French Politics and Institutions (Fall Semester)

This nine weeks seminar in Political Science aims to analyse the main aspects of the French political institutions and actors. The lesson will focus on the contemporary period, since the birth of the current Fifth Republic, in 1958, but will enthusiastically go deeper inter the historical roots of our topics. Each lecture is organized around a main question. These issues have been thought to be recurring questions that a foreign student in Political Science would have about French Politics and Institutions.
The first part of this course aims to present the outlines of the French political order: that is to say, the origins and the functioning of the French semi-presidential system and relationships between the main power figures, the relationships between central level and sub-central level powers and the functions of the State.

The second part of this seminar will question the way political participation takes place, presenting the main actors and instruments used to voice their opinion as well as the structure of the electoral offer.

Finally, we will take a look at some of the principal hot topics in the French political field, understanding their specificities in the French context.

This lecture aims to give you the main tools to participate and understand the key debates of the French political life, during your stay in France. Don’t hesitate to participate during this lecture and to ask questions. We will gladly compare the French political system with the functioning of your own country political system thanks to your participation.