POLS 071 Chapter February 11th Reading:

• School: University of Vermont
• Department: Political Science
• Course: POLS 071
• Professor: Peter A.Von Doepp

Document Summary

France"s system of government during the current fifth republic is a presidential- parliamentary system featuring a mix of presidential authority, a prime minister responsible to the parliament, but a weak legislature. President, as of 1963, is directly elected and is france"s head of state, possessing considerable powers. The prime minister is the head of government, is nominated by the president and approved by a voting majority of the national assembly. Cohabitation: when executive authority (that of the president and prime minister), is shared between the leaders of two different parties. The president is the highest authority and the commander in chief, while the prime minister and the government determine direct policy: the prime minister often is left to pursue their own initiatives in social and economic policy. Censure: the assembly can vote the prime minister and government out of office with a censure vote: hard to do, however.