How many constitutions have the French had?

Answer 1

At least fifteen, not all of which were put into force.

This high number is partly due to the political turmoil in France in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and partly due to the fact that a French constitution would usually be entirely re-written rather than amended gradually.

As an absolute monarchy, France had no constitutional document; it relied on tradition and precedent to determine how the kingdom worked.

During the French Revolution (beginning in 1789) there were a number of attempts to write a French constitution. The first was written in 1791 and made France a constitutional monarchy, like Great Britain. A second, republican constitution was written in 1793 but never implemented. There were two more republican constitutions in 1795 (establishing the Directory) and 1799 (establishing the Consulate).

A new constitution revised the earlier one in 1801, creating the position of First Consul for Napoleon Bonaparte. Two years later another constitution created the French Empire, with Napoleon as Emperor.

After Napoleon was deposed, in 1814 the House of Bourbon was restored under King Louis XVIII. This time, Louis ruled as a constitutional monarch under the Charter of 1814. But this Charter was overthrown in less than a year when Napoleon escaped his exile in Elba and returned to France.

Napoleon created a new constitution for the Empire, but this also lasted only a short time, because he was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo and sent back into exile (the so-called "Hundred Days" of 1815).

After this, the House of Bourbon ruled under a new monarchial constitution, the Charter of 1815, the basic principles of which were to remain France's constitution until 1848.

In 1830, King Charles X was deposed in favour of King Louis-Philippe (the "Citizen King") and the Charter was amended. This probably counts as a new constitution, although the governmental structure was not that different compared to previous revolutions.

Another revolution in 1848 deposed Louis and re-created France as a republic, with yet another republican constitution.

This constitution lasted until 1852, when the President (Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte) crowned himself Emperor Napoleon III and created a new constitution, ruling as a constitutional monarch.

Napoleon III ruled until 1871, when France was defeated in the Fraco-Prussian war. France was declared a republic again (the Third Republic), and it stayed that way until the French defeat in World War II in 1940.

The French government surrendered to the Germans, and Marchal Phillipe Petain (a World War I hero) declared himself ruler of France and led a military dictatorship in the town of Vichy. This pro-Nazi government was not accepted by the Free French movement.

The Vichy government was overthrown when the Allies liberated France in 1944. A temporary government under President Charles de Galle was established, with a temporary constitution. In 1946, a permanent republican constitution was adopted (the "Fourth Republic").

The Fourth Republic lasted until 1958, when the government collapsed. A new constitution was written and Charles de Galle returned as President. This is the "Fifth Republic" and this constitution, with amendments, governs France today.

Answer 2

When I studied this at University, I counted 23.

For one glorious morning, which happened to be the morning of the Constitutional History exam, I knew by heart the details of all of them.

Answer 3

There were two constitutions both because of French rebellions