritarian two-ballot system was re-established. In comparison to 1981 elections, 96 new constituencies were created (91 in the Metropolitan France, 5 in the Overseas departments), while 10 parisian constituencies (n. 22 to n. 31) were suppressed.

French Revolution (1789–1799)

Further information: French Revolution

Extreme Left   Montagnards   Jacobin   The Plain   Girondins   Thermidorians   Independent   Feuillant   Clichy Club   Ultra Royalists
1791	136 345 264
1792	200 389 160
1795	63 54 33
1797	28 44 105
1798	106 44
1799	30 240 150 80

Kingdom of France (1815–1848)

Further information: Bourbon Restoration in France and Kingdom of France

Jacobin Republicans   Miscellaneous left   Republicans   Liberals   Movement Party   Third Party   Doctrinaires   Resistance Party   Orléanist   Bonapartists   Ultra Royalists / Legitimists
May 1815	40 510 80
August 1815	50 350
1816	20 10 136 92
1820	80 194 160
1824	17 413
1827	170 260
1830	274 282
1831	73 282 104
1834	75 50 320 15
1837	19 142 56 64 168 15
1839	240 199 20
1842	193 266
1846	168 290

French Second Republic (1848–1852)

Further information: French Second Republic

The Mountain   Republicans   Party of Order
1848	80 600 200
1849	180 75 450

Second French Empire (1852–1870)

Further information: Second French Empire

Republicans   Bonapartists   Legitimists
1852	3 253 7
1857	7 276
1863	17 251 15
1869	30 212 41

French Third Republic (1870–1940)

Further information: French Third Republic

PUP   PCF   SFIO   Far-Left / Radicals and Socialists / Radical Socialists   Republican Union   SI / PRS   Radical Left / Independent Radicals    Radical-Socialists   Centre-Left   Republican Left / Democratic Union / ARD   Miscellaneous   SE   PDP   Progressive Republicans   Constitutional monarchists / Centre-Right   Bonapartists   Orléanist   FR   Clericals   Legitimists / Monarchists / Right   Nationalists / Far-Right
1871	38 112 72 20 214 182
1876	27 98 193 48 15 22 76 40 15 24
1877	27 73 147 66 3 111 38 56
1881	48 1 47 170 157 44 8 44 38
1885	60 40 200 83 65 63 73
1889	57 13 69 214 14 3 169 37
1893	67 41 99 242 30 27 61 14
1898	97 55 86 232 5 53 39 14
1902	43 104 129 62 127 89 35
1906	54 20 132 115 90 66 78 30
1910	75 24 261 1 66 30 131 7
1914	5 102 22 192 66 77 50 88
1919	68 26 86 107 21 29 183
1924	26 104 44 139 123 29 116
1928	11 102 60 125 180 24 100
1932	9 10 132 43 160 121 49 83
1936	6 72 149 44 115 82 42 100

French Fourth Republic (1946–1958)

Further information: French Fourth Republic

PCF   SFIO   PRRRS / PR   Miscellaneous   RGR   MRP   CNIP   PRL   RPF / CNRS / UNR   UFF
1945	159 146 60 6 151 64
June 1946	151 127 31 9 166 61
November 1946	182 102 69 29 173 72
1951	103 107 90 95 96 121 13
1956	150 95 77 14 7 83 95 22 52

French Fifth Republic (since 1958)

Further information: French Fifth Republic

PCF   LFI   PSU   FGDS   The Greens / EELV / PE   SFIO   PS   PRG   TDP   PRRRS / RP   Miscellaneous   Vacant   LREM   CD   UDF / MoDem   Horizons   LC   UDI   UDR   RPR   RI   UMP / LR   RN
1958	10 40 37 1 57 132 189
1962	41 2 65 44 6 36 233 28 27
1967	73 4 117 9 41 243
1968	34 57 9 33 354
1973	73 1 102 12 30 272
1978	86 104 10 17 121 150
1981	44 283 17 62 85
1986	35 206 2 23 127 149 35
1988	27 260 9 23 2 129 126 1
1993	24 53 50 207 242 1
1997	35 7 255 12 16 112 139 1
2002	21 3 140 7 20 29 357
2007	15 4 186 7 27 3 22 313
2012	7 17 280 12 6 45 2 12 194 2
2017	10 17 1 30 3 28 308 42 18 112 8
2022	12 72 21 26 1 52 3 52 110 48 27 3 61 89

16th legislature

Main articles: 16th legislature of the French Fifth Republic and Member of Parliament (France)

See also: 2022 French legislative election

Parliamentary groups

Composition of the National Assembly as of 28 June 2022

Parliamentary group			Members	Related	Total	President
	REN	La République En Marche	172	0	172	Christophe Castaner
	FI	La France Insoumise	75	0	75	Mathilde Panot
	LR	The Republicans	62	0	62	Olivier Marleix
	DEM	Democratic Movement and affiliated democrats	48	0	48	Patrick Mignola
	SOC	Socialists and associated	31	0	31	Valérie Rabault
	HOR	Horizons and Related Group	30	0	30	Frédéric Valletoux
	GDR	Democratic and Republican Left	22	0	22	André Chassaigne
	LIOT	Group Liberties, İndependents, Overseas and Territories	16	0	16	Bertrand Pancher, Sylvia Pinel
	UDI	UDI and Independents	0	0	0	Jean-Christophe Lagarde
	NI	Non-Attached Members	–	–	9	–

Bureau of the National Assembly

Composition of the Bureau

Post (in charge of)	Name		Constituency	Group
Vice President (international relations)		Laetitia Saint-Paul	Maine-et-Loire's 4th	LREM
Vice President (representatives of interest groups and study groups)		Sylvain Waserman	Bas-Rhin's 2nd	MODEM
Vice President (communication and the press)		Hugues Renson	Paris's 13th	LREM
Vice President (artistic and cultural heritage of the National Assembly)		David Habib	Pyrénées-Atlantiques's 3rd	SOC
Vice President (application of the deputy's statute)		Annie Genevard	Doubs's 5th	LR
Vice President (admissibility of proposals of law)		Marc Le Fur	Côtes-d'Armor's 3rd	LR
Quaestor		Florian Bachelier	Ille-et-Vilaine's 8th	LREM
		Laurianne Rossi	Hauts-de-Seine's 11th	LREM
		Éric Ciotti	Alpes-Maritimes's 1st	LR
Secretary		Lénaïck Adam	French Guiana's 2nd	LREM
		Ramlati Ali	Mayotte's 1st	LREM
		Danielle Brulebois	Jura's 1st	LREM
		Luc Carvounas	Val-de-Marne's 9th	SOC
		Lionel Causse	Landes's 2nd	LREM
		Alexis Corbière	Seine-Saint-Denis's 7th	FI
		Laurence Dumont	Calvados's 2nd	SOC
		Marie Guévenoux	Essonne's 9th	LREM
		Annaïg Le Meur	Finistère's 1st	LREM
		Sophie Mette	Gironde's 9th	MoDem
		Gabriel Serville	French Guiana's 1st	GDR
		Guillaume Vuilletet	Val-d'Oise's 2nd	LREM

Presidencies of committees

Presidencies of committees

Standing committees	President		Group
Cultural and Education Affairs Committee		Bruno Studer	LREM
Economic Affairs Committee		Roland Lescure	LREM
Foreign Affairs Committee		Jean-Louis Bourlanges	MoDem
Social Affairs Committee		Fadila Khattabi	LREM
National Defence and Armed Forces Committee		Françoise Dumas	LREM
Sustainable Development, Spatial and Regional Planning Committee		Laurence Maillart-Méhaignerie	LREM
Finance, General Economy and Budgetary Monitoring Committee		Éric Woerth	LR
Constitutional Acts, Legislation and General Administration Committee		Yaël Braun-Pivet	LREM
Other committee	President		Group
European Affairs Committee		Sabine Thillaye	MoDem

Deputies

• List of deputies of the 11th National Assembly of France
• List of deputies of the 12th National Assembly of France
• List of deputies of the 13th National Assembly of France
• List of deputies of the 14th National Assembly of France
• List of deputies of the 15th National Assembly of France

See also

• Chamber of Deputies (France)
• Politics of France
• Women in the French National Assembly

External links

• Official website (English)