The Web of Accountability

The Fifth Republic emerged from the ashes of parliamentary instability with a clear bias toward executive efficiency. Yet over six decades, a complex system of checks and balances has evolved—some inherited, some created, some imposed by European integration. This web of accountability operates through formal institutions and informal practices, constitutional provisions and political conventions, creating a distinctive pattern of controlled power that defies simple categorization as either presidential or parliamentary democracy.

Understanding French checks and balances requires moving beyond American-style separation of powers or Westminster parliamentary supremacy. The French system operates through institutional interpenetration, where bodies designed for one purpose evolve to serve others, where political practice matters as much as constitutional text, and where the balance point shifts with electoral results and political dynamics. This flexibility provides resilience but also creates ambiguity about where ultimate authority rests.