Like every three years, the Senate is renewed by half. The opportunity to look at the functioning of this institution whose role is major in the making of laws.
You perhaps remember the ping-pong game between the National Assembly and the Senate which punctuated the examination of pension reform? If the outbursts of the deputies in the Hemicycle left their mark, the role of the senators was no less decisive in having the text adopted. The Senate is once again in the spotlight since the senatorial elections take place on September 24. But actually, what is the Senate for? What are the challenges of the next election? How are senators elected? Franceinfo explains everything to you.
What is the Senate for?
With the National Assembly, the Senate makes up the French Parliament. Both are joint holders of legislative power. The two chambers have common responsibilities: like the Assembly, the Senate examines and proposes legal texts, verifies their application and controls the action of the government.
However, the Senate has fewer powers than the National Assembly. Thus, in the event of disagreement between the two chambers on the examination of a law, it is the Assembly which has the last word. In addition, the Senate does not have the possibility of questioning the responsibility of the government, and therefore of overthrowing it, a prerogative reserved for the National Assembly. In return, the Senate cannot be dissolved by the President of the Republic.
While the deputies elected to the National Assembly (also called the “lower house”) represent the entire nation, the Senate (or “upper house”) “ensures the representation of local authorities”according to article 24-4 of the Constitution. This explains why bills concerning the organization of local authorities must be examined first by the Senate.
Who can vote in the senatorial elections?
Senators are elected for six years, but elections are organized every three years, because only half of the seats are renewed during each election.
While deputies are elected by direct universal suffrage, that is to say by all French people registered on the electoral rolls, senators are designated by indirect universal suffrage, by an electoral college of 162,000 “major voters” themselves. same chosen by the approximately 520,000 local elected officials in the country. Voting is compulsory under penalty of a fine of 100 euros.
Among these 520,000 voters are deputies, senators, departmental and regional councilors, but above all delegates from municipal councils who represent nearly 95% of voters.
Who has the majority in the Senate?
Made up of 348 senators, the Senate has been chaired since 2014 by Gérard Larcher. The elected representative of the Les Républicains party embodies the strength of the traditional right, the majority since the 1970s almost without interruption.
With their 145 seats, the Republicans largely dominate the outgoing chamber, far ahead of the Socialist, Environmentalist and Republican group (64 seats), whose senators mainly come from the Socialist Party. The centrist Union group has 57 seats while the Renaissance senators are struggling, with only 24 seats.
What are Emmanuel Macron’s chances?
On September 24, the stakes are high for Emmanuel Macron. Renaissance and its 24 seats have little opportunity to influence the debates in the Senate. For pension reform, the government was able to count on the support of the Republicans, but the government cannot rely indefinitely on the right. But the Macronist party risks having difficulty gleaning many new seats. Once again, The Republicans appear to be the big favorites of this partial renewal. L the left does not seem able to take control of the Senate.
Indeed, the voting method, which over-represents small municipalities, structurally favors the right. This year, the vote will be largely based on the results of the 2020 municipal elections which, as in 2014, gave pride of place to traditional parties, with the right in the lead. The defeat of Renaissance in the last municipal elections should not allow Emmanuel Macron to win many seats. Especially since Edouard Philippe and his Horizons party could be tempted to go it alone in September. The Republicans, who are putting 65 seats up for grabs, hope to recover at least sixty, according to Le Figaro.
How does the voting take place?
For the renewal of the Senate by half, the French departments are divided into two series. In 2020, the 178 senators representing the departments of series 2 saw their mandate end and their seats put back into play. This year, it will be the turn of the 170 senators of series 1 to be replaced or re-elected. The departments concerned range from 37 (Indre-et-Loire) to 66 (Pyrénées-Orientales), to which are added the eight departments of Ile-de-France, six overseas territories and six seats for senators from French abroad. Of the 162,000 “electors”, only 78,000 will therefore be called to vote.
The senatorial elections also combine two different voting methods. The two-round majority vote is used in sparsely populated departments, where there are one or two senators to be designated. In departments where three or more senators must be elected, a single-round proportional list vote applies.
To be a candidate, you must tick a few conditions: first be 24 years old (compared to 18 years old to be a candidate for the legislative elections); then be eligible, enjoy your civil and political rights and only run in one constituency. Furthermore, since the law of February 14, 2014 on the accumulation of mandates, a senator cannot be mayor or president of a regional or departmental council. If a senator is elected to two terms, he must choose one and forfeit the other.
Why is the Senate President important?
This year, Gérard Larcher is seeking a new mandate. Elected for the first time in 1986, the senator from Yvelines is completing his fourth term as president of the Senate and should stand for re-election. Gérard Larcher has established himself as the strong man of the upper house. It is he who heads the Senate office and the Conference of Presidents, which sets the program of plenary sessions.
But he is also sometimes considered as the third person of the State, because the President of the Senate automatically takes over in the event of a vacancy in the Presidency of the Republic, “for whatever reason”, according to the Constitution. A scenario that only occurred twice: Alain Poher held the position of interim president in 1969 after the resignation of Charles de Gaulle and then in 1974 after the death of Georges Pompidou. He had held the post for a few weeks, the time to organize a new presidential election.
How much are senators paid?
A senator receives a gross monthly allowance of 7,493.30 euros, with a basic parliamentary allowance of 5,820.04 eurosa functional allowance of 1,498.66 euros and a residence allowance of 174.60 euros. Sum to which is added additional compensation for any senator exercising a particular function, ranging from 734.34 euros to 4,361.10 euros. Gérard Larcher, as president of the Senate, receives an additional 7,448.34 euros.
Senators are also entitled to an advance for mandate expenses (AFM) of 5,900 euros each month to cover costs related to the exercise of their profession. To this are added 6,000 euros over three years for computer equipment costs, 1,200 euros for accommodation costs for non-elected senators in Paris and an additional 675 euros for senators exercising a particular function.
This advance is controlled by the Parliamentary Ethics Committee, which ensures that the costs covered are reasonable and have a direct link with the parliamentary mandate. They are also entitled to telephone plans and free access to the SNCF network in 1st class and 40 air return trips per year between Paris and their constituency.
In recent months, their retirement plan has been under attack. While deputies are aligned with the state civil service regime, senators have had a special regime since 1905. And this autonomous regime has not been modified by the recent pension reform. Thanks to a largely surplus fund, according to Mediapart, a senator would receive an average net monthly pension of 4,400 euros.
Do they benefit from a special status?
Like deputies, senators benefit from certain guarantees linked to the exercise of their function. They first benefit from parliamentary immunity, provided for by article 26 of the Constitution: “HASuca member of Parliament cannot be prosecuted, sought, arrested, detained or judged in connection with the opinions or votes expressed by him in the exercise of his functions.” This principle of “irresponsibility” is coupled with a principle of “inviolability”: a senator can be prosecuted by the courts but he cannot be subjected to measures depriving or restricting freedom, unless his immunity is lifted by the Senate office.
I haven’t had time to read everything, can you give me a summary?
Sunday September 24, 78,000 “electors” designated by local elected officials will have to elect 170 senators for six years, in order to renew the upper house of Parliament by half. The Senate, largely dominated by the Republicans until now, should not experience major upheavals and the right should remain in the majority there.
The Senate gained strong media coverage during the pension reform, thanks to the pivotal role it played in the adoption of the text. Even though it has less powers than the National Assembly, the Senate votes on laws and controls government action.
Without absolute majority in the Assemblythe presidential camp should pay great attention to the results of the senatorial elections, without hoping to make significant progress there.