French Society and Political System before the 2022 Presidential Election

The course examines the history of presidential elections in France, in particular under the Fifth Republic. The 2022 presidential election will be the 11th with universal direct suffrage. How have presidential elections changed during the more than half century of the Fifth Republic? How have successive presidents influenced their evolution? How have changes in society influenced presidential elections? What is the state of the French political life in 2021 after the numerous crises it has endured? Finally, how does our current crisis of democracy impact this presidential moment?



Required texts :

• • Philippe Raynaud, L’esprit de la Ve Republique, Paris, Perrin, 2017. ISBN : 978-2-262-03444-3

• Pascal Perrineau, dir., Le vote disruptif. Les élections présidentielle et législatives de 2017, Paris, Sciences Po Les Presses, 2017. ISBN 9782724621655