|
Nabarralde | About Nabarra
Elections
in Navarre's Territories in France
Presidential Elections
The President of the Republic
is elected by direct universal suffrage for a term of seven years. The
two rounds of presidential elections take place at a two week interval.
Parliamentary Elections
Members of the National Assembly
are elected by universal suffrage for a 5 year term. Elections are organised
over two Sundays. Senators are elected by indirect suffrage for 9 years;
Senate elections are held every 3 years to renew one third of senators
European Elections
Elections for France's 87
seats in the European Parliament in Strasbourg are held every five years,
by universal suffrage.
Local Elections Regional
Elections
Regional Councillors are
elected for six years by direct suffrage; a single-ballot proportional
election system is used.
Cantonal Elections
General Councillors are elected
by direct suffrage for a term of six years in two ballots by absolute
majority (single member), with one Councillor for each canton (a canton
being a grouping of municipalities). Elections were held every three
years to renew half of the General Council until the elections held
in March 1994. This was the last election using the old system.
All Councillors are now
be elected at the same time in accordance with the bill passed in December
1990.
Municipal Elections
Municipal Councillors are
elected for a term of six years, by direct suffrage. Two different electoral
systems apply:
• municipalities of less
than 3,500 inhabitants; a two-ballot majority system.
• municipalities of over
3,500 inhabitants: two-ballot list-poll proportional majority system.
Referendums
Article 3 of the Constitution
states that "National sovereignty belongs to the people; they exercise
it through their elected representatives or through a referendum". Article
11 of the Constitution states that a referendum may be called by the
President of the Republic on government proposal or on a joint parliamentary
motion, published in the Journal Officiel, to vote on a bill dealing
with government powers, entailing the approval of a community agreement
or providing for the ratification of a treaty which, although not unconstitutional,
would affect the functioning of institutions. The last referendum to
be held in France was on September 20, 1992, to obtain community support
for the Maastricht Treaty. Several referendums have been organised under
the Fifth Republic, which itself was created by referendum on September
28, 1958.
8 January 1961 - Self-determination
of Algeria (Yes: 74.99%).
8 April 1962 - Evian agreement
(Yes: 90.8%). 28 October 1962 - Election of the President of the Republic
by Universal Suffrage (Yes:62.25%).
27 April 1969 - General de
Gaulle proposes new legislation on the administrative division of France
and on Senate reforms (No: 52.41%).
3 April 1972 - Expansion
of the European Community (Yes: 67.7%).
6 November 1988 - The Matignon
Accords on New Caledonia (Yes:79.99%)
20 September 1992 - Maastricht
Treaty on European Union (Yes: 51.05%) (percentages are of valid
votes).
|
