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Yes, that's my recurring theme: the American system has lots of faults, but if you're going to have a presidential system it is VITAL that parliementary elections follow a different timescale from presidential one.

What we have now in France is elective monarchy, however loud UMP screams when it is pointed out. We even get journalists explaining that is is absolutely compulsory to have parliement backing the president, that "we must never again go through cohabitation".

Well, it may be unpleasant for the people in charge, but I for one reckon that cohabitation periods are actually generally better for the country. And even if they weren't, well what is the point of parliementary elections if the only acceptable outcome was determined by the previous election?

Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed. Gandhi

by Cyrille (cyrillev domain yahoo.fr) on Sun Feb 24th, 2008 at 04:20:33 PM EST
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Incidentally, are there any voices in France for a move towards a parliamentary-only system? Where the PM is the top dog and the Prez is ceremonial?

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.
by DoDo on Sun Feb 24th, 2008 at 05:17:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Indeed:
La Convention pour la 6e République (C6R) est un groupe de réflexion politique français fondé en avril 2001 par le socialiste Arnaud Montebourg. L'association a été créée suite au succès de La machine à trahir, un réquisitoire publié en 2000 par Arnaud Montebourg, député de Saône-et-Loire. Bastien François, universitaire à la Sorbonne, a élaboré avec Arnaud Montebourg et de nombreux conventionnels (c'est ainsi que se sont nommés les membres de la C6R) les Trente Propositions qui synthétisent les idées de l'association.

La C6R milite pour un changement de République. Elle considère qu'une des causes de l'abstention et de la dépolitisation réside dans les dysfonctionnements de la Ve République. Les conventionnels pointent l'absence de contrôle et donc de responsabilité politique pour tout ce qui concerne le Président de la République.

La Convention pour la 6e République prône donc un régime primo-ministériel, où les pouvoirs de contrôle du Parlement seraient accrus. Le président de la 6e République aurait un rôle d'arbitre, garant du bon fonctionnement des nouvelles institutions et ne serait pas élu au suffrage universel direct.

My emphasis:
The Convention for the 6th Republic therefore advocates a regime centered around a Prime Minister. Le President of the 6th Republic would play the role of an arbiter, guarantor of the good functioninng of the new institutions, and would not be elected by universal direct suffrage.
(My translation)

We have met the enemy, and he is us — Pogo
by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Sun Feb 24th, 2008 at 05:24:48 PM EST
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Good, thanks!

Hm, I recall mention of the C6R from the election diaries, I probably didn't read their proposals in detail back then.

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.

by DoDo on Sun Feb 24th, 2008 at 05:32:51 PM EST
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