French Constitution of 1958

The constitution adopted in 1958 that established France’s Fifth Republic, defining its institutions and strengthening the executive branch.

President of France: The head of state of the French Republic, with powers defined by the constitution. The constitution gives the president a central role, including appointing the prime minister and, under conditions, dissolving the National Assembly.
May 1958 crisis: A political and military crisis in France and Algeria that precipitated the fall of the Fourth Republic. The crisis created the conditions for a new constitution and Charles de Gaulle’s return to power.
French constitutional amendment of 1962: A constitutional change that established direct election of the French president by popular vote. It made the presidency more directly connected to voters and transformed the constitution’s political balance.
Semi-presidential system: A system combining a popularly elected president with a prime minister and government responsible to a legislature. The Fifth Republic is a prominent example of this mixed form of executive government.
Prime Minister of France: The head of the French government, responsible for directing its action under the constitution. The constitution makes the prime minister accountable to Parliament while placing the government under presidential appointment.
Charles de Gaulle: French military leader and statesman who founded the Fifth Republic and served as its first president. De Gaulle shaped the constitution’s strong executive and presented its adoption to voters.
French presidential election: The election that determines who serves as president of the French Republic. The constitution’s original indirect selection was replaced by direct popular election, changing presidential legitimacy.
Parliamentary system: A system in which the government depends on the confidence of the legislature and a head of state has limited governing power. The 1958 constitution retains parliamentary accountability but gives the president greater independent authority.
French Parliament: France’s national legislature, comprising the National Assembly and the Senate. The constitution defines Parliament’s two chambers and limits the scope of legislation they may enact.
Michel Debré: French politician and jurist who helped draft the 1958 constitution and became the Fifth Republic’s first prime minister. Debré led much of the constitutional drafting and explained its institutional design.

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