121-571: François Gérard Georges Nicolas Hollande ( French: [fʁɑ̃swa ʒeʁaʁ ʒɔʁʒ(ə) nikɔla ɔlɑ̃d] ; born 12 August 1954) is a French politician who served as the 24th president of France from 2012 to 2017. Before his presidency, he was First Secretary of the Socialist Party (PS) from 1997 to 2008, Mayor of Tulle from 2001 to 2008, as well as President of the General Council of Corrèze from 2008 to 2012. He also held
242-556: A 2000 referendum ; the first election for a shorter term was held in 2002 . Then-president Jacques Chirac was first elected in 1995 and again in 2002, and would have been able to run in 2007 had he chosen to, given the lack of term limits. Following a further change, the constitutional law of 2008 on the modernization of the institutions of the Fifth Republic , a president cannot serve more than two consecutive terms. François Mitterrand and Jacques Chirac were previously
363-474: A semi-presidential (or dual-executive) system that split powers between a president as head of state and a prime minister as head of government . Charles de Gaulle , who was the first French president elected under the Fifth Republic in December 1958, believed in a strong head of state, which he described as embodying l'esprit de la nation ("the spirit of the nation"). Under the fifth republic,
484-466: A 75% income tax rate on revenue earned above 1,000,000 euros per year, to generate the provision of development funds for deprived suburbs, and to return to a deficit of zero per cent of GDP by 2017. The tax plan proved controversial, with courts ruling it unconstitutional in 2012, only to then take the opposite position on a redrafted version in 2013. Hollande had also announced several reforms to education, pledging to recruit 60,000 new teachers, to create
605-693: A bachelor's degree in Law from Panthéon-Assas University . Hollande studied at HEC Paris , graduated in 1975, and then attended the Institut d'études politiques de Paris and the École nationale d'administration (ENA). He completed his military service in the French Army in 1977. He graduated from the ENA in 1980, and chose to enter the prestigious Cour des comptes . Hollande lived in the United States in
726-457: A book about her time with Hollande titled Merci pour ce moment ( Thank You for This Moment ) . The memoir claimed the president presented himself as disliking the rich, but in reality disliked the poor. The claim brought an angry reaction and rejection from Hollande, who said he had spent his life dedicated to the under-privileged. On 4 June 2022, Hollande married Gayet in Tulle, France. Hollande
847-514: A candidate in the primary election to select the PS presidential nominee; he won the nomination against Martine Aubry before he was elected to the presidency (becoming also, ex officio , Co-Prince of Andorra ) on 6 May 2012 in the second round with 51.6% of the vote, defeating incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy . During his tenure, Hollande legalized same-sex marriage by passing Bill no. 344 , reformed labour laws and credit training programmes, signed
968-666: A candidate in the upcoming primary election to select the Socialist and Radical Left Party presidential nominee. The primary marked the first time that both parties had held an open primary to select a joint nominee at the same time. He initially trailed the front-runner, former finance minister and International Monetary Fund managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn . Following Strauss-Kahn's arrest on suspicion of sexual assault in New York City in May 2011, Hollande began to lead
1089-423: A key part of his campaign. On 26 January, he outlined a full list of policies in a manifesto containing 60 propositions, including the separation of retail activities from riskier investment-banking businesses; raising taxes on big corporations, banks and the wealthy; creating 60,000 teaching jobs; bringing the official retirement age back down to 60 from 62; creating subsidised jobs in areas of high unemployment for
1210-651: A law restricting the cumul des mandats , and withdrew French forces in Afghanistan , in addition to concluding an EU directive on the protection of animals in laboratory research through a Franco-German contract . Hollande led the country through the January and November 2015 Paris attacks, as well as the 2016 Nice attack . He was a leading proponent of EU mandatory migrant quotas and NATO 's 2011 military intervention in Libya . He also sent troops to Mali and
1331-591: A majority of votes in the first round of voting, the two highest-scoring candidates arrive at a run-off. After a new president is elected, they go through a solemn investiture ceremony called a passation des pouvoirs ("handing over of powers"). In order to be admitted as an official candidate, potential candidates must receive signed nominations (known as parrainages , for "sponsors") from more than 500 elected local officials, mostly mayors. These officials must be from at least 30 départements or overseas collectivities, and no more than 10% of them should be from
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#17327834179041452-475: A member of the National Assembly in 1988 and was elected First Secretary of the PS in 1997. Following the 2004 regional elections won by the PS, Hollande was cited as a potential presidential candidate, but he resigned as First Secretary and was immediately elected to replace Jean-Pierre Dupont as President of the General Council of Corrèze in 2008. In 2011, Hollande announced that he would be
1573-645: A new low of 12%, according to a YouGov poll. Following the Charlie Hebdo shooting in January 2015, however, approval for Hollande increased dramatically, reaching 40% according to an IFOP poll two weeks after the attack, though an Ipsos-Le Point survey in early February showed his rating declining back to 30%. Hollande ultimately registered the least popularity for a president of the French Fifth Republic . In September 2014, his approval rating
1694-472: A presidential pardon is that the former clears all subsequent effects of the sentencing, as though the crime had not been committed, while pardon simply relieves the sentenced individual from part or all of the remainder of the sentence. Articles 67 and 68 organize the regime of criminal responsibility of the president. They were reformed by a 2007 constitutional act in order to clarify a situation that previously resulted in legal controversies. The president of
1815-481: A reduction of the corporate tax rate to 30% for medium corporations and 15% for small. Hollande's government has announced plans to construct 500,000 public homes per year, including 150,000 social houses , funded by a doubling of the ceiling of the Livret A , the region making available its local government land within five years. In accordance with long-standing Socialist Party policy, Hollande has announced that
1936-456: A referendum with advice and consent of the cabinet. Article 12 : The president of the republic may, after consulting the prime minister and the presidents of the assemblies, declare the National Assembly dissolved. A general election shall take place not less than twenty days and not more than forty days after the dissolution. The National Assembly shall convene as of right on the second Thursday following its election. Should it so convene outside
2057-419: A residence stipend of 3%, and a function stipend of 25% on top of the salary and residence indemnity. This gross salary and these indemnities are the same as those of the prime minister, and are 50% higher than the highest paid to other members of the government, which is itself defined as twice the average of the highest (pay grade G) and the lowest (pay grade A1) salaries in the "out of scale" pay grades. Using
2178-433: A second ballot against Martine Aubry , who had come in second with 30% of the vote. The second ballot took place on 16 October 2011. Hollande won with 56% of the vote to Aubry's 43% and thus became the official Socialist and Radical Left Party candidate for the 2012 presidential election . All his main opponents in the primary – Aubry, Ségolène Royal, Arnaud Montebourg , and Manuel Valls – pledged their support to him for
2299-513: A section of the French Army rebelled and openly backed the Algérie française movement to defeat separation. Charles de Gaulle , who had retired from politics a decade before, placed himself in the midst of the crisis, calling on the nation to suspend the government and create a new constitutional system. The parliament was unable to choose a government amid popular protest, and De Gaulle
2420-416: A security detail, a car with a chauffeur, first class train tickets and an office or housing space, as well as a two people who service the space. In addition, funds are available for seven permanent assistants. President Hollande announced a reform of the system in 2016. Former presidents of France will no longer receive a car with chauffeur and the personnel in their living space was cut as well. Additionally,
2541-611: A single office [...] and that it should be directly chosen" by the members of the European Parliament . On 11 January 2013, Hollande authorised the execution of Operation Serval , which aimed to curtail the activities of Islamist extremists in the north of Mali. The intervention was popularly supported in Mali, as Hollande promised that his government would do all it could to "rebuild Mali". During his one-day visit to Bamako , Mali's capital, on 2 February 2013, he said that it
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#17327834179042662-399: A study allowance and means-tested training, and to set up a mutually beneficial contract that would allow a generation of experienced employees and craftsmen to be the guardians and teachers of younger newly hired employees, thereby creating a total of 150,000 subsidized jobs. This was complemented by the promise of aid to SMEs , with the creation of a public bank investment-oriented SME's, and
2783-551: A way that evidently precludes the continuation of their term. Upon the death in office, removal, or resignation of the president, the Senate 's president takes over as acting president. Alain Poher is the only person to have served in this temporary position, and has done so twice: the first time in 1969 after Charles de Gaulle 's resignation and a second time in 1974 after Georges Pompidou 's death while in office. In this situation,
2904-579: Is Emmanuel Macron , who succeeded François Hollande on 14 May 2017 , and was inaugurated for a second term on 7 May 2022. The presidency of France was first publicly proposed during the July Revolution of 1830, when it was offered to the Marquis de Lafayette . He demurred in favour of Prince Louis Phillipe , who became King of the French. Eighteen years later, during the opening phases of
3025-665: Is critical of the domestic policies of his successor Emmanuel Macron, but also of his former left-wing political rival Jean-Luc Mélenchon , who led the left-wing union in the 2022 legislative elections. On 12 November 2023, he participated in the March for the Republic and Against Antisemitism in Paris in response to the rise in antisemitism since the start of the Israel–Hamas war . On 15 June 2024, Hollande announced his candidacy for
3146-652: Is not able to act, the Senate will normally name a new president of the Senate, who will act as President of the Republic. During the Third French Republic the president of the Council of Ministers acted as president whenever the office was vacant. According to article 7 of the Constitution, if the presidency becomes vacant for any reason, or if the president becomes incapacitated, upon the request of
3267-465: Is quite powerful. Although the Prime Minister of France , through their government as well as Parliament, oversees much of the nation's actual day-to-day domestic affairs, the French president wields significant influence and authority, especially in the fields of national security and foreign policy . The president's greatest power is the ability to choose the prime minister. However, since it
3388-694: Is speculated to be Dutch in origin. The earliest known member of the Hollande family lived c. 1569 near Plouvain , working as a miller . When Hollande was thirteen, the family moved to Neuilly-sur-Seine , a highly exclusive suburb of Paris. He attended Saint-Jean-Baptiste-de-la-Salle boarding school, a private Catholic school in Rouen, the Lycée Pasteur , in Neuilly-sur-Seine, receiving his baccalaureate in 1972 then graduated with
3509-525: Is the French National Assembly that has the sole power to dismiss the prime minister's government, the president is forced to name a prime minister who can command the support of a majority in the assembly. Since 2002, the legislative elections are held a few weeks after the presidential; a majority supporting the president's party or at the very least not opposing the president's choice is therefore very likely to be obtained. They have also
3630-694: The Gouvernement , the Constitutional Council may rule, by a majority vote, that the presidency is to be temporarily assumed by the president of the Senate. If the Council rules that the incapacity is permanent, the same procedure as for the resignation is applied, as described above. If the president cannot attend meetings, including meetings of the Council of Ministers, they can ask the prime minister to attend in their stead (Constitution, article 21). This clause has been applied by presidents travelling abroad, ill, or undergoing surgery. During
3751-591: The 1st constituency of Corrèze seat in the National Assembly for the third time, first from 1988 to 1993, then from 1997 until 2012 and was reelected in 2024. Born in Rouen and raised in Neuilly-sur-Seine , Hollande began his political career as a special advisor to newly elected President François Mitterrand before serving as a staffer for Max Gallo the government's spokesman. He became
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3872-530: The 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict , and told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , "France strongly condemns these aggressions [by Hamas]." In September 2015, Hollande warned former Eastern Bloc countries against rejecting the EU mandatory migrant quotas , saying: "Those who don't share our values, those who don't even want to respect those principles, need to start asking themselves questions about their place in
3993-529: The 2024 Summer Olympics to the city were successful. However, with domestic troubles – in particular due to Islamic terrorism – over the course of his tenure, and unemployment rising to 10%, he faced spikes and downturns in approval rates, ultimately making him the most unpopular head of state under the Fifth Republic . On 1 December 2016, he announced he would not seek reelection in the 2017 presidential election , for which polls suggested his defeat in
4114-669: The Central African Republic with the approval of the UN Security Council in order to stabilise those countries, two operations however largely seen as failures. He drew controversy among his left-wing electoral base for supporting the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen . Under Hollande’s presidency, Paris hosted the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference , and his efforts to bring
4235-601: The Chambre des Députés , his successor Jules Grévy promised in 1879 that he would not use his presidential power of dissolution, and therefore lost his control over the legislature, effectively creating a parliamentary system that would be maintained for 80 years until the accession of Charles de Gaulle as president in 1959. Indeed, when the Fourth Republic was created, after the Second World War, it
4356-529: The European Union (green) In Alsace-Moselle The Fifth Republic ( French : Cinquième République ) is France 's current republican system of government . It was established on 4 October 1958 by Charles de Gaulle under the Constitution of the Fifth Republic . The Fifth Republic emerged from the collapse of the Fourth Republic , replacing the former parliamentary republic with
4477-592: The French referendum on the European constitution caused friction within the party. Although Hollande was re-elected as first secretary at the Le Mans Congress in 2005, his authority over the party began to decline. Eventually his domestic partner, Ségolène Royal , was chosen to represent the party in the 2007 presidential election , where she would lose to Nicolas Sarkozy . Hollande was widely blamed for
4598-656: The International Criminal Court (France is a member of the ICC and the president is a French citizen as another following the Court's rules) or where impeachment is moved against them. Impeachment can be pronounced by the Republican High Court, a special court convened from both houses of Parliament on the proposal of either House, should the president have failed to discharge their duties in
4719-572: The National Assembly . Hollande lost his bid for re-election to the Assembly in the so-called "blue wave" of the 1993 election , described as such due to the number of seats gained by the Right at the expense of the Socialist Party. As the end of Mitterrand's term in office approached, the Socialist Party was torn by a struggle of internal factions, each seeking to influence the direction of
4840-568: The New Popular Front in the first constituency of Corrèze for the 2024 French legislative election . Hollande's decision to contest the election was considered surprising, including among fellow PS members. He qualified, in first place, for a three-way second round against candidates from the National Rally and The Republicans , and was elected with 43 percent of the vote in the runoff. For twenty nine years, his partner
4961-637: The Second French Republic , there was a vice president . The only person to ever hold the position was Henri Georges Boulay de la Meurthe . Four French presidents have died in office: The president of the Republic is paid a salary according to a pay grade defined in comparison to the pay grades of the most senior members of the French Civil Service ("out of scale", hors échelle , those whose pay grades are known as letters and not as numeric indices). In addition they are paid
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5082-539: The Second Republic , the title was created for a popularly elected head of state, the first of whom was Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte , nephew of Emperor Napoleon . Bonaparte served as president until he staged an auto coup against the republic, proclaiming himself Napoleon III, Emperor of the French . Under the Third Republic the president was at first quite powerful, mainly because the royalist party
5203-548: The retirement age will revert to 60, for those who have contributed for more than 41 years. Hollande has also announced his personal support for same-sex marriage and adoption for LGBT couples , and outlined plans to pursue the issue in early 2013. In July 2012, Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault announced that "In the first half of 2013, the right to marriage and adoption will be open to all couples, without discrimination", confirming this election promise by Hollande. The bill to legalize same-sex marriage, known as Bill no. 344,
5324-487: The 1970s regarding constitutional checks and balances . Traditionally, France operated according to parliamentary supremacy : no authority was empowered to rule on whether statutes passed by Parliament respected the constitutional rights of the citizens. In 1971, however, the Constitutional Council , arguing that the preamble of the constitution referenced the rights defined in the 1789 Declaration of
5445-661: The 2003 party congress in Dijon , he obtained the support of many notable personalities of the party and was re-elected first secretary against opposition from left-wing factions. After the triumph of the Left in the 2004 regional elections , Hollande was cited as a potential presidential candidate, but the Socialists were divided on the European Constitution , and Hollande's support for the ill-fated "Yes" position in
5566-481: The 2008 "out of scale" pay grades, it amounts to a monthly pay of 20,963 euros, which fits the 19,000 euros quoted to the press in early 2008. Using the pay grades starting from 1 July 2009, this amounts to a gross monthly pay of €21,131. The salary and the residence stipend are taxable for income tax . The official residence and office of the president is the Élysée Palace in Paris. Other presidential residences include: According to French law, former presidents of
5687-569: The Act. Reconsideration shall not be refused. While the President has to sign all acts adopted by parliament into law, he cannot refuse to do so and exercise a kind of right of veto; his only power in that matter is to ask for a single reconsideration of the law by parliament and this power is subject to countersigning by the Prime minister. Article 11: The president could submit laws to the people in
5808-637: The European Union". Hollande supported the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen , re-supplying the Saudi military. France authorised $ 18 billion (€16 billion) in arms sales to Saudi Arabia in 2015. In 2014, French bank BNP Paribas agreed to pay an $ 8.9 billion fine, the largest ever for violating U.S. sanctions against Iran at that time. In October 2016, Hollande said: "When the (European) Commission goes after Google or digital giants which do not pay
5929-648: The French Republic (French: Président de la République française ), is the executive head of state of France , and the commander-in-chief of the French Armed Forces . As the presidency is the supreme magistracy of the country, the position is the highest office in France. The powers, functions and duties of prior presidential offices, in addition to their relation with the prime minister and government of France , have over time differed with
6050-540: The French Union with the French Community , which allowed fourteen member territories (excluding Algeria) to assert their independence. 1960 became known as the " Year of Africa " because of this wave of newly independent states. Algeria became independent on 5 July 1962. The president was initially elected by an electoral college but in 1962 de Gaulle proposed that the president be directly elected by
6171-479: The French weekly Télé 7 Jours . She remained a reporter for the magazine Paris Match , but ceased work on political stories. Trierweiler moved into the Élysée Palace with Hollande when he became president and started to accompany him on official travel. On 25 January 2014, Hollande officially announced his separation from Valérie Trierweiler after the tabloid magazine Closer revealed his affair with actress Julie Gayet . In September 2014, Trierweiler published
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#17327834179046292-476: The Government and terminate their appointments. Article 9 : The president of the republic shall preside over the Council of Ministers. Article 10: The president of the republic shall promulgate acts of parliament within fifteen days following the final adoption of an act and its transmission to the Government. He may, before the expiry of this time limit, ask Parliament to reconsider the act or sections of
6413-485: The National Assembly. That same year, Jospin became the Prime Minister of France , and Hollande won the election for his successor as First Secretary of the party, a position he would hold for eleven years. Because of the very strong position of the Socialist Party within the French government during this period, Hollande's position led some to refer to him the "Vice Prime Minister". Hollande would go on to be elected mayor of Tulle in 2001, an office he would hold for
6534-453: The Republic enjoys immunity during their term: they cannot be requested to testify before any jurisdiction, they cannot be prosecuted, etc. However, the statute of limitation is suspended during their term, and enquiries and prosecutions can be restarted, at the latest one month after they leave office. The president is not deemed personally responsible for their actions in their official capacity, except where their actions are indicted before
6655-559: The Republic have guaranteed lifetime pension defined according to the pay grade of the Councillors of State , a courtesy diplomatic passport, and, according to the French Constitution (Article 56), membership of the Constitutional Council. They also get personnel, an apartment and/or office, and other amenities, though the legal basis for these is disputed. The current system for providing personnel and other amenities to
6776-609: The Rights of Man and of the Citizen and the preamble of the 1946 constitution, concluded that statutes must respect these rights and so declared partially unconstitutional a statute because it violated freedom of association . Only the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, or the president of either house of Parliament could ask for a constitutional review before a statute was signed into law—which greatly reduces
6897-420: The Socialist proposals and claiming that Hollande would bring about "economic disaster within two days of taking office". Opinion polls showed a tight race between the two men in the first round of voting, with most polls showing Hollande comfortably ahead of Sarkozy in a hypothetical second round. The first round of the presidential election was held on 22 April. François Hollande came in first place with 28.63% of
7018-457: The Third Republic as the second-longest French regime and the longest-lasting French republic on 8 August 2028. The Fourth Republic had suffered from a lack of political consensus, a weak executive, and governments forming and falling in quick succession since 1946. With no party or coalition able to sustain a parliamentary majority, prime ministers found themselves unable to risk their political position with unpopular reforms. The trigger for
7139-466: The appropriate ministers. Before the 2008 constitutional reform forbidding them, there was a tradition of so-called "presidential amnesties", which are something of a misnomer: after the election of a president, and of a National Assembly of the same party, parliament would traditionally vote a law granting amnesty for some petty crimes (it was also a way of reducing jail overpopulation). This practice had been increasingly criticized, particularly because it
7260-400: The candidate receives less than 5% of the vote, the government funds €8,000,000 to the party (€4,000,000 paid in advance). Advertising on TV is forbidden, but official time is given to candidates on public TV. An independent agency regulates election and party financing. The French Fifth Republic is a semi-presidential system . Unlike most other European heads of state, the French president
7381-440: The citizens and held a referendum on the change. Although the method and intent of de Gaulle in that referendum were contested by most political groups except for the Gaullists , the change was approved by the French electorate. The Constitutional Council declined to rule on the constitutionality of the referendum. The president is now elected every five years, changed from seven by a constitutional referendum in 2000 , to reduce
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#17327834179047502-412: The collapse of the French Fourth Republic was the Algiers crisis of 1958 . France was still a colonial power, although conflict and revolt had begun the process of decolonization . French West Africa , French Indochina , and French Algeria still sent representatives to the French parliament under systems of limited suffrage in the French Union . Algeria in particular, despite being the colony with
7623-402: The continuity of the State. He shall be the guarantor of national independence, territorial integrity and observance of treaties. Article 8 : The president of the republic shall appoint the prime minister. He shall terminate the appointment of the prime minister when the latter tenders the resignation of the Government. On the proposal of the prime minister, he shall appoint the other members of
7744-432: The creation of a Franco-German research office, the creation of a Franco-German industrial fund to finance common competitiveness clusters, and the establishment of a common military headquarters". As well as this, Hollande has expressed a wish to "combine the positions of the presidents of the European Commission and of the European Council (currently held by José Manuel Barroso and Herman Van Rompuy respectively) into
7865-402: The duty of arbitrating the functioning of governmental authorities for efficient service, as the head of state of France. Since 2002, the mandate of the president and the Assembly are both five years, and the two elections are close to each other. Therefore, the likelihood of a cohabitation is lower. Among the powers of the president: All decisions of the president must be countersigned by
7986-505: The end of the Second World War, alongside Nicolas Sarkozy, following the latter's invitation. On 10 May 2012, the Constitutional Council announced the official results of the presidential election; and on 15 May 2012, the transfer of power took place. While refusing to sit on the Constitutional Council , of which he is an ex-officio member, François Hollande continues to comment publicly on French and international political life through several books and university lectures. In his books, he
8107-402: The first and second rounds of a presidential election; this means that the president of the Senate can only act as President of the Republic for a maximum period of fifty days. During this interim period, acting presidents are not allowed to dismiss the national assembly, nor are they allowed to call for a referendum or initiate any constitutional changes. If there is no president of the Senate,
8228-448: The first round. Hollande was born on 12 August 1954 in Rouen . His mother, Nicole Frédérique Marguerite Tribert (1927–2009), was a social worker , and his father, Georges Gustave Hollande (1922–2020), was a retired ear, nose, and throat doctor, who "ran for local election on a far right ticket in 1959". The name "Hollande" meant "one originally from Holland " – it is mostly found in Hollande's ancestral land, Hauts-de-France , and it
8349-406: The former French presidents was devised in 1981 by Michel Charasse , then advisor to President François Mitterrand , in order to care for former president Valéry Giscard d'Estaing and the widow of former President Georges Pompidou . In 2008, according to an answer by the services of the prime minister to a question from René Dosière , a member of the National Assembly, the facilities comprised:
8470-434: The general election. Hollande's presidential campaign was managed by Pierre Moscovici and Stéphane Le Foll , a member of Parliament and Member of the European Parliament respectively. Hollande launched his campaign officially with a rally and major speech at Le Bourget on 22 January 2012 in front of 25,000 people. The main themes of his speech were equality and the regulation of finance, both of which he promised to make
8591-416: The largest French population, saw rising pressure for separation from Metropolitan France . The situation was complicated by those in Algeria, such as European settlers , native Jews , and Harkis (native Muslims who were loyal to France), who wanted to maintain the union with France. The Algerian War was not just a separatist movement but had elements of a civil war . Further complications came when
8712-686: The likelihood of such a review if all these officeholders happened to be from the same side of politics, which was the case at the time. Then in 1974, a constitutional amendment widened this prerogative to 60 members of the National Assembly or 60 members of the senate . From that date, the opposition has been able to have controversial new statutes examined for constitutionality. Socialist ( PS ) Centrist ( CD ) Centrist ( REM ) Republican ( UDF ) Gaullist ( UDR ; RPR ) Neo-Gaullist ( UMP ) Source: "Les présidents de la République depuis 1848" [Presidents of
8833-414: The main measures of the bill allowed companies to temporarily cut workers' salaries or hours during times of economic difficulty. This measure took its inspiration from Germany, where furloughs have been credited with allowing companies to weather difficult times without resorting to massive layoffs. Layoffs in France are often challenged in courts and the cases can take years to resolve. Many companies cite
8954-480: The mandatory retirement age, as many economists had advised, Hollande pursued increases in contributions, leaving the retirement age untouched. The reform had a rough ride in parliament, being rejected twice by the Senate, where Hollande's Socialist Party has a slim majority, before it won sufficient backing in a final vote before the lower house of parliament. French private sector workers saw the size and duration of their pension contributions increase only modestly under
9075-434: The nation of these measures in a message. The measures must stem from the desire to provide the constitutional public authorities, in the shortest possible time, with the means to carry out their duties. The Constitutional Council shall be consulted with regard to such measures. Parliament shall convene as of right. The National Assembly shall not be dissolved during the exercise of the emergency powers. Article 16 , allowing
9196-437: The nation, the integrity of its territory or the fulfilment of its international commitments are under serious and immediate threat, and where the proper functioning of the constitutional public authorities is interrupted, the president of the republic shall take the measures required by these circumstances, after formally consulting the prime minister, the presidents of the assemblies and the Constitutional Council. He shall inform
9317-415: The new president was proclaimed. On 21 December 1958, Charles de Gaulle was elected president of France by an electoral college . The provisional constitutional commission, acting in lieu of the constitutional council , proclaimed the results of the election on 9 January 1959. The new president began his office on that date, appointing Michel Debré as prime minister. The 1958 constitution also replaced
9438-429: The next seven years. The immediate resignation of Jospin from politics following his shock defeat by far-right candidate Jean-Marie Le Pen in the first round of the 2002 presidential election forced Hollande to become the public face of the party for the 2002 legislative election . Although he managed to limit defeats and was re-elected in his own constituency , the Socialists lost nationally. In order to prepare for
9559-495: The number of assistants available for their use has been reduced, but a state flat or house remains available for former officeholders. Train tickets are also available if the trip is justified by the office of the former officeholder as part of official business. The security personnel around former presidents of France remained unchanged. French Fifth Republic – in Europe (green & dark grey) – in
9680-520: The occasion for any debate. He can also give an address in front of the Congress of France in Versailles. Outside sessions, Parliament shall be convened especially for this purpose. Article 19 : Acts of the president of the republic, other than those provided for under articles 8 (first paragraph), 11, 12, 16, 18, 54, 56 and 61, shall be countersigned by the prime minister and, where required, by
9801-414: The only presidents to date who have served a full two terms (14 years for the former, 12 years for the latter). Incumbent Emmanuel Macron is the fourth president (after de Gaulle, Mitterrand, and Chirac) to win re-election, having done so in 2022 . French presidential elections are conducted using run-off voting , which ensures that the elected president always obtains a majority: if no candidate receives
9922-407: The opinion polls, and his position as front-runner was established just as Strauss-Kahn declared that he would no longer seek the nomination. After a series of televised debates with other candidates throughout September, Hollande topped the ballot in the first round held on 9 October with 39% of the vote. He did not, however, gain the 50% required to avoid a run-off election , and was obliged to enter
10043-552: The party. Hollande pleaded for reconciliation and for the party to unite behind Jacques Delors , the President of the European Commission , but Delors renounced his ambitions to run for the French presidency in 1995 . Former party leader Lionel Jospin resumed his position, and selected Hollande to become the official party spokesman. Hollande went on to contest Corrèze once again in 1997 , successfully returning to
10164-500: The pension system in France. The process proved to be very contentious, with members of Parliament, Labor Unions, and general public all opposed. Mass protests and demonstrations occurred throughout Paris. Despite the opposition, the French Parliament did pass a reform in December 2013 aimed at plugging a pension deficit expected to reach 20.7 billion euros ($ 28.4 billion) by 2020 if nothing were to be done. Rather than raising
10285-485: The period prescribed for the ordinary session, a session shall be called by right for a fifteen-day period. No further dissolution shall take place within a year following this election. Article 13: The president of the republic shall sign the ordinances and decrees deliberated upon in the Council of Ministers. He shall make appointments to the civil and military posts of the State. [...] Article 14 : The president of
10406-569: The poor performances of the Socialist Party in the 2007 elections , and he announced that he would not seek another term as First Secretary. Hollande publicly declared his support for Bertrand Delanoë , the mayor of Paris , but it was Martine Aubry who would go on to win the race to succeed him in 2008. Hollande was next elected to replace Jean-Pierre Dupont as the president of the General Council of Corrèze in April 2008, and won re-election in 2011. Hollande announced in early 2011 that he would be
10527-461: The powers of the president of the republic are exercised by the Gouvernement , meaning the Cabinet. This has been interpreted by some constitutional academics as meaning first the prime minister and, if they are themselves not able to act, the members of the cabinet in the order of the list of the decree that nominated them. This is in fact unlikely to happen, because if the president of the Senate
10648-534: The president a limited form of rule by decree for a limited period of time in exceptional circumstance, has been used only once, by Charles de Gaulle during the Algerian War , from 23 April to 29 September 1961. Article 17 : The president of the republic has the right to grant pardon. Article 18 : The president of the republic shall communicate with the two assemblies of Parliament by means of messages, which he shall cause to be read and which shall not be
10769-473: The president always has a majority. Cohabitation is still possible if the president dissolves parliament in the middle of a presidential term. The Fifth Republic is France's third-longest-lasting political regime, after the hereditary , feudal monarchy of the Ancien Régime and the parliamentary Third Republic ( 4 September 1870 – 10 July 1940 ). It is expected that the Fifth Republic will overtake
10890-404: The president has the right to dissolve the national assembly and hold new parliamentary elections. If the president has a majority in the national assembly, the president sets domestic policy and the prime minister puts it into practice. During a presidential mandate, the president can also change prime ministers and reshuffle the government. If there is a different majority in the national assembly,
11011-490: The president is forced to nominate a prime minister from a different party, which is called a cohabitation . In the beginning of the Fifth Republic, presidential elections were held every seventh year and parliamentary elections every fifth year, which meant the president and the majority elected in the national assembly could be from different parties. Starting in the year 2000, the presidential and parliamentary elections were synchronized and are held every fifth year, which means
11132-414: The president of the Senate becomes Acting President of the Republic; they do not become the new president of the Republic as elected and therefore do not have to resign from their position as President of the Senate. The first round of a new presidential election must be organized no sooner than twenty days and no later than thirty-five days following the vacancy of the presidency. Fifteen days can separate
11253-427: The presidential term from seven years ( Septennat ) to five years (Quinquennat). A maximum of two consecutive terms was imposed after a 2008 constitutional reform . Since the 1962 presidential referendum , the president has been directly elected by universal suffrage ; previously, an electoral college decided the head of state. The length of the presidential term was reduced from seven years to five years following
11374-535: The prime minister, except dissolving the National Assembly, choice of prime minister, and other dispositions referred to in Article 19. The constitutional attributions of the president are defined in Title II of the Constitution of France . Article 5 : The president of the republic shall see that the Constitution is observed. He shall ensure, by his arbitration, the proper functioning of the public authorities and
11495-433: The probability of cohabitation due to former differences in the length of terms for the National Assembly and presidency. The president is elected in one or two rounds of voting : if one candidate gets a majority of votes in the first round that person is president-elect; if no one gets a majority in the first round, the two candidates with the greatest number of votes go to a second round. Two major changes occurred in
11616-466: The referendum of 28 September 1958 . The new constitution was signed into law on 4 October 1958. Since each new constitution established a new republic, France moved from the Fourth to the Fifth Republic. The new constitution contained transitional clauses (articles 90–92) extending the period of rule by decree until the new institutions were operating. René Coty remained president of the Republic until
11737-424: The reform while their retirement benefits were largely untouched. As President, Hollande promised an early withdrawal of French combat troops present in Afghanistan in 2012. He also pledged to conclude a new contract of Franco-German partnership , advocating the adoption of a Directive on the protection of public services. Hollande has proposed "an acceleration of the establishment of a Franco-German civic service,
11858-406: The republic shall accredit ambassadors and envoys extraordinary to foreign powers; foreign ambassadors and envoys extraordinary shall be accredited to him. Article 15 : The president of the republic shall be commander-in-chief of the armed forces. He shall preside over the higher national defence councils and committees. Article 16 : Where the institutions of the republic, the independence of
11979-587: The right to take a leave of absence to work at another company. The law will also require all companies to offer and partially pay for supplemental health insurance. Lastly, the law also reforms unemployment insurance, so that someone out of work doesn't risk foregoing significant benefits when taking a job that might pay less than previous work or end up only being temporary. Under the new law, workers will be able to essentially put benefits on hold when they take temporary work, instead of seeing their benefits recalculated each time. As President, Hollande pursued reform to
12100-408: The same département or collectivity. Furthermore, each official may nominate only one candidate. There are exactly 45,543 elected officials, including 33,872 mayors. Spending and financing of campaigns and political parties are highly regulated. There is a cap on spending (at approximately €20 million) and government public financing of 50% of spending if the candidate scores more than 5%. If
12221-655: The separation of lending and investment in banks, reducing the share of electricity generated by nuclear power in France from 75 to 50% in favour of renewable energy sources, merging income tax and the General Social Contribution (CSG) , creating an additional 45% for additional income of 150,000 euros, capping tax loopholes at a maximum of €10,000 per year, and questioning the relief solidarity tax on wealth (ISF, Impôt de Solidarité sur la Fortune ) measure that should bring €29 billion in additional revenue. Hollande also signalled his intent to implement
12342-638: The summer of 1974 while he was a university student. Immediately after graduation, he was employed as a councillor in the Court of Audit . Five years after volunteering as a student to work for François Mitterrand 's ultimately unsuccessful campaign in the 1974 presidential election , Hollande joined the Socialist Party . He was quickly spotted by Jacques Attali , a senior adviser to Mitterrand, who arranged for Hollande to run in legislative election of 1981 in Corrèze against future President Jacques Chirac , who
12463-516: The taxes they should in Europe, America takes offence. And yet, they quite shamelessly demand 8 billion from BNP or 5 billion from Deutsche Bank." An IFOP poll released in April 2014 showed that Hollande's approval rating had dropped five points since the previous month of March to 18%, dipping below his earlier low of 20% in February during the same year. In November 2014, his approval rating reached
12584-492: The threat of lengthy court action – even more than any financial cost – as the most difficult part of doing business in France. The law shortens the time that employees have to contest a layoff and also lays out a scheme for severance pay. The government hopes this will help employees and companies reach agreement faster in contentious layoffs. Another key measure introduced was credits for training that follow employees throughout their career, regardless of where they work, and
12705-544: The two joint heads of state of the Principality of Andorra . Hollande hosted a visit from Antoni Martí , head of the government , and Vicenç Mateu Zamora , leader of the parliament . He also appointed Benoît Puga to be the military's chief of staff, Pierre-René Lemas as his general secretary and Pierre Besnard as his Head of Cabinet. Hollande's full Council of Ministers became the first ever in France to show gender parity, with 17 men and 17 women, and each member
12826-630: The various constitutional documents since the Second Republic . The president of the French Republic is the ex officio co-prince of Andorra , grand master of the Legion of Honour and of the National Order of Merit . The officeholder is also honorary proto-canon of the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran in Rome, although some have rejected the title in the past. The current president
12947-400: The vote, and faced Nicolas Sarkozy in a run-off. In the second round of voting on 6 May 2012, Hollande was elected with 51.6% of the vote. Hollande was inaugurated on 15 May 2012, and shortly afterwards appointed Jean-Marc Ayrault to be his Prime Minister . He was the first Socialist Party president since François Mitterrand left office in 1995. The President of the French Republic is one of
13068-489: The young; promoting more industry in France by creating a public investment bank; granting marriage and adoption rights to same-sex couples; and pulling French troops out of Afghanistan in 2012. On 9 February, he detailed his policies specifically relating to education in a major speech in Orléans . Incumbent President Nicolas Sarkozy announced on 15 February that he would run for a second and final term, strongly criticising
13189-605: Was "the most important day in [his] political life". In 2014, Hollande took some of these troops out of Mali and spread them over the rest of the Sahel under Operation Barkhane , in an effort to curb jihadist militants. On 27 February 2014, Hollande was a special guest of honor in Abuja, received by Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan in celebration of Nigeria's amalgamation in 1914, a 100-year anniversary. In July 2014, Hollande expressed support for Israel 's right to defend itself during
13310-415: Was a parliamentary system, in which the office of President of the Republic was a largely ceremonial one. The Constitution of the Fifth Republic , adopted in 1958, greatly increased the president's powers. A 1962 referendum changed the constitution, so that the president would be directly elected by universal suffrage and not by the electoral college established in 1958. In 2000, a referendum shortened
13431-413: Was appointed head of the government ; on 3 June 1958, a constitutional law empowered the new government to draft a new constitution of France , and another law granted Charles de Gaulle and his cabinet the power to rule by decree for up to six months, except on certain matters related to the basic rights of citizens (criminal law, etc. ). These plans were approved by more than 80% of those who voted in
13552-408: Was believed to inspire people to commit traffic offences in the months preceding the election. Such an amnesty law would also authorize the president to designate individuals who have committed certain categories of crimes to be offered amnesty, if certain conditions are met. Such individual measures have been criticized for the political patronage that they allow. The difference between an amnesty and
13673-508: Was carried to power when the last parliament of the Fourth Republic voted for its own dissolution and the convening of a constitutional convention. De Gaulle and his supporters proposed a system of strong presidents elected for seven-year terms. The president, under the proposed constitution, would have executive powers to run the country in consultation with a prime minister whom he would appoint. On 1 June 1958, Charles de Gaulle
13794-418: Was down to 13% according to an IFOP/JDD survey. One year before the end of his mandate, in April 2016, his approval rating was placed at 14%, and surveys predicted that if he were to run for a second term, he would be defeated in the first round of the 2017 presidential elections . In November 2016, a poll found Hollande's approval rating to be just 4%. On 8 May 2012, Hollande took part in the commemorations of
13915-582: Was fellow Socialist politician Ségolène Royal , with whom he has four children: Thomas (1982), Clémence (1984), Julien (1987) and Flora (1992). In June 2007, just a month after Royal's defeat in the French presidential election of 2007 , the couple announced that they were separating. A few months after his split from Ségolène Royal was announced, a French website published details of a relationship between Hollande and French journalist Valérie Trierweiler . In November 2007, Trierweiler confirmed and openly discussed her relationship with Hollande in an interview with
14036-440: Was introduced to the National Assembly of France on 7 November 2012. On 12 February 2013, the National Assembly approved the bill in a 329–229 vote. The Right-wing opposed the bill. The Senate approved the full bill with a 171–165 majority on 12 April with minor amendments. On 23 April, the National Assembly approved the amended bill, in a 331–225 vote, and following approval of the law by the Constitutional Council of France , it
14157-462: Was raised Catholic , but became an agnostic later in life. He now considers himself to be an atheist , but still professes respect for all religious practices. [REDACTED] Manila : Freedom of the City of Manila (26 February 2015). Hollande has had a number of books and academic works published, including: President of France The president of France , officially the president of
14278-420: Was required to sign a new "code of ethics" that placed significant restrictions on their conduct and compensation, above that of existing law. The first measure enacted by the new government was to lower the salaries of the President, the Prime Minister, and other members of the government by 30%. Hollande's economic policies are wide-ranging, including supporting the creation of a European credit rating agency ,
14399-473: Was signed into law by President Hollande on 18 May 2013, with the first same-sex weddings under the law taking place eleven days later. As President, Hollande pursued labour reform to make France more competitive internationally. Legislation for this, introduced in late 2012, after much debate passed the French lower and upper house in May 2013. The bill included measures such as making it easier for workers to change jobs and for companies to fire employees. One of
14520-404: Was strong when the constitutional laws of 1875 were established, and it was hoped that a member of one of the two branches of the royal family would be able to serve as president and turn France into a constitutional monarchy. However, the next legislature was dominated by Republicans, and after President Patrice de MacMahon had unsuccessfully tried to obtain a new royalist majority by dissolving
14641-464: Was then the leader of the Rally for the Republic , a Neo-Gaullist party. Hollande lost to Chirac in the first round. He went on to become a special advisor to newly elected President Mitterrand, before serving as a staffer for Max Gallo , the government's spokesman. After becoming a municipal councillor for Ussel in 1983, he contested Corrèze for a second time in 1988 , this time being elected to
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