#WeAnswer. After the dissolution of the National Assembly, we answered your questions on the early legislative elections

Emmanuel Macron’s surprise announcement on the evening of the European elections leads to the organization of new elections in a particularly tight schedule, which raises questions in particular about the modalities of the campaign and the vote.

A new appointment at the polls, set barely three weeks in advance. Voters will be called to vote for early legislative elections on June 30 and July 7, after the announcement of the dissolution of the National Assembly on Sunday June 9. An unexpected decision announced by Emmanuel Macron After the clear victory of the National Rally in the European elections. This early ballot organized within a very short time raises many questions about the voting methods, the calendar, the possibility of registering on the electoral lists… Franceinfo answers the main questions asked by Internet users on Monday morning.

Dissolution and its consequences

juistheliette: Was Emmanuel Macron legally obliged to dissolve the Assembly following the European elections?

The President of the Republic is never obliged to dissolve. It is his own power that he possesses, under article 12 of the Constitution. “Dissolution allows the President of the Republic to resolve a current or future crisis or institutional blockage. It is a power of arbitration”, underlines the Public Life site. To dissolve the National Assembly, the head of state must first consult the Prime Minister and the presidents of the two chambers of Parliament (the National Assembly and the Senate), but he is not obliged to take into account their opinions.

laurnt92: The mandate of the new deputies who will be elected in July will normally last until 2029, then? Now at the same time as the European elections?

In theory, yes, since the 577 deputies of the National Assembly are elected for five years. Which means that the presidential election and the legislative elections will no longer take place consecutively, as was to be the case in 2027. However, a new dissolution may occur between now and 2029. The President of the Republic cannot, however, have resort to this constitutional weapon in the year following the early legislative elections.

Philar69: Can the President of the Republic dissolve the Assembly a second time?

It’s possible, but there are rules to follow. The dissolution cannot be pronounced in the year following a previous dissolution, nor in a period when the President of the Republic exercises the powers. “exceptional powers” provided for by article 16 of the Constitution, nor when the function is exercised ad interim by the President of the Senate.

The rules of the early legislative campaign

Fredde: What is the schedule for the next few days? ? Deadline for applications ? The start date of the campaign ?

The official campaign for the early legislative elections will start on Monday June 17, and end on Friday June 28 at 11:59 p.m., since the first round is scheduled for Sunday June 30. There will then be a one-week inter-round campaign, with a second round scheduled for Sunday July 7. But the deadline for submitting applications is not yet known. “We will have to adapt. Applications will probably have to be submitted by the end of the week to allow for the official fourteen-day campaign which will begin next Monday,” constitutionalist Jean-Philippe Derosier told franceinfo.

Wileminas: Article L157 of the Electoral Code stipulates that candidacies must be submitted on the fourth Friday before the vote, i.e. June 7. Have all the Renaissance deputies already submitted their candidacy? Or, ultimately, will it be an election without a candidate? Is there a pilot on the plane ?

Several outgoing deputies have already announced their intention to return to the campaign. But no application has been officially submitted yet. In the event of traditional legislative elections, declarations of candidacy must actually be submitted, in duplicate, to the prefecture, no later than 6 p.m., the fourth Friday preceding election day, according to the Electoral Code. But article 12 of the Constitution authorizes the organization of elections “twenty days at least and forty days at most after the dissolution”, a condition respected by the calendar announced on Sunday by Emmanuel Macron. It is currently unknown what deadline will be set for the submission of candidates for these early legislative elections. But we know that the official campaign will begin on Monday June 17, two weeks before the first round.

Voting arrangements

Leny20142016: Second round on July 7? While a good part of the French will have gone on vacation…

If you are on vacation for the second round of the legislative elections, you can make a proxy now. It can be established by completing the online form on the official My proxy platform. For it to be valid at the time of the early legislative elections, you can choose to give it for “a given period” of one month or more, or select “partial legislative elections” specifying the chosen round and the date of the first round (June 30).

You will then have to go in person to a police station, gendarmerie or court, to present proof of identity and indicate the reference of your request. It is only under this condition that your power of attorney will be validated. You then receive an email to confirm that your power of attorney is effective.

It is possible to give proxy until the day before the election. But these steps sometimes take a little time: the ideal is therefore to undertake them as soon as possible to ensure that you have a valid proxy on the day of the vote. However, a clarification from the administration website: “The voter responsible for voting in your place can only have one proxy made in France”.

Flygirl31: My son will be 18 on July 7th. Can he vote for the second round? And if so, until when does he have to register on the electoral roll? Thank you for your reply !

No, your son will not be able to vote in these early legislative elections. When the 18th birthday takes place on the day of the second round of an election, you cannot vote, as specified by the French administration. On the other hand, he should not have to take any steps to participate in subsequent elections, because he will be automatically registered on the electoral list of his municipality if he has been registered at the age of 16. It is possible to check this on the administration website.

karsek: Is it still possible to register on the electoral lists for the early legislative elections in the event of a move?

Generally speaking, to be able to vote in an election, you must register no later than the sixth Friday preceding the first round. This period is reduced to 10 days before the first round in certain special cases: if you are a young person aged 18 without a citizen census; if you have just obtained French nationality; if you have just regained the right to vote; or if you have just moved because of your job (except in the case of a transfer). But if you are moving for personal reasons, it is too late to register in your new municipality for the early legislative elections.