France - Government
Based on the etymolgy of France, it was name derives from the Latin "Francia" meaning "Land of the Franks"; the Franks were a group of Germanic tribes located along the middle and lower Rhine River in the 3rd century A.D. who merged with Gallic-Roman populations in succeeding centuries and to whom they passed on their name. The Government system in this country is the semi-presidential republic type and the different Administrative divisions includes: 18 regions (regions, singular - region); Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, Bourgogne-Franche-Comte (Burgundy-Free County), Bretagne (Brittany), Centre-Val de Loire (Center-Loire Valley), Corse (Corsica), Grand Est (Grand East), Guadeloupe, Guyane (French Guiana), Hauts-de-France (Upper France), Ile-de-France, Martinique, Mayotte, Normandie (Normandy), Nouvelle-Aquitaine (New Aquitaine), Occitanie (Occitania), Pays de la Loire (Lands of the Loire), Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Reunion
National symbols

Gallic rooster, fleur-de-lis, Marianne (female personification of the country); national colors: blue, white, red.

The flag
The National flag of France has three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red; known as the "Le drapeau tricolore" (French Tricolor), the origin of the flag dates to 1790 and the French Revolution when the "ancient French color" of white was combined with the blue and red colors of the Parisian militia; the official flag for all French dependent areas.
The National Anthem
Title "La Marseillaise" (The Song of Marseille)
Lyric/music Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle
More about the government of France
Date of Independence no official date of independence: 486 (Frankish tribes unified under Merovingian kingship); 10 August 843 (Western Francia established from the division of the Carolingian Empire); 14 July 1789 (French monarchy overthrown); 22 September 1792 (First French Republic founded); 4 October 1958 (Fifth French Republic established)
National holiday Fête de la Fédération, 14 July (1790); note - often incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, the celebration commemorates the holiday held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille (on 14 July 1789) and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are la Fête nationale (National Holiday) and le Quatorze Juillet (14th of July)
Legal system civil law; review of administrative but not legislative acts
International law organization participation has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Constitution
History Many previous; latest effective 4 October 1958
Amendments Proposed by the president of the republic (upon recommendation of the prime minister and Parliament) or by Parliament; proposals submitted by Parliament members require passage by both houses followed by approval in a referendum; passage of proposals submitted by the government can bypass a referendum if submitted by the president to Parliament and passed by at least three-fifths majority vote by Parliament’s National Assembly; amended many times, last in 2008
Citizenship
Citizenship by birth no
Citizenship by descent only at least one parent must be a citizen of France
Dual citizenship recognized yes
Residency requirement for naturalization 5 years
Executive Branch
Chief of state President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017)
Head of government Prime Minister Michel BARNIER (since 5 September 2024)
Cabinet Council of Ministers appointed by the president at the suggestion of the prime minister
Elections/appointments president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 10 April 2022 with a runoff held on 24 April 2022 (next to be held in April 2027); prime minister appointed by the president
Election results
2022:
Emmanuel MACRON reelected in second round; percent of vote in first round - Emmanuel MACRON (LREM) 27.8%, Marine LE PEN (RN) 23.2%, Jean-Luc MELENCHON (LFI) 22%, Eric ZEMMOUR (Reconquete) 7.1%, Valerie PECRESSE (LR) 4.8%, Yannick JADOT (EELV) 4.6%, other 10.6%; percent of vote in second round - MACRON 58.5%, LE PEN 41.5%

2017: Emmanuel MACRON elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Emmanuel MACRON (EM) 24%, Marine LE PEN (FN) 21.3%, Francois FILLON (LR) 20%, Jean-Luc MELENCHON (FI) 19.6%, Benoit HAMON (PS) 6.4%, other 8.7%; percent of vote in second round - MACRON 66.1%, LE PEN 33.9%
Legislative branch
Description Bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of:
Senate or Sénat (348 seats - 328 for metropolitan France and overseas departments and regions of Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Reunion, and Mayotte, 2 for New Caledonia, 2 for French Polynesia, 1 for Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, 1 for Saint-Barthelemy, 1 for Saint-Martin, 1 for Wallis and Futuna, and 12 for French nationals abroad; members indirectly elected by departmental electoral colleges using absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for departments with 1-3 members, and proportional representation vote in departments with 4 or more members; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years)
National Assembly or Assemblée Nationale (577 seats - 556 for metropolitan France, 10 for overseas departments, and 11 for citizens abroad; members directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed to serve 5-year terms)
Elections Senate - last held on 24 September 2023 (next to be held by 30 September 2026)
National Assembly - last held on 30 June and 7 July 2024 (next to be held on 30 June 2029)
Election results Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by political caucus (party or group of parties) LR 139, SER 69, UC 51, RDPI 21, CRCE 17, LIRT 17, EST 16, RDSE 14; composition - men 222, women 126, percentage women 36.2%.

National Assembly - percent of vote by party/coalition in the first round - RN 29.26%, NPF 28.06%, ENS 20.04%, LR 6.57%, UXD 3.96%, other 12.11%; seats by party/coalition in the first round - RN 37, NPF 32, ENS 2, LR 1, UXD 1, other 3; percent of vote in the second round - RN 32.05%, NPF 25.68, ENS 23.14% LR 5.41%, UXD 5.0%, other 8.72%, seats by party/coalition in the second round - NPF 146, ENS 148, RN 88, LR 38, UXD 16, other 65; composition - men 369, women 208, percentage women 36%
Judicial branch
Highest court(s) Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (consists of the court president, 6 divisional presiding judges, 120 trial judges, and 70 deputy judges organized into 6 divisions - 3 civil, 1 commercial, 1 labor, and 1 criminal); Constitutional Council (consists of 9 members)
Judge selection and term of office Court of Cassation judges appointed by the president of the republic from nominations from the High Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the Court of Cassation and 15 appointed members; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Council members - 3 appointed by the president of the republic and 3 each by the National Assembly and Senate presidents; members serve 9-year, non-renewable terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years
Subordinate courts Appellate courts or Cour d'Appel; regional courts or Tribunal de Grande Instance; first instance courts or Tribunal d'instance; administrative courts
Diplomatic representation in the US
Chief of mission Ambassador Laurent BILI (since 19 April 2023)
Chancery 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
Telephone [1] (202) 944-6000
FAX [1] (202) 944-6166
Email address and website
[email protected]

https://franceintheus.org/
Consulate(s) general Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US
Chief of mission Ambassador Denise Campbell BAUER (since 5 February 2022); note - also accredited to Monaco
Embassy 2 avenue Gabriel, 75008 Paris
Mailing address 9200 Paris Place, Washington DC  20521-9200
Telephone [33] (1) 43-12-22-22, [33] (1) 42-66-97-83
FAX [33] (1) 42-66-97-83
Email address and website
[email protected]

https://fr.usembassy.gov/
Consulate(s) general Marseille, Strasbourg
Consulate(s) Bordeaux, Lyon, Rennes
National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites 53 (45 cultural, 7 natural, 1 mixed); note - includes one site in New Caledonia and one site in French Polynesia
Selected World Heritage Site locales Chartres Cathedral (c); Palace and Park of Versailles (c); Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère Valley (c); Pyrénées - Mont Perdu (m); Cistercian Abbey of Fontenay (c); Paris, Banks of the Seine (c); The Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes (c); Pont du Gard (Roman Aqueduct) (c); Amiens Cathedral (c); Palace and Park of Fontainebleau (c); Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne (c); Gulf of Porto: Calanche of Piana, Gulf of Girolata, Scandola Reserve (n)
Key Political parties and their leaders in France
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  • All Important Facts about France

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    France is found in Western Europe