At stake in this Referendum:

• Changing the constitution to reduce the presidential term from seven to five years.

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.

Main provisions in the Referendum:

• Referendum to shorten the presidential term from seven years to five.

Electoral Requirements

• -A majority of overall votes cast are required for the referendum to be enacted.
  -If the referendum is enacted, the change would take place beginning with the 2002 presidential election.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 60,912,498 (2000)
• Registered Voters: 38,363,882 (2000)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 31,118,746 (2000)

·         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: N/A

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 63 (National Assembly) following 1997 election; 19 (Senate) following 1998 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: 9,136,874 (est.)