Congrès du Parlement français

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The Congrès du Parlement (French for "Congress of Parliament") is the assembly of the two chambers of the French Parliament , the National Assembly ( Assemblée nationale ) and the Senate ( Sénat ) under the Constitution of the Fifth Republic . The Congrès du Parlement is only convened for special occasions: votes on constitutional amendments, speeches by the President and votes on the admission of a new member state to the European Union.

In the Third and Fourth Republic , both chambers of the French Parliament met to elect the President (comparable to the German Federal Assembly ) - even if the term “Congrès du Parlement” was not officially used. Since the constitutional reform of the Fifth Republic on February 23, 2007, the two chambers have been able to meet to remove the president of the state - but this assembly is known as the "Haute Cour" (Supreme Court).

When a Congrès du Parlament is called, it usually takes place in the Salle du Congrès in the Palace of Versailles outside Paris.

Duties within the Fifth Republic

Constitutional amendments

According to Article 89 of the Constitution of the Fifth Republic, constitutional amendments are to be decided by the Congress if the President decides not to call a referendum. The draft amendment is deemed to have been adopted if a majority of three fifths of the votes cast are in favor.

Since 1958 the Congress decided in 16 sessions on 24 constitutional amendments, of which the Congress adopted 21. Only the new regulation of the election of the state president (in 1962) and the shortening of the term of office of the state president to five years (2000) were decided by referendum.

Addresses by the President

Since the constitutional amendments of July 23, 2008, the President of the Republic can convene Congress to deliver a speech in front of both houses of parliament. Congress can discuss the speech - even if the President is absent - but cannot vote on it.

Admission of a member state to the European Union

After the constitutional amendment of March 1, 2005, it was necessary for the French people to decide in a referendum on every law for the admission of another state to the European Union. After the constitutional amendment of July 23, 2008, the possibility of a referendum was still possible, but the basic rule was introduced that the Congress must adopt a member state to the European Union with a majority of three fifths.

organization

According to Article 89 of the Constitution, "The Presidium of the National Assembly is the Presidium of the Congress." The President of the Congress is entrusted with the internal and external organization of the functioning of the Congress. This includes, among other things, calling and chairing the meetings.

The Congress can hold a debate on constitutional amendments and votes on the admission of new EU member states, but cannot make any changes to the voting texts. Congress can only vote for or against. The votes are public.

At a session of the Congress, the members of the two houses of parliament do not sit according to party (as is usual at meetings of the two houses), but according to the alphabetical order of their last names.

Meetings of the Congrès du Parlement in the Fifth Republic

Since the introduction of the Fifth French Republic, the Congress has met 19 times. Constitutional amendments were the occasion 16 times.

Constitutional amendments

  1. December 20, 1963
  2. October 21, 1974
  3. June 14, 1976
  4. June 23, 1992
  5. July 19, 1993
  6. November 19, 1993
  7. July 31, 1995
  8. February 19, 1996
  9. July 6, 1998
  10. January 18, 1999
  11. June 28, 1999
  12. March 17, 2003
  13. February 28, 2005
  14. February 19, 2007
  15. February 4, 2008
  16. July 21, 2008

Addresses by the President

  1. June 22, 2009 - Speech by President Nicolas Sarkozy
  2. November 16, 2015 - Speech by President François Hollande on the occasion of the terrorist attacks on November 13, 2015 in Paris
  3. July 3, 2017 - Speech by President Emmanuel Macron

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b French National Assembly - CONSTITUTION OF OCTOBER 4, 1958. (No longer available online.) In: www.assemblee-nationale.fr. Archived from the original on November 8, 2015 ; accessed on November 14, 2015 .
  2. ↑ a b c Fiche de synthèse: Le Congrès du Parlement - Rôle et pouvoirs de l'Assemblée nationale - Assemblée nationale. In: www2.assemblee-nationale.fr. Retrieved November 14, 2015 .