The Constitutional Council is the supreme arbiter of the Constitution, laws and elections in France. The nine Elders of this institution created in 1958 must decide on Friday on the pension reform.
They are nine to hold the future of pension reform in their hands. The members of the Constitutional Council, called Sages, must decide on the controversial text of the government as well as on the possibility of a referendum of initiative shared (RIP) on the retirement age. Their decision will be made public on Friday April 14 and can range from the validation of the government’s project to the partial or total censure of the reform.
>> Pension reform: how the Constitutional Council proceeds before rendering its decision
These nine judges who make up the Constitutional Council are renewed by thirds every three years. Their mandate lasts nine years and is not renewable, which should guarantee their independence. They are appointed by the President of the Republic and the presidents of the parliamentary chambers (National Assembly and Senate). The former presidents of the Republic, members by right, can also sit on rue de Montpensier, but the heads of state still alive, Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande, have waived this right.
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If no condition of legal competence is required to be appointed, the personalities chosen are often lawyers or former politicians who have exercised responsibilities at the highest level of the State, recalls the site vie-publique.fr. Some members of this Constitutional Council have completed the same higher education. They are in particular four to have made the National School of Administration (ENA). They are also four to have made an Institute of political study (three made Science Po Paris and one that of Strasbourg).
However, a majority of them were born outside of Paris, six out of ten, unlike the previous college where six members were born in the capital. Of the nine current members, three are women. In all, since 1959 and the creation of the institution, only 12 women have sat on the Constitutional Council. Parity has never existed within this institution.
Laurent Fabius, President of the Constitutional Council
Born August 20, 1946 in Paris, 76 years old. In office since March 8, 2016 (end of term March 2025). He was appointed by the President of the Republic François Hollande (Socialist Party).
Laurent Fabius is a graduate of the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Science Po) and the National School of Administration (ENA, “Rabelais” class). The former secretary of the Socialist Party was notably Prime Minister (1984-1986) and President of the National Assembly (1988-1992 and 1997-2000). He left the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on February 11, 2016 to become President of the Constitutional Council.
Michael Pinault
Born May 9, 1947 in Paris, 71 years old. In office since March 8, 2016 (end of term March 2025). He was appointed by Senate President Gérard Larcher (Les Républicains).
Michel Pinault is a graduate of the Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales (HEC) and the National School of Administration (ENA, “Guernica” class). This jurist was notably president of an honorary section at the Council of State, also president of the sanctions commission of the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF).
Corinne Luquiens
Born on August 28, 1952 in Paris, 66 years old. In office since March 8, 2016 (end of term in March 2025). She was appointed by the President of the National Assembly Claude Bartolone (Socialist Party).
Corinne Luquiens is a graduate of the Paris Institute of Political Studies and has completed postgraduate studies in public law. This senior official was secretary general of the National Assembly, she assisted Claude Bartolone when he was president of the chamber.
Jacques Mezard
Born December 3, 1947 in Aurillac (Cantal), 71 years old. In office since March 12, 2019 (end of term March 2028). He was appointed by the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron (La République en Marche).
Jacques Mézard is a graduate in private law at Assas. A member of the Radical Left Party since 1967, he was Senator for Cantal (2008-2017 and 2018-2019) and joined the government of Édouard Philippe in 2017 as Minister of Agriculture and Food, then he became Minister of Territorial Cohesion until October 2018.
Francois Pillet
Born May 13, 1950 in Bourges (Cher), 68 years old. En function since March 12, 2019 (end of term in March 2028). He was nominated by the President of the Senate Gérard Larcher (Les Républicains).
A graduate in private law, this lawyer was a senator for Les Républicains du Cher (2007-2019) and was notably chairman of the Senate ethics committee from 2015. In 2011, he was one of the main opponents of biometric registration of the population, he was also appointed rapporteur for a working group on improving the effectiveness of “S” files in May 2018. François Pillet was also a titular judge at the Court of Justice of the Republic (2014- 2019).
Alain Juppe
Born August 15, 1945 in Mont-de-Marsan (Landes), 73 years old. In office since March 12, 2019 (end of term in March 2028). He was nominated by the President of the National Assembly, Richard Ferrand (The Republic on the move).
Alain Juppé is a graduate of the Institute of Political Studies in Paris. (IEP) and the National School of Administration (ENA, promotion “Charles de Gaulle”). The former president of the Rally for the Republic (RPR) from 1994 to 1997 and of the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) has not been a member of the Les Républicains party since January 2019. Alain Juppé was notably Prime Minister (1995 -1997) and mayor of Bordeaux (1995-2004 and 2006-2019).
Jacqueline Gourault
Born November 20, 1950 in Montoire (Loir-et-Cher), 72 years old. In office since March 14, 2022 (end of term March 2031). She was appointed by the President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron (La République en Marche).
Jacqueline Gourault holds a degree in History and Geography. She was a member of La République en Marche. She was a UDF senator then MoDem of Loir-et-Cher (2001-2017) before becoming a minister in the governments of Édouard Philippe from 2017 to 2022 and in particular for territorial cohesion and relations with local authorities.
Francois Seners
Born February 4, 1958 in Metz (Moselle), 65 years old. In office since March 14, 2022 (end of term March 2031). He was appointed by Senate President Gérard Larcher (Les Républicains).
François Seners is a graduate of the Institute of Political Studies in Strasbourg and of the National School of Administration (ENA, “Solidarity” class). He was notably secretary general of the Council of State (2012-2014) as well as director of the cabinet of the president of the Senate Gérard Larcher (2014-20177)
Veronique Malbec
Born October 1, 1958 in Mont-de-Marsan (Landes), 64 years old. In office since March 14, 2022 (end of term March 2031). She was appointed by the President of the National Assembly, Richard Ferrand (La République en Marche).
Véronique Malbec is a graduate of the National School for the Judiciary (ENM). She was Secretary General of the Ministry of Justice from 2018 to 2020 and Director of Cabinet of the Keeper of the Seals from 2020 to 2022.