2000 French constitutional referendum

A constitutional referendum was held in France on 24 September 2000. The proposals would result in the mandate of the President being reduced from seven years to five years in line with terms in office in other European countries. It was approved by 73.2% of voters, although turnout was just 30.2%.

Background

The idea of a 5-year term was evoked during the French parliamentary session of 1848, but rejected in favor of a 4-year term. The idea was re-introduced by Georges Pompidou in 1973, who failed to enact it. In the year 2000, Jacques Chirac led a referendum reducing the president's term from seven to five years. Thus, when he was elected in 2002, he was the first president to serve a five-year term.

The aim of the quinquennat (five-year term) was to have the legislative election immediately succeed the presidential election (as in 2007, the presidential election took place in April–May 2007, while the legislative election took place in June), thus providing similar electoral results and reducing the risk of a cohabitation.

Results

Choice	Metropolitan France		Total
	Votes	%	Votes	%
For	7,372,976	73.2	7,407,697	73.2
Against	2,703,657	26.8	2,710,651	26.8
Invalid/blank votes	1,939,282	–	1,940,340	–
Total	12,015,915	100	12,058,688	100
Registered voters/turnout	39,631,063	30.3	39,941,192	30.2
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

See also

• Constitutional amendments under the Fifth French Republic
• Sexenio (Mexico)
• fr:Quinquennat (politique) ... This article in French cites Article 6 of the Constitution of the Fifth Republic

External links

• Proclamation of the results of the referendum of 24 September 2000, Constitutional Council of France, 28 September 2000
• Decree 2000-655 of 12 July 2000, from the President of France, submitting a constitutional amendment to referendum
• "French poll sounds alarm to political elite". The Guardian, 26 September 2000