Politics Ledger · Europe
France
Liberal democracySemi-presidential republicUnitary
LightDark
In charge
Emmanuel Macron
President
Time in power
9.5 yrs
since 2017
Government seats
28%
minority
Next national vote
2027-04
Presidential (first round)
Governance score
81/100
composite of five indices
France is the archetype of revolutionary republicanism. Since 1789 it has tried two empires, monarchies and five republics; the Fifth Republic's strong presidency now struggles to govern with a fragmented Assembly.
Leadership
Who Governs France
Head of state
Holds executive powerEmmanuel Macron
President · Renaissance
Since 14 May 2017 · 9.5 years
Age 49 (born 1977)ManRoute to power: won a popular election
Head of government
Sébastien Lecornu
Prime Minister · Renaissance
Since 9 September 2025 · 1.1 years
Age 40 (born 1986)ManRoute to power: appointed
Ruling coalition
Minority "common base" of Renaissance, MoDem and Horizons, with Les Républicains partly supporting and Socialists tolerating budgets
Main opposition
National Rally (RN) and La France Insoumise (LFI)
Last national election
7 July 2024
Snap legislative
Hung parliament split three ways between the left NFP, Macron's centre and the RN.
Next national election
By April 2027
Presidential (first round)
Lecornu was reappointed in October 2026 and named a new cabinet on 18 October amid cost-of-living riots.
Parliament
National Assembly
Seat distribution (Parliamentary groups, autumn 2026 (approximate)), ordered from economic left to right.
| Party | Ideology | Seats | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Rally (RN) | National populism | 123 | opposition |
| Ensemble pour la République (EPR) | Liberalism, Pro-Europeanism | 91 | governing |
| La France Insoumise (LFI) | Left-wing populism, Democratic socialism | 71 | opposition |
| Socialists (SOC) | Social democracy | 66 | confidence |
| The Republicans (Droite républicaine) (LR) | Gaullism, Conservatism | 49 | confidence |
| Ecologists (ECO) | Green politics | 38 | opposition |
| Democrats (MoDem) (DEM) | Centrism | 36 | coalition |
| Horizons (HOR) | Liberal conservatism | 34 | coalition |
| LIOT (LIOT) | Regionalism, Centrism | 23 | opposition |
| Democratic and Republican Left (GDR) | Communism | 17 | opposition |
| UDR (Ciotti) (UDR) | Right-wing | 16 | opposition |
| Non-attached (NI) | Various | 13 | opposition |
Ideology
Party Landscape
Each party placed on economic and social axes, sized by seats.
Institutions
The System
- Official name
- French Republic
- Capital
- Paris
- Population
- 68 million
- Statehood
- Kingdom from 843; First Republic 1792; Fifth Republic 1958
- System
- Semi-presidential republic
- Structure
- Unitary
- Current constitution
- 1958
- Legislature
- Parliament
- Lower / sole chamber
- National Assembly (577 seats)
- Upper chamber
- Senate (348, indirectly elected)
- Electoral system
- Two-round system for the president and in 577 single-member constituencies.
- Term limits
- President: two consecutive five-year terms.
Sources
- Assemblée nationale, composition des groupes
- Ministère de l'Intérieur
- EIU Democracy Index 2024; Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2025; RSF World Press Freedom Index 2025; Transparency International CPI 2024; IPU Parline, 2026; V-Dem v15 Liberal Democracy Index (approximate five-year readings)
Last verified 2026-10-29. Party placements are editorial estimates.
Data as of 2026-10-29.