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French · Vocabulary · B1 to C1

French politics vocabulary: l’Élysée, l’Assemblée nationale, le second tour

A presidential election in two rounds
Candidate A28 %
Candidat B24 %
Candidate C21 %
Candidat D15 %
Autres12 %
Illustration with invented candidates.
In the first round there are many candidates. If no one wins more than 50 %, the top two go through to a second round two weeks later.
Aucunnocandidatcandidaten’ahasla majorité.the majority
o-KAN kan-dee-DA NA la ma-zho-ree-TAY · “No candidate has a majority.”Why: aucun … ne means no, not a single one. Here ne shortens to n’ before a.

Short answer: France is a république with a strong president, elected directly for five years in deux tours (two rounds). The president lives and works at l’Élysée and names le Premier ministre, who leads le gouvernement. Parliament has two chambers: l’Assemblée nationale (577 députés) and le Sénat. Laws are proposed as un projet de loi and voted on; if the president and the Assembly majority are from opposite sides, it’s called la cohabitation.

01Two rounds02Places for people03How a law is made04Giving an opinion05Core words
Places that stand for people

L’Élysée, Matignon, le Palais-Bourbon

French news often names a building instead of the institution inside it, a figure of speech called metonymy. L’Élysée a confirmé… means the president’s office confirmed.

la Seine RIVE DROITERIVE GAUCHE l’Élyséele président le Palais-Bourbonl’Assemblée nationale Matignonle Premier ministre le Luxembourgle Sénat
Four buildings, four institutions. Only the Élysée is on the right bank of the Seine; the government and both chambers sit on the left bank.
L’Élyséethe Élyséea confirméhas confirmedla visite.the visit
lay-lee-ZAY a kon-feer-MAY la vee-ZEET · “The president’s office confirmed the visit.”Why: The palace stands for the president and his team.
MatignonMatignonprépareis-preparingle budget.the budget
ma-tee-NYON pray-PAR luh büd-ZHAY · “The prime minister’s office is preparing the budget.”Why: Matignon is the prime minister’s residence, the Hôtel de Matignon.
Les députésthe deputiessiègentsitau Palais-Bourbon.at-the Palais-Bourbon
lay day-pü-TAY SYEZH oh pa-lay boor-BON · “MPs sit in the Palais-Bourbon.”Why: un député is a member of the Assemblée nationale. siéger = to sit (in an assembly).
Le Sénatthe Senatea rejetéhas rejectedle texte.the text
luh say-NA a ruh-zhuh-TAY luh TEKST · “The Senate rejected the bill.”Why: le texte is the everyday word for a bill under debate.
How a law is made

Du projet de loi à la loi

étape 1le projet de loipro-ZHAY duh LWAA bill from the government. From MPs it is une proposition de loi.
étape 2le débatday-BADebate in the Assembly and the Senate.
étape 3l’amendementla-mand-MANA change proposed to the text.
étape 4le voteVOTThe text is adopté (passed) or rejeté.
étape 5la promulgationpro-mül-ga-SYONThe president signs it into law.
La loithe lawa étéhas beenadoptéeadoptedparbyl’Assemblée.the Assembly
la LWA a ay-TAY a-dop-TAY par la-san-BLAY · “The law was passed by the Assembly.”Why: A passive: être + participle. In the passé composé that is a été adoptée, and adoptée agrees with la loi (feminine).
Giving a political opinion

Je suis pour, je suis contre, ça dépend

Pour
Je suisI ampourforcette réforme.this reform
zhuh swee POOR set ray-FORM · “I’m for this reform.”Why: être pour / contre + noun. Simple and very common.
Contre
Je suisI amcontreagainstla haussethe risedes impôts.of-the taxes
zhuh swee KONTR la OHS day zan-POH · “I’m against the tax rise.”Why: les impôts = taxes. la hausse = rise; la baisse = fall.
Soutenir
JeIsoutienssupportles grévistes.the strikers
zhuh soo-TYAN lay gray-VEEST · “I support the strikers.”Why: soutenir is irregular like tenir: je soutiens. un gréviste = a striker.
S’opposer à
JeIm’opposeoppose-myselfàtoce projet.this plan
zhuh mo-POZ a suh pro-ZHAY · “I’m opposed to this plan.”Why: A reflexive verb (je me, tu te…) followed by à.
À mon avis
À mon avis,in my opinionc’estit-isune erreur.a mistake
a mo na-VEE, say ün ay-RUHR · “In my opinion, it’s a mistake.”Why: The n of mon links to avis: mo-na-VEE. That is a liaison.
Ça dépend
Çathatdépenddependsdeonla région.the region
sa day-PAN duh la ray-ZHYON · “That depends on the region.”Why: dépendre de = to depend on. de + le contracts to du: ça dépend du prix.
Core political words

Le député, la mairie, la grève

Keep going

Related guides

a été adoptéePassive →La loi a été adoptée.la uneMedia vocabulary →La une, le JT, serait.agisseSubjunctive →Il faut que le gouvernement agisse.la régionRegions →Régions, départements, communes.