Can anyone summarise the French political system for me? How can someone stand down as leader of their party to try and be president? Who then governs?

Every time I think I nearly understand French politics something else incomprehensible happens.

I think shes just trying to be her own kind of fascist, not her Daddy’s kind.

It’s ‘Je ne comprends pas’.

Get that right, and the political system becomes as clear as day.

😉

Si, I was never the best at French.

I studied French politics and history for many years. Three things to know here.

Firstly,

Secondly,
[video]https://youtu.be/GSeaDQ6sPs0[/video]

Thirdly,

[video]https://youtu.be/EuXdhow3uqQ[/video]

If you had watched the very excellent Spin (Les hommes dans l’ombre or the men in the shadows) you’d certainly have a better idea of the corrupt machinations of the French political system.

MrPottatoHead – Member 
Who then governs?

I don’t think they know. They just perform the Gallic Shrug (blatant stereotyping, but hey, it’s the French).

or as we had it in our school, “je ne dinnae ken pas” 🙂

Surely it’s “je comprends pas” ?? In the non-school?

There are a few French voters here maybe they should take the lead ?

French politics is very complicated and a very dirty business with a huge dose of corruption sprinkled throughout. Each town has an elected Mayor with quite a lot of power. Bigger cities tend to be a stepping stone to those with national ambitions. France has a President elected every 5 years and as we have seen don’t really need to have a mainstream party, this time round there where 11 vying for the top job now down to a second round of just two. After this there will be Parliamentary elections and the President will form a Governmen based on who wins seats in Parliament and/or people they just ship in.

It’s an interesting move – presumably she’s hoping people who wouldn’t vote for the FN might vote for her as a person. Hopefully most will still see that her standing down doesn’t change who she is or what her views and principles are (nor has she ruled out retaking the position whilst president if the worst happened).

If you had watched the very excellent Spin (Les hommes dans l’ombre or the men in the shadows) you’d certainly have a better idea of the corrupt machinations of the French political system.

I did not know this existed.
After enjoying Des Engrenages (Spiral) so much I cant wait to watch this and forunately it looks like its free to watch on catch up on Channel4 where it got a showing in the UK recently

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/spin/episode-guide/series-1

I see she is promising retirement at 60. I’m not sure I like the sound of what a facist might call retirement..

It’s a presidential system, similar to the US, so the President and then the two chambers of parliament get elected in seperate elections.

Surely it’s “je comprends pas” ?? In the non-school?

To be honest, what you will hear on the street (at least where I hang out), is probably closer to ‘sh’compran’ pa’.

I love language. 🙂

kcal – Member
or as we had it in our school, “je ne dinnae ken pas”

😆

@Saxon or just some kind of drawl like “quoi”

anyone can go for the Presidential race as long as they get at least 500 signatures ( approval ) from elected persos ( town maires , mp etc.. ) .

despite what Jambalaya is saying , it is no more corrupt than english politics .

first time that the 2 finalists are not from mainstream parties .

Tombe le garçon?

Oh putaing (accent locale) c’est pas si compliqué que ça!

Let’s be honest, of the 11 candidates, only 5 were actual contenders. Well, 4 really cos Hamon never really counted.

despite what Jambalaya is saying , it is no more corrupt than english politics

😯

I beg to differ ! Balkany is our Mayor btw.

That one’s a unique specimen. How he isn’t locked away is beyond belief.

Anyway, to answer the op… isn’t she don’t what is known in British political circles as “doing a Farage”? The moment the vote is cast, she’ll declare herself as head of the fn again

Btw, legislative elections are in June

How can someone stand down as leader of their party to try and be president?

Trump isn’t, and hasn’t even been, leader of the republican party

Well my understanding is the the president is head of state and the real job of political leader is done by the prime minister.

It’s not much different to the UK except we get to choose our head of state and do so in elections with two rounds so the leader has over 50% approval rather than just the most votes. Legislative elections are two rounds too but not proportional which means that the FN, greens, Modem and so on are under represented.

So as a representative democracy it’s more representative of opinion than the UK’s first past the post system but not as representative as Germany’s second choice counting system.

It works because as Coluche said:

“Ce n’est pas parce que la majorité a tort, qu’elle a raison!”

but Cameron had probably never heard of Coluche so he called the Brexit referendum.

So there was no expense scandal in the UK ?

Paying your wife to do nothing or buying à duckk house is very similar.

Bribe payers index for Jamba

@ocrider

Oh putaing (accent locale)

Provence by any chance? My father in law has that accent – demeng instead of demain for example.

n’importe quoi. Il y a certains qui sont pd comme une phoque.

Ce qui ne les empêche pas d’être à la hauteur de la tâche et de bien s’acquitter de leurs fonctions.

I think it’s foc rather than phoque but well i’ve been away too long now.

@Feefoo
A bit further west, but not quite in chocolatine country 🙂

Le phoque: l’animale marin préféré des enfants bilingues!