Types Of Government In France

Through the years, there have been many types of government in France. At present, France is under a semi presidential system as they are a republic. They have declared themselves as a secular, social and democratic republic. They have also divided their government into three branches – legislative, judicial and executive. Going back, there have been many types of government in France because they are looking to find the one that will be best for them. And the last one of the types of government in France is the one that has lasted the longest as it is also the one that they find best suited for them.

Monarchy is the first of the types of government in France. Way back the year 900, France had a Feudal monarchy wherein the power over the place was mutually shared by the nobles and the monarchs. During these types of government in France military services as well as different kinds of labor are given in exchange for properties and land. After this, France went on to an absolute monarchy wherein the monarch had the absolute powers over the country. This did not work for them and hence they moved to the next types of government in France, constitutional monarchy. Here, there is a monarch that is governing the place. However, the monarch is bound by a constitution.

When 1792 came, there was a series of revolutions under their first republic and hence they got to try out more types of government in France. Here, there was a group of people who held the executive power over the place. A couple of years later, they went under the Jacobin Dictatorship. Here, the people under the Jacobin Club supported the centralized form of the republic. In 1799, the people went on to another one of the types of government in France, the Napoleonic dictatorship. As the name implies, this is the era wherein Napoleon Bonaparte took over France. Although still being highly debated until now, these types of government in France is also said to be authoritarian as Napoleon Bonaparte was said to govern a place through military dictatorship.

In 1815, the people opted to return to the absolute types of government in France. 15 years later, constitutional monarchy was again in place. For the second time, France became a republic again but it only lasted 4 years from 1848-1852.

In 1852, the nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte tried to take over France. He was able to do so for 18 years before the France became a republic again.

1940 was very difficult for France because this was the beginning of the Nazi occupation. From the south east part of the country, the Nazi occupation became successful in occupying the entire France by the year 1942.

In 1944 the Nazi occupation ended and the fourth republic was born. The fourth republic lasted 14 years before the fifth republic took its place in 1958. The fifth republic is said to be the one with the stronger president. And so far, they have been doing well and this is why they have been under the fifth republic until now.