2000 French constitutional referendum

{{infobox referendum

|title=Reduce the term of the President from seven years to five years.

|date={{start date|2000|09|24|df=y}}

|country=France

|flag_year=1974

|yes=7,407,697

|no=2,710,651

|invalid=1,940,340

|electorate=39,941,192

|map=Référendum 2000 - Résultats par département.svg

|map_size=260

|map_division=department

}}

A constitutional referendum was held in France on 24 September 2000.Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p674 {{ISBN|978-3-8329-5609-7}} The proposal to reduce the mandate of the President from seven years to five years was approved by 73.2% of those who voted, but turnout was just 30.2%.Nohlen & Stöver, p687

Background

The idea of a five-year term was discussed during the French parliamentary session of 1848, but rejected in favor of a four-year term. A seven-year term was adopted in 1873 for what became the Third Republic. In 2000, Jacques Chirac led the campaign for the referendum reducing the President's term from seven to five years. After he was re-elected in 2002, his term ended in 2007 rather than 2009. The aim of the quinquennat (five-year term) was for the legislative elections to follow the presidential election (as the presidential election took place in April–May 2007, while the legislative election took place in June), providing similar electoral results and reducing the risk of cohabitation.

Results

Votes !% !Votes !%
class=wikitable style=text-align:right !rowspan=2\|Choice !colspan=2\|Metropolitan France !colspan=2\|Total
align=left\|For	7,372,976	73.2	7,407,697	73.2
align=left\|Against	2,703,657	26.8	2,710,651	26.8
align=left\|Invalid/blank votes	1,939,282	–	1,940,340	–
align=left\|Total	12,015,915	100	12,058,688	100
align=left\|Registered voters/turnout	39,631,063	30.3	39,941,192	30.2
align=left colspan=6\|Source: Nohlen & Stöver

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20090209223333/http://www.conseil-constitutionnel.fr/conseil-constitutionnel/francais/les-decisions/depuis-1958/decisions-par-date/2000/resultats-referendum-2000/decision-resultats-referendum-2000-du-28-septembre-2000.485.html Proclamation of the results of the referendum of 24 September 2000], Constitutional Council of France, 28 September 2000
[http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000000766148&dateTexte=20090729 Decree 2000-655 of 12 July 2000], from the President of France, submitting a constitutional amendment to referendum
[https://www.theguardian.com/international/story/0,,373235,00.html "French poll sounds alarm to political elite"]. The Guardian, 26 September 2000

Category:Term limits

Constitutional referendum

France

Category:Constitutional amendments

Category:Referendums in France

Category:Constitutional referendums in France