At stake in this election:

• The office of President of France

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Jacques CHIRAC
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Lionel JOSPIN
• Assembly: France has a bicameral Parliament (Parlement) consisting of the Senate (Sénat) with 321 seats and the National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale) with 577 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by popular vote to serve a 5-year term.
• In the Senate (Sénat) 321 members are elected by an electoral college to serve 9-year terms. In the National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale) 577 members are elected by popular vote to serve 5-year terms.

Main Candidates in the First Round of the Presidential race:

• Jacques CHIRAC*
  • Party: Rally for the Republic
• Jean-Marie Le PEN*
  • Party: National Front
• Lionel JOSPIN
  • Party: Socialist Party (PS)
• Francois BAYROU
  • Party: Union for the French Democracy (UDF)
• Arlette LAGUILLER
  • Party: Trotskyite Workers' Struggle
• Jean-Pierre CHEVENEMENT
  • Party: Citizens Movement (MdC)
• Noel MAMERE
  • Party: Green Party
• Alain MADELIN
  • Party: Liberal Democracy (DL)
• Robert HUE
  • Party: French Communist Party (PCF)

*Jacques CHIRAC and Jean-Marie Le PEN advanced to the second round of the presidential race, held on May 5, 2002.

Last Presidential election:

• Presidential Elections were last held April 23 and May 7, 1995. Jacques CHIRAC received 52.69% of the vote, thereby defeating Lionel JOSPIN, who received 47.31%.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 61,805,267 (2002)
• Registered Voters: 41,193,693 (2002)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 31,603,453 (2002)

·         Is France a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (17 July 1980)

·         Has France ratified CEDAW: Yes (14 December 1980)

·         Gender Quota: Yes

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 71 (National Assembly) following 2002 election; 35 (Senate) following 2001 election) 

·         Human Development Index Position: 22 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Very Low

Disability Data:

·         Is France a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has France ratified CRPD: Yes (18 February 2010)

·         Population with a disability: 9,270,790 (est.)