Congress of the French Parliament

The Congress of the French Parliament, known in French as the Congrès du Parlement français, is the institutional name used when the two chambers of France's present-day Parliament—the National Assembly and the Senate—meet together. Unlike an ordinary parliamentary sitting, the Congress is a special joint assembly convened at the Palace of Versailles, in the meeting hall located in the southern wing of the Château of Versailles. Its principal constitutional function is to consider certain proposed revisions to the Constitution of the Fifth Republic. It can also be convened to hear an address by the President of the French Republic. The Congress should not be confused with a permanent third chamber or an independent legislative institution. It is an assembled body made up of all deputies and senators, and its officers and presiding arrangements are those of the National Assembly. The joint sitting therefore combines members elected to the lower house with members of the upper house for narrowly defined constitutional and ceremonial purposes. The venue at Versailles reflects a long French parliamentary tradition in which exceptional meetings of both chambers have taken place outside the ordinary parliamentary buildings in Paris. Under Article 89 of the Constitution of the Fifth Republic, a constitutional revision may be initiated by members of Parliament through a parliamentary proposal or by the President of the Republic on the initiative of the Prime Minister through a government bill. The ordinary route for constitutional revision is a referendum. For a government bill, however, the President may choose to submit the text to Parliament convened in Congress instead of putting it to a referendum. In that case, the revision must receive a three-fifths majority of the votes cast by the members of Congress. This procedure gives the Congress a decisive role in constitutional amendment while reserving its use for a special form of parliamentary approval rather than ordinary lawmaking. The Congress also acquired a renewed public role after the 2008 constitutional revision. Article 18 allows the President to address Parliament convened in Congress. The presidential statement may be followed by a debate, but the debate does not produce a vote. This mechanism changed the earlier constitutional practice under which the President did not normally address Parliament directly. Nicolas Sarkozy was the first president to use the restored power, speaking before Congress at Versailles on 22 June 2009. François Hollande later addressed Congress on 16 November 2015 in the aftermath of the November 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris. Emmanuel Macron addressed Congress on 3 July 2017 and stated an intention to use the forum annually, reinforcing its role as a venue for major presidential statements. The Congress has historical predecessors. During the Third Republic, the combined meeting of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate was called the National Assembly and met at Versailles for purposes including presidential elections and constitutional amendments. During the Fourth Republic, the equivalent gathering joined the National Assembly and the Council of the Republic, and it was used to elect the President of the Republic. René Coty, elected on 23 December 1953, was the last French president chosen through this parliamentary procedure. Under the Fifth Republic, presidential election is conducted by direct popular vote, so the Congress's functions have centered on constitutional revision and presidential addresses. The institution also has a minor philatelic association. Meetings of the French Congress may prompt the operation of a temporary post office and the use of a special cancellation mark. Mail processed through that facility is collected by philatelists, who sometimes ask deputies or senators to send correspondence bearing the Congress cancellation. The practice illustrates the ceremonial and exceptional character of the gathering, although it is not a commercial product line or a core institutional function.

The Congress of the French Parliament is the modern designation for the exceptional gathering of France's two parliamentary chambers in a single sitting. Under the Fifth Republic, it brings together the National Assembly and the Senate at the Palace of Versailles. The arrangement has historical roots in earlier republican constitutional systems, when the two houses also met at Versailles for matters considered too important or exceptional for ordinary parliamentary proceedings. During the Third Republic, the joint body formed by the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate was known as the National Assembly. It met at Versailles for the election of the President of the Republic and for constitutional amendments. During the Fourth Republic, the corresponding assembly joined the National Assembly with the Council of the Republic, the predecessor of the modern Senate. It continued to serve as the electoral body for the presidency, and René Coty, elected on 23 December 1953, was the last French president selected through this parliamentary process. The constitutional framework changed substantially under the Fifth Republic. The President is now elected by direct popular vote, removing presidential election from the Congress's functions. Its principal continuing constitutional role is approval of certain government-sponsored constitutional revisions. Article 89 permits constitutional amendments to begin either as a parliamentary proposal from deputies or senators or as a government bill introduced by the President on the initiative of the Prime Minister. The normal route is a referendum. When the President submits a government bill to Parliament convened in Congress, however, the text can be approved by a three-fifths majority of votes cast instead of being submitted to a national referendum. The Congress's public role expanded after the 2008 constitutional revision, which amended Article 18 to permit the President to address Parliament convened in Congress. The address is not an ordinary legislative debate: members may debate the statement afterward, but no vote is held on it. Nicolas Sarkozy made the first use of this power on 22 June 2009. François Hollande used the forum on 16 November 2015 after the attacks in Paris, while Emmanuel Macron spoke before Congress on 3 July 2017 and expressed an intention to make such addresses annual. Organizationally, the Congress consists of the deputies and senators assembled in the meeting hall in the southern wing of Versailles. Its president and officers are those of the National Assembly, reflecting the Assembly's procedural primacy in the joint sitting. The meeting is therefore temporary and purpose-specific rather than a separately administered chamber with its own permanent membership, electoral system, or legislative program. The Versailles meetings have also generated a small philatelic tradition. A temporary post office and special cancellation mark may be established for a Congress sitting, and correspondence bearing the mark is sought by stamp collectors. This peripheral practice underscores the exceptional ceremonial status of the gathering, whose main importance remains constitutional: it provides a formal setting in which the two houses act together on constitutional questions or receive a presidential address.

• 2017

  Macron addresses Congress and proposes regular use

  [1]Congress of the French Parliamenten.wikipedia.org

  Emmanuel Macron spoke to Congress on 3 July 2017 and indicated that he planned to address the joint assembly each year.

• 2015

  Hollande addresses Congress after the Paris attacks

  [1]Congress of the French Parliamenten.wikipedia.org

  François Hollande addressed the joint sitting on 16 November 2015 in response to the November terrorist attacks in Paris.

• 2009

  First presidential address under the revised Article 18

  [1]Congress of the French Parliamenten.wikipedia.org

  Nicolas Sarkozy became the first president to address Parliament convened in Congress under the post-2008 constitutional rules.

• 2008

  Constitutional revision authorizes presidential addresses

  [1]Congress of the French Parliamenten.wikipedia.org

  A revision of Article 18 created the modern constitutional basis for the President to address Parliament convened in Congress, with a possible debate but no vote.

• 1953

  René Coty becomes the last president elected by Parliament

  [1]Congress of the French Parliamenten.wikipedia.org

  René Coty was elected President of France on 23 December 1953 by the parliamentary assembly used under the Fourth Republic, making him the last French president chosen through this procedure.

• Third Republic joint assemblies meet at Versailles

  [1]Congress of the French Parliamenten.wikipedia.org

  During the Third Republic, the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate met together as the National Assembly at Versailles for presidential elections and constitutional amendments.

A constitutional and ceremonial joint assembly of France's two parliamentary chambers, used at Versailles for qualified constitutional votes and presidential addresses rather than ordinary legislation.

• 2008

  Restore presidential access to Parliament through CongressStrategy

  Background

  The 2008 constitutional revision altered Article 18 and created a formal mechanism for the President to speak directly to both chambers assembled together.

  Action taken

  The Constitution was revised to permit a presidential statement before Parliament convened in Congress, followed by debate without a vote.

  Aftermath

  The procedure was first used by Nicolas Sarkozy in 2009 and subsequently became a venue for major presidential statements.

  Source

• Use of Congress for constitutional revisionStrategy

  Background

  Article 89 establishes a parliamentary alternative to a referendum for certain government-sponsored constitutional revisions.

  Action taken

  The President may submit a government constitutional bill to Parliament convened in Congress at Versailles.

  Aftermath

  Approval requires a three-fifths majority of votes cast by the members of Congress, after which the constitutional revision can proceed under the applicable constitutional rules.

  Source

1. 1Congress of the French Parliamenten.wikipedia.org