Minister of the French Republic Premier Ministre Français
Logo of the French Government
Incumbent Jean-Marc Ayrault since 16 May 2012
Residence	Hôtel Matignon
Appointer	President of the Republic
Term length	While commanding the confidence of the National Assembly and the President of the Republic
Inaugural holder	Jules Armand Dufaure, 19 February 1871
Formation	1871
Salary	21 194.52 euros/month
Website	www.premier-ministre.gouv.fr

France

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The Prime Minister of France (Premier ministre français^{[citation needed]}) in the Fifth Republic is the head of government and of the Council of Ministers of France.^[1] During the Third and Fourth Republics, the Head of Government was called President of the Council of Ministers (Président du Conseil des Ministres), generally shortened to President of the Council (Président du Conseil).

The prime minister proposes the list of other ministers to the president. Decrees and decisions of the prime minister, like almost all executive decisions, are subject to the oversight of the administrative court system. Few decrees are taken after advice from the Council of State (Conseil d'État).

All prime ministers defend the programs of their ministry, and make budgetary choices. The extent to which those decisions lie with the prime minister or president depends upon whether they are of the same party.

  Nomination

The prime minister is appointed by the President of the Republic. The president can choose whomever he wants — this is in contrast with parliamentary systems in which the head of state has to appoint the leader of the largest party in the legislature — and in fact, only a handful of prime ministers were the leader of their own party upon taking office. Likewise, while prime ministers are usually chosen from amongst the ranks of the National Assembly, on rare occasions the President has selected a non-officeholder because of their experience in bureaucraty or foreign service, or their success in business management — Dominique de Villepin, for example, served as prime minister from 2005 to 2007 without ever having held elected office.

On the other hand, because the National Assembly does have the power to force the resignation of the government, the choice of prime minister must reflect the majority in the Assembly. For example, right after the legislative election of 1986, President François Mitterrand appointed Jacques Chirac as prime minister, Chirac was a member of the RPR and a political opponent of Mitterrand's, and despite the fact the Mitterrand's own Socialist Party was still the largest party in the Assembly, the RPR had an ally in the UDF, which gave them a majority. Such a situation, where the President is forced to work with a prime minister who is an opponent is called a cohabitation.

So far, Édith Cresson is the only woman to have ever held the position of prime minister.^[2]

  Role

According to article 21 of the Constitution^[3], the Prime Minister "shall direct the actions of the Government"; in addition, article 20^[3] stipulates that the Government "shall determine and conduct the policy of the Nation". Other members of Government are appointed by the President "on the recommendation of the Prime Minister". In practice the Prime Minister acts on the impulse of the President to whom he is a subordinate, except when there is a cohabitation in which case his responsibilities are akin to those of a prime minister in a parliamentary system.

The Prime Minister can engage the responsibility of its Government before the National Assembly. In addition to ensuring that the Government still has support in the House, some bills that might prove controversial are able to be passed this way: either the Assembly overthrows the Government, or the bill is passed automatically (article 49^[3]). The Prime Minister may also submit a bill that has not been yet signed into law to the Constitutional Council (article 61^[3]).

Before he is allowed to dissolve the Assembly, the President has to consult the Prime Minister and the presidents of both Houses of Parliament (article 12^[3]).

  History

The prime minister, in its current form, dates from the formation of the French Third Republic. Under the French Constitutional Laws of 1875, he was imbued with the same powers as his British counterpart. In practice, however, the prime minister was a fairly weak figure, serving as little more than the cabinet's chairman. Most notably, the legislature had the power to force the entire cabinet out of office by a vote of censure. As a result, cabinets were often toppled twice a year, and there were long stretches where France was left without a government.

The 1958 Constitution includes several provisions intended to strengthen the prime minister's position. For instance, restrictions were placed on votes of censure.

  Present

The current Prime Minister is Jean-Marc Ayrault who was appointed on 16 May 2012 upon the inauguration of François Hollande.^[4]

  See also

• Hôtel Matignon
• List of Prime Ministers of France

  References

Heads of government of France Restoration Talleyrand Richelieu Dessolles Decazes Richelieu Villèle Martignac Polignac July Monarchy V. de Broglie Laffitte Perier Soult Gérard Maret Mortier V. de Broglie Thiers Molé Soult Thiers Soult Guizot Molé Second Republic Dupont de l'Eure Arago Cavaignac Barrot Hautpoul Faucher Second Empire Ollivier Cousin-Montauban Interregnum Trochu Third Republic Dufaure A. de Broglie Cissey Buffet Dufaure Simon A. de Broglie Rochebouët Dufaure Waddington Freycinet Ferry Gambetta Freycinet Duclerc Fallières Ferry Brisson Freycinet Goblet Rouvier Floquet Tirard Freycinet Loubet Ribot Dupuy Casimir-Perier Dupuy Ribot Bourgeois Méline Brisson Dupuy Waldeck-Rousseau Combes Rouvier Sarrien Clemenceau Briand Monis Caillaux Poincaré Briand Barthou Doumergue Ribot Viviani Briand Ribot Painlevé Clemenceau Millerand Leygues Briand Poincaré François-Marsal Herriot Painlevé Briand Herriot Poincaré Briand Tardieu Chautemps Tardieu Steeg Laval Tardieu Herriot Paul-Boncour Daladier Sarraut Chautemps Daladier Doumergue Flandin Bouisson Laval Sarraut Blum Chautemps Blum Daladier Reynaud Pétain Vichy France Pétain Laval Brinon Provisional Government de Gaulle Gouin Bidault Auriol Blum Fourth Republic Ramadier Schuman Marie Schuman Queuille Bidault Queuille Pleven Queuille Pleven Faure Pinay Mayer Laniel Mendès France Faure Mollet Bourgès-Maunoury Gaillard Pflimlin de Gaulle Fifth Republic de Gaulle Debré Pompidou Couve de Murville Chaban-Delmas Messmer Chirac Barre Mauroy Fabius Chirac Rocard Cresson Bérégovoy Balladur Juppé Jospin Raffarin de Villepin Fillon Ayrault Italics indicates interim holder