Politics in France

Prof. Baumgartner, notes for class on Feburary 18, 2008

The highest levels of French political life are very heavily dominated by men.

Segolene Royal was the first female major party candidate for President, and the first to make it to the second round of balloting. Many women have appeared as candidates from smaller parties, however. The current (2008) government of France includes the largest percentage of women at high levels of the government in history. The National Assembly similarly is heavily dominated by me, with the current level of 19 percent female constituting a historical record.

The 2000 Law on Parity requires equal numbers of men and women to appear on ballots, but only in those elections that use proportional representation, which does not include the National Assembly.

Women in Parliament and in the Government:

Women in Government