Context: Recently, French Prime Minister François Bayrou resigned after losing a vote of confidence, plunging the country into a fresh political crisis.
Comparison between India & France’s Democratic Setup
| Feature | India | France |
| Head of State
(President) |
● Appointment: Indirectly elected by an Electoral College (Parliament + elected members of State Assemblies).
● Powers: Mostly ceremonial; real executive power rests with the Council of Ministers led by the PM. ● Term: 5 years. ● Removal: By impeachment (requires special majority of both Houses). ● Nature: Nominal Executive. |
● Appointment: Directly elected by universal adult suffrage (two-round system).
● Powers: Very powerful – Commander-in-Chief, can dissolve the National Assembly, call referendums, appoint PM, preside over Council of Ministers. ● Term: 5 years (originally 7 years, reduced in 2000). ● Removal: Can be impeached by Parliament sitting as High Court in case of failure of duties (rare and difficult). ● Nature: Real Executive |
| Head of Government
(Prime Minister) |
● Appointment: Leader of the majority party/coalition in the Lok Sabha, appointed formally by the President.
● Powers: Real executive authority; chairs Cabinet, responsible to Lok Sabha, controls administration and policy. ● Term: 5 years, but depends on majority in Lok Sabha. |
● Appointment: Appointed by the President. Must command a majority in the National Assembly (else “cohabitation” occurs).
● Powers: Runs day-to-day government, introduces legislation, but overshadowed by President if both share political alignment. ● Term: Not fixed; depends on support of National Assembly + President. |
| Legislature | ● Lok Sabha: Directly elected, 5 years (unless dissolved earlier).
● Rajya Sabha: Indirectly elected, permanent body with 1/3rd retiring every 2 years. ● Powers: Makes laws, controls finances, holds govt accountable. Lok Sabha is more powerful in money matters. |
● National Assembly (Lower House): Directly elected, 5 years, can be dissolved by President. Holds greater power.
● Senate (Upper House): Indirectly elected by local representatives, 6 years (1/2 renewed every 3 years). More consultative, weaker than Assembly. |
| Judiciary | ● Structure: Unified system: Supreme Court (apex), High Courts, Subordinate courts.
● Appointment: Judges of SC/HC appointed by President after collegium recommendation. ● Powers: Independent judiciary with power of judicial review (can strike down unconstitutional laws). ● Term: SC judges retire at 65, HC judges at 62. ● Removal: By impeachment (difficult; requires special majority in Parliament). |
● Structure: Dual system: Cour de cassation (highest civil/criminal court), Conseil d’État (highest administrative court). Separate Constitutional Council for constitutional review.
● Appointment: Constitutional Council members partly appointed by President, Speaker of Assembly, Speaker of Senate; judges of ordinary courts appointed by executive. ● Powers: Constitutional Council reviews constitutionality of laws (ex-ante review), but ordinary courts cannot strike down laws (no broad judicial review powers). ● Term: Constitutional Council members serve 9 years (1/3 renewed every 3 years). ● Removal: Normally fixed tenure, not removable easily. |
| Elections | ● Conducting Authority: Election Commission of India supervises all elections.
● FPTP (First Past the Post) for Lok Sabha. |
● Conducting Authority: Ministry of Interior conducts elections; Constitutional Council supervises presidential/legislative elections & referendums.
● Two-round system for President & National Assembly elections |
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