France is a parliamentary republic. Even though it is a democracy based on the parliament, it can be described as a centralist State from the way it is organised. The Head of State is the President of the Republic and he/she has a lot of power. As in all democracies, there is a division of powers.
- Executive power
It enforces the laws and is in the hands of the President of the Republic and the government.
- The President of the Republic
This is a position that lasts for five years and the person chosen is elected directly by the citizens. It is the highest position in the State, and is the main representative of the French State.
- He/she holds the Executive power of the Government and exercises the functions of mediator.
- He/she chooses the Prime Minister and he/she is the President of the Council of Ministers.
- He/she has the power to dissolve the National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale), in other words, the parliament chosen by the citizens, and call elections.
- He/she can veto the laws passed by the Assembly.
- He/she is the Head of the Armed Forces and the President of the Higher National Defence Council.
- He/she greatly influences Foreign Policy.
- Government
The Government is in charge of directing state policy. The head of the government is the Prime Minister who is appointed by the President of the Republic; the President appoints the Ministers and Secretaries of State, too, as proposed by the Prime Minister.
- Legislative power
It represents the citizens and is responsible for making laws. The French parliament has two chambers: the national assembly and the senate.
- Judicial power
The Judicial power has the power to judge and is in the hands of the court judges. In France, there are three kinds of courts: civil courts, criminal courts and ones that handle matters between the public administration and the citizens.
The Constitutional Council (Conseil Constitutionnel) has to ensure that the constitution is respected; that the laws are made in accordance with the constitution.
- Le mediateur de la Republique ( Ombudsperson )
In France Le mediateur de la Republique is the equivalent of the Defensor del Pueblo in Spain. Its origin is to be found in the Ombudsman institution of Sweden. It was created in 1973.