F2F Class Notes April 25th (Ben)

She won the first round and now she is at the run-off.

The people elect a President, who chooses a Prime Minister. Then the Prime Minister will choose all the ministers (secretaries) of the government.

checks and balances 制约与平衡

The National Assembly 国民大会 (lower house) has 577 deputies, with a term of 5 years. They are elected by the people and they are the ones who vote new laws. They are elected during the legislative elections

The Senate 参议院 (upper house) has 348 senators, elected for 6 years.

The President can dissolve the National Assembly and organize new elections, hoping that there will be more deputies on his side. But this is always a crap shoot! Sometimes it can be counter-productive. President Chirac tried this in 1997 and shot himself in the foot. This was the first time since 1877 that a President of France lost a legislative election which he had called.