IFES Election Guide | Country Profile: France

French Republic

67,971,310	24
Population (as of Jan. 1, 2022)	Elections in our database
43,328,507	64.72%
Registered Voters (as of July 7, 2024)	Average Turnout

Name	Official Name	Type
French Senate	Sénat	Upper House
French National Assembly	Assemblée Nationale	Lower House
French Presidency	President	Head of State

Description of government structure:

Chief of State: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 15 May 2017)
Head of Government: Prime Minister Michel BARNIER (since 5 September 2024)
Assembly: France has a bicameral Parliament (Parlement Français) consisting of the Senate (Sénat) with 348 seats and the National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale) with 577 seats.

Description of electoral system:

The President is elected by absolute majority vote through a two-round system to serve a 5-year term.
The Prime Minister is appointed by the president.
In the Senate (Sénat) 348 members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve 9-year terms*. In the National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale) 577 members are elected by absolute majority vote in single-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms.**

* Electoral Colleges are 128 territorial constituencies (number of seats dependent on population) comprising the departments of metropolitan France, overseas departments and territories, territorial collectivities and French citizens residing abroad One third of the Senate is renewable every three years.

** A candidate is elected in the first round if he/she obtains an absolute majority of the total votes cast, provided this amount is equal to a quarter of the number of registered voters in the particular constituency. In order to be eligible for the second round, candidates must have obtained a number of votes equal to at least 12.5% of the total number of registered voters. However, if only one candidate fulfills this condition, the person who polls the second largest number of votes in the first ballot may also participate in the second at which, to be elected, a simple majority suffices

Elections

2024-07-07
French National Assembly
Votes 28,867,759
Registered 43,328,507
Turnout 66.63

2024-06-30
French National Assembly
Votes 32,908,657
Registered 49,332,709
Turnout 66.71

2022-06-19
French National Assembly
Votes 22,464,299
Registered 48,589,606
Turnout 46.23

2022-06-12
French National Assembly
Votes 23,256,207
Registered 48,953,748
Turnout 47.51

2022-04-24
French Presidency
Votes 35,096,391
Registered 48,752,500
Turnout 71.99

2022-04-10
French Presidency
Votes 35,923,707
Registered 48,747,876
Turnout 73.69

2017-06-18
French National Assembly
Votes 20,164,615
Registered 47,293,103
Turnout 42.64

2017-06-11
French National Assembly
Votes 23,167,508
Registered 47,570,988
Turnout 48.7

2017-05-07
French Presidency
Votes 35,467,172
Registered 47,568,588
Turnout 74.56

2017-04-23
French Presidency
Votes 37,003,728
Registered 47,582,183
Turnout 77.77

2012-06-17
French National Assembly
Votes 23,957,594
Registered 43,234,000
Turnout 55.41

2012-06-10
French National Assembly
Votes 26,373,299
Registered 46,083,260
Turnout 57.23

2012-05-06
French Presidency
Votes 37,016,404
Registered 46,066,499
Turnout 80.35

2012-04-22
French Presidency
Votes 36,584,399
Registered 46,028,542
Turnout 79.48

2007-06-17
French National Assembly
Votes 21,129,008
Registered 35,224,953
Turnout 59.98

2007-06-10
French National Assembly
Votes 26,521,824
Registered 43,896,043
Turnout 60.42

2007-05-06
French Presidency
Votes 37,342,004
Registered 44,472,733
Turnout 83.97

2007-04-22
French Presidency
Votes 37,254,242
Registered 44,472,834
Turnout 83.77

2005-05-29
Referendum
Votes 28,988,300
Registered 41,789,202
Turnout 69.37

2002-06-16
French National Assembly
Votes 22,184,913
Registered 36,784,296
Turnout 60.31

2002-06-09
French National Assembly
Votes 26,389,875
Registered 40,968,484
Turnout 64.42

2002-05-05
French Presidency
Votes 32,832,295
Registered 41,191,169
Turnout 79.71

2002-04-21
French Presidency
Votes 29,497,272
Registered 41,193,693
Turnout 71.61

2000-09-24
Referendum
Votes 11,790,702
Registered 38,363,882
Turnout 30.73

Election For	Date	Votes	Registered Voters	Turnout
French National Assembly	2024-07-07	28,867,759	43,328,507	66.63
French National Assembly	2024-06-30	32,908,657	49,332,709	66.71
French National Assembly	2022-06-19	22,464,299	48,589,606	46.23
French National Assembly	2022-06-12	23,256,207	48,953,748	47.51
French Presidency	2022-04-24	35,096,391	48,752,500	71.99
French Presidency	2022-04-10	35,923,707	48,747,876	73.69
French National Assembly	2017-06-18	20,164,615	47,293,103	42.64
French National Assembly	2017-06-11	23,167,508	47,570,988	48.7
French Presidency	2017-05-07	35,467,172	47,568,588	74.56
French Presidency	2017-04-23	37,003,728	47,582,183	77.77
French National Assembly	2012-06-17	23,957,594	43,234,000	55.41
French National Assembly	2012-06-10	26,373,299	46,083,260	57.23
French Presidency	2012-05-06	37,016,404	46,066,499	80.35
French Presidency	2012-04-22	36,584,399	46,028,542	79.48
French National Assembly	2007-06-17	21,129,008	35,224,953	59.98
French National Assembly	2007-06-10	26,521,824	43,896,043	60.42
French Presidency	2007-05-06	37,342,004	44,472,733	83.97
French Presidency	2007-04-22	37,254,242	44,472,834	83.77
Referendum	2005-05-29	28,988,300	41,789,202	69.37
French National Assembly	2002-06-16	22,184,913	36,784,296	60.31
French National Assembly	2002-06-09	26,389,875	40,968,484	64.42
French Presidency	2002-05-05	32,832,295	41,191,169	79.71
French Presidency	2002-04-21	29,497,272	41,193,693	71.61
Referendum	2000-09-24	11,790,702	38,363,882	30.73

Voter Turnout

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