France

  • SMD-M + Two Round System, Semi-presidential

  • bicameral, unitary (576)

  • has had a hung parliament since the 2022 elections (HoG and HoS are of different parties)

  • June 2024

    • National Rally (Le Pen + Justin Bordella) 31%

      • Le Pen was barred from running for pres in 2027 bc of fraud charges

    • Far Right 40%

    • Together Party/Coalition 15%

Voting system

  • 1st round

    • if someone gets 50% and atleast 25% of registered voters voted for them, they win the deputy seat

    • if no one gets a majority, top 2 move on

  • 2nd round

    • can be FPTP or SMD-M

    • consists of the top two from before and anyone who got 12.5% or more of registered voters

  • Single Member District Majority- each district gets one rep (deputy in France’s case) and to win that district they have to get 50% +1

Pros of TRS

  • lessens the problem of “vote splitting” between similar candidates

  • gives the voters a chance

  • encourages the people to team up and compromise

Cons of TRS

  • puts lots of pressure on the electoral administration ot hold two elections back to back

  • puts lots of burden on the voter

  • voter turnout tends to diminish in round two

A Narrative <3

  • Round 1 2024

    • NR 33% +38 seats

    • New Popular 28% +32 seats

    • Together 20% +3 seats

  • Round 2 2024

    • NR +54 seats

    • NP +49 seats (by plurality)

    • Together -82 seats

  • aftermath of round 2- Barnier is ousted as PM after 91 days (toppled the govt in such a way for the first time since 1962)

  • Macron is scrambling to find a replacement since no elections can occur within 1 year of the previous ones no matter what

  • he appoints Francois Baynor (centrist) PM who has already survived two NC votes