Elections in France
Referenda may also be called to consult the French citizenry directly on a particular question, especially one which concerns amendment to the Constitution.
There also are public elections for some non-political positions, such as those for the judges of courts administering labour law (conseils de prud'hommes), elected by workers and employers, or those for judges administering cases of rural land leases.
French politics has ordinarily displayed some tendencies characterizing a two-party system in which power alternates between relatively stable coalitions, each being led by a major party: on the left, the Socialist Party, on the right, Les Républicains and its predecessors.
Elections are conducted according to rules set down in the Constitution of France, organic laws (lois organiques), and the electoral code.
elections in French overseas territories in the Americas, as well as embassies and consulates there, are held on Saturdays as a special exemption.
Voting by proxy is possible when the citizen cannot easily attend the polling station (reasons include: health problems, the citizen does not live in the voting constituency, away for work or vacations, jailed but has not yet been sentenced and deprived of civic rights etc.)
In the case of handicapped or severely ill people, an officer of judicial police or delegate thereof can be sent to the home of the citizen to witness the designation.
Of the 577 constituencies, 539 are in metropolitan France, 27 are in overseas departments and territories and 11 are for French citizens living abroad.
The voter then enters a curtained booth (isoloir), where they are hidden from sight, and inserts the ballot paper of their candidate into the envelope.
They walk to the ballot box, where the president of the voting office or their deputy formally checks their identity.
[10] After the officials have acknowledged their right to vote, the ballot box is opened and the voter inserts the envelope.
This is purely ceremonial and has a double meaning: the voter's voix (voice) will be taken into account and they have accomplished their civic duty.
French senators are renewed by halves every six years through an indirect electoral college composed of elected officials and general, regional, and some local councillors.
The Constitution of France defines in Article 3 that "National sovereignty shall vest in the people, who shall exercise it through their representatives and by means of referendum.
Ratification of treaties of accession of states to the EU must go through the same procedure as amendment of Constitution of France.
