France – Election result (Senate)

The French Senate is indirectly elected. There are now 343 seats. Senators (for the last time – changes roll out in 2011) are elected for 9 years with one-third being elected every 3 years (in 2001 it will be for 6 years with one-half being elected every 3 years). The electorate is based on elected representatives in each department. There is a slightly different method of election depending on the size of the department and the number of Senators to be returned. In short, it’s a pretty complicated system, but, there’s a bottom line.

Given the electoral college comprises all elected representatives, it includes mayors of the very smallest rural communities. In general, these people tend to be on the right. So, the Senate has had a right-wing majority for the history of the Fifth Republic.

In the 2008 election, this situation did not change. The right lost 11 seats and the left (the Socialists, actually, not the Communists) gained 22 seats. However, the right still has a decent overall majority (178/339 seats).

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