Extract
[...] The President of the Republic constitutes a pivot of the regimeA). In parallel, the role of the Prime Minister and the government revolves around this presidential primacy, oscillating between direction and collaboration according to political configurations and parliamentary majoritiesB). A. The President of the Republic, pivot of the regime At the heart of the Fifth Republic, the figure of the President emerges with a reinforced stature, designed to embody the continuity and authority of the State. This consolidation has materialized through bold constitutional reforms, notably the election of the President by universal direct suffrage, thereby strengthening his legitimacy and independence vis-à-vis the Parliament. [...]
[...] The French Fifth Republic, established in 1958, marked a decisive turning point in the organization of public powers. It aimed essentially to establish a strong executive, capable of ensuring the stability and authority of the State. In any case, thea notion of 'Executive» refers to 'the ensemble of organs that in presidential or parliamentary regimes exercise, in various forms, 'the executive power' as expressed by Montesquieu. Depending on the case, it may be a monistic executive, embodied in a single organ (model of the presidential executive) or dualistic, divided between two organs, a head of state and a Government (model of the parliamentary executive) »1. [...]
[...] The evolution of the political and social context has led to significant mutations of the executive. Constitutional and institutional reforms have sought to adapt the functioning of the executive to the contemporary requirements of representativeness and democratic efficiency. At the same time, current challenges such as the crisis of confidence in institutions or the issues of modernization question the executive's ability to respond to citizen expectations in a constantly evolving world. Therefore, one can legitimately wonder, in what way the executive under the Fifth Republic constitutes a consolidated power, but subject to the test of modern times? [...]
[...] Cohabitations have also served to remind that the French political system can sometimes adapt and function even in complex political configurations. This latter development puts into perspective the inherent challenges of exercising power in the French political regime. II. The executive under the Fifth Republic The Republic Tested by Time: Between Reforms and Democratic Challenges The dynamic of the executive under the Fifth Republic is marked by constitutional reformsA), but also by certain challenges that need to be addressedB). A. [...]
[...] The question of democratic legitimacy, once considered acquired, is now at the center of a demanding public debate requiring more engagement and responsibility. TheThe legitimacy of the President of the Republic is scrutinized with renewed attention. The criticisms focus on the mode of election, perceived by some as not faithfully reflecting the popular will, and on the exercise of power, often judged as too distant from the daily concerns of the French people. In parallel, the challenges posed by globalization, as well as economic, social, and ecological crises, require the executive to have renewed adaptability and strategic vision. [...]
