France
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- semi-presidential republic
- CONSTITUTION
- October 4, 1958; amended several times, last in 2008
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- based on civil law; administrative acts can be reviewed but not legislative ones; has not submitted to the jurisdiction of the ICJ
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- Bicameral Parliament (Parlement), Senate (Senat) and National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (composed of the president of the court, 6 division presidents, 120 merit judges, and 70 substitute judges organized into 6 divisions: 3 civil, 1 commercial, 1 labor, and 1 criminal); Constitutional Council (composed of 9 members); Courts of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Regional Courts or Tribunal de Grande Instance; First Instance Courts or Tribunal d'instance; Administrative Courts
RELIGIONS
Roman Catholic 47%, Muslim 4%, Protestant 2%, Buddhist 2%, Orthodox 1%, Jewish 1%, Other 1%, None 33%, Not specified 9% (estimate 2021)
From the country
- JUNE 21, 2001FranceDEATH PENALTY
The first world congress against the death penalty...
The first world congress against the death penalty opened in Strasbourg bringing together politicians, lawyers, human rights workers and former death row inmates
- JUNE 12, 2001FranceDEATH PENALTY
MP Bernard Birsinger presented a bill for the institution...
MP Bernard Birsinger presented a bill for the institution of the international day against the death penalty
- APRIL 27, 2001FranceDEATH PENALTY
The regional court of Caen, in Normandy, released Patrick...
The regional court of Caen, in Normandy, released Patrick Henry after he had served 25 years of a life long prison sentence
- APRIL 25, 2001FranceDEATH PENALTY
France was a cosponsor and voted in favour of the resolution...
France was a cosponsor and voted in favour of the resolution on the death penalty approved by the UN Commission on Human Rights on April 25, 2001
- MARCH 30, 2001FranceDEATH PENALTY
French President Jacques Chirac speaking to the UN...
French President Jacques Chirac speaking to the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, called for the universal abolition of the death penalty and a general moratorium on executions
- MARCH 30, 2001FranceDEATH PENALTY
James Kopp, wanted in the United States for the murder...
James Kopp, wanted in the United States for the murder of an abortion doctor, will not be extradited by France if U
- JANUARY 23, 2001FranceDEATH PENALTY
(French actress) Catherine Deneuve handed a petition...
(French actress) Catherine Deneuve handed a petition against the death penalty signed by over half a million people to the US embassy in Paris
- JANUARY 20, 2001FranceDEATH PENALTY
In Paris police blocked demonstrators protesting against...
In Paris police blocked demonstrators protesting against the death penalty in the United States at the same time that George W
- JANUARY 1, 2001FranceDEATH PENALTY
France has been abolitionist since 1981
France has been abolitionist since 1981
- DECEMBER 15, 2000FranceDEATH PENALTY
The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg granted...
The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg granted Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan leave to appeal against the death sentence imposed on him by Turkey
- DECEMBER 14, 2000FranceDEATH PENALTY
The Council of Europe urged US President-elect George W
The Council of Europe urged US President-elect George W
- DECEMBER 7, 2000FranceDEATH PENALTY
French President Jacques Chirac wrote a letter to his...
French President Jacques Chirac wrote a letter to his US counterpart Bill Clinton asking him to suspend the execution of a murderer who was condemned to death by a US federal court