France

Abstract

The present constitution of France, voted by the National Assembly, elected in 1871, bears date February 25, 1875, and was partially revised in July 1884 and June 1885. It vests the legislative power in an assembly of two houses, the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, and the executive in a chief magistrate called President of the Republic. The Chamber of Deputies is elected by universal suffrage, under the ‘ scrutin de liste,’ adopted by the National Assembly, June 16, 1885. Each department forms a single circumscription or electoral district, and chooses deputies in the ratio of one deputy to 70,000 inhabitants, foreigners not included. Each department elects at least three deputies; the territory of Belfort only two. The department of the Seine has 38. The total number of deputies is 584; of whom 568 are for France, 6 for Algeria, and 10 for the colonies. In France, in 1885, there were 10,181,095 electors, of whom there voted at the election of that year 7,859,330. To be an elector a man must be twenty-one years old, and be possessed of citizenship, which is obtained by a two years’ residence in any one town or canton. Men once convicted of felony or desertion are perpetually disfranchised; while the only requisite for a deputy is to be a citizen and twenty-five years of age.