Isabella Carter
France's constitutional history is made up of many changes that have led to experimentation with a large number of political regime types since the French Revolution. The first written constitution in France was created in 1791, after the collapse of the absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime. The current Constitution of France was adopted on 4 October 1958, and is typically called the Constitution of the Fifth Republic.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of ratification | 1791 |
| Date of ratification | 3 September 1791 |
| Current constitution | 1958 |
| Date of current constitution | 4 October 1958 |
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What You'll Learn
The first written constitution in France was ratified in 1791
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, adopted on 26 August 1789, became the preamble of the constitution adopted on 3 September 1791. The Declaration offered sweeping generalisations about rights, liberty, and sovereignty. It was reluctantly accepted by King Louis XVI.
The current constitution of France was adopted on 4 October 1958. It is typically called the Constitution of the Fifth Republic and it replaced the Constitution of the Fourth Republic of 1946. The current constitution regards the separation of church and state, democracy, social welfare, and indivisibility as core principles of the French state.
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The current constitution of France was ratified in 1958
The 1958 constitution, which founded the Fifth Republic, was approved by the people in a referendum on 28 September 1958 and officially promulgated on 4 October that year. It replaced the Constitution of the Fourth Republic of 1946, with the exception of the preamble, per a 1971 decision of the Constitutional Council. The 1958 constitution regards the separation of church and state, democracy, social welfare, and indivisibility as core principles of the French state. Charles de Gaulle was the main driving force in introducing the new constitution, while the text was drafted by Michel Debré.
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The 1958 constitution founded the Fifth Republic
The current French constitution was ratified in 1958, officially founding the Fifth Republic. This constitution replaced the Constitution of the Fourth Republic of 1946, with the exception of the preamble per a 1971 decision of the Constitutional Council. The 1958 constitution regards the separation of church and state, democracy, social welfare, and indivisibility as core principles of the French state.
The 1958 constitution was approved by the people in a referendum on 28 September 1958 and officially promulgated on 4 October that year. It was drafted by Michel Debré, with Charles de Gaulle as the main driving force in introducing the new constitution and inaugurating the Fifth Republic.
The 1958 constitution was not the first written constitution in France. The French Constitution of 1791 was the first, created after the collapse of the absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime. It was reluctantly accepted by King Louis XVI in September 1791, following the French Revolution and the Tennis Court Oath. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, adopted on 26 August 1789, became the preamble of the 1791 constitution.
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The 1958 constitution was approved by referendum
The current French constitution was ratified in 1958, but this was not the first written constitution in France. The French Constitution of 1791 was the first, created after the collapse of the absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime. It was reluctantly accepted by King Louis XVI in September 1791. The 1958 constitution was approved by referendum on 28 September 1958, and officially promulgated on 4 October 1958. It is typically called the Constitution of the Fifth Republic, and it replaced the Constitution of the Fourth Republic of 1946. The 1958 constitution regards the separation of church and state, democracy, social welfare, and indivisibility as core principles of the French state. Charles de Gaulle was the main driving force in introducing the new constitution and inaugurating the Fifth Republic, while the text was drafted by Michel Debré.
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The 1791 constitution was the result of long negotiations
The French Constitution was ratified in 1791, following the collapse of the absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime. It was the first written constitution in France and was the result of long negotiations.
The National Assembly began the process of drafting the constitution following the Tennis Court Oath. The Assembly delegated the task of drafting the constitution to a special constitutional committee, which began in July 1789. The committee debated the structure the new political system should take, eventually concluding that France should be a constitutional monarchy with a unicameral (one house) legislature.
The constitution retitled Louis XVI as "King of the French", granted him a reduced civil list, allowed him to select and appoint ministers and gave him a suspensive veto power. It also abolished many institutions defined as "injurious to liberty and equality of rights". The National Assembly asserted its legal presence as part of the French government by establishing its permanence in the Constitution and forming a system of recurring elections. The Assembly's belief in a sovereign nation and in equal representation can be seen in the constitutional separation of powers.
The constitution was reluctantly accepted by King Louis XVI in September 1791. It was approved by the people in a referendum on 28 September 1958, and officially promulgated on 4 October that year. The current constitution regards the separation of church and state, democracy, social welfare, and indivisibility as core principles of the French state.
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Frequently asked questions
The current French constitution was ratified on 4 October 1958.
The first written constitution in France was the French Constitution of 1791.
The first constitution in France was the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, adopted on 26 August 1789.
The constitution that preceded the current one was the Constitution of the Fourth Republic of 1946.
