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Deputies (French: députés, [depyte]), also known in English as members of Parliament (MPs), are the legislators who sit in the National Assembly, the lower house of the French Parliament.[1] The 17th and current legislature of the Fifth Republic has a total of 577 deputies, elected in 577 constituencies across metropolitan (539) and overseas France (27), as well as for French residents overseas (11).
Name
[edit]The term "deputy" is associated with the legislator's task to deputise for the people of his or her constituency.
Current
[edit]There are currently 577 legislative seats in the National Assembly. They are elected through the two-round system in single-member constituencies.
Numbers
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The number of deputies is codified in the Constitution of France.
In 2019, it was reported that the Government of France wanted to cut the number of deputies by 25%. This reform was later abandoned due to a lack of support in the Senate.[2]
Restrictions and privileges
[edit]
Deputies have parliamentary immunity. They enjoy total freedom of expression within the National Assembly chamber, although they can be sanctioned by a majority of deputies for not complying with the rules of procedure. The maximum penalty is a 15-day suspension from sitting in Parliament. As of 2023 and since 1958, the maximum penalty has been voted three times; the most recent was against La France Insoumise deputy Thomas Portes, who pictured Labour Minister Olivier Dussopt decapitated on social media.[3] A deputy cannot be removed from office by other deputies.
Like senators and members of the executive, deputies have to submit a declaration of interests and assets to the Haute Autorité pour la transparence de la vie publique (HATVP). Such declarations are then verified and made publicly accessible.[4] Like senators, deputies hold various privileges. They can inspect – without having to announce their visit prior to arrival – a number of sites managed on behalf the executive to verify compliance with laws voted by Parliament.[5][6]
It is common for deputies, wearing their distinctive sash, to place themselves at the front of demonstrations, with the aim of being recognisable to police forces and protecting individuals behind them. At a 2023 demonstration in Sainte-Soline, Deux-Sèvres, deputies formed a line in front of police on site to allow medical teams to evacuate wounded participants who had clashed with police forces.[7][8] Wearing an official sash without the proper rights constitutes a punishable offence.
Deputies, like senators, can have a dual mandate at the local level (most notably municipal, departmental, regional councillor) but a new law that entered in application in 2017 has limited the practice's extent by restricting national officials' ability to serve in local executives. Deputies are paid 5,782.66 euros per month.[9]
Eligibility
[edit]Candidates can run for a seat in the National Assembly when they hold French citizenship, are at least 18 years old, as well as not have been declared incompetent in court or sentenced to a loss of civic rights.[10]
Lists
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Nationale, Assemblée. "Rôle et pouvoirs de l'Assemblée". Assemblée nationale (in French). Retrieved 2021-01-07.
- ^ "French government wants to scrap number of MPs by 25 percent". France 24. 2019-08-29. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
- ^ (in French) "Le député LFI Thomas Portes exclu 15 jours de l’Assemblée après la photo polémique", Le Parisien, 10 February 2023.
- ^ (in French) "Transparence de la vie publique : campagne déclarative des députés, où en est-on ?", www.vie-publique.fr, 14 September 2022.
- ^ (in French) "Visite surprise du député Bachelier dans l’hôpital dirigé par Hirsch : « Je me rends où je veux »", Ouest-France, 23 April 2021.
- ^ (in French) "Visite surprise des députés dans une trentaine de prisons", Ouest-France, 6 November 2017.
- ^ (in French) Bassines. À Sainte-Soline, des élus forment une chaîne humaine pour protéger les blessés : "On s'est retrouvés dans une situation où l'écharpe d'élu ne protège plus", france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr, 27 March 2023.
- ^ (in French) Mariage pour tous et la guerre de l'image: la réponse de Marc le Fur, france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr, 22 April 2013.
- ^ "Fiche de synthèse : La situation matérielle du député - Rôle et pouvoirs de l'Assemblée nationale - Assemblée nationale". www2.assemblee-nationale.fr. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
- ^ (in French) "Quelles sont les conditions nécessaires pour devenir député ou sénateur ?", vie-publique.fr, 29 November 2022.