Some political phrases used in the French presidential election
Voter participation/Voter turnout - Taux de
participation
Taux de participation, pronounced “toh de
participah-sion”, literally means “rate of participation”.
In an electoral context, this is used to describe the voter turnout –
the percentage of the voting age population who cast their vote during an
election.
The first round of the French presidential election of 2017 saw 77.8
percent of the eligible population cast their ballot. This figure was highest
among those over 70-years-old, of whom 88 percent voted and lowest among the
18-24 age group, of whom only 71 percent voted. The likelihood of voting
was highest among the wealthy, the well-educated and the rural
population. The second round saw a turnout of 74.6 percent.
The voter turnout tends to be significantly lower in legislative,
municipal and EU parliament elections in France.
The opposite of a taux de participation is a taux
d’abstention – abstention rate.
Voting round - Tour
In French presidential elections, there are two rounds of voting. These
rounds are referred to as tours, pronounced “tore”.
In the first round, the electorate can cast their vote for any of the
official candidates.
The two top scoring candidates from this first round then face off in a
second round, with the highest scoring candidate winning the presidency.
If any of these candidates wins an absolute majority in the first round
of the election (more than 50 percent of the vote) then there is no need for a
second round – this is however extremely unlikely.
The first round of the 2022 election will be held on April 10th and the
second round on April 24th.
Power wash - Kärcher
Valérie Pécresse, a right-wing candidate for France’s The Republicans
party, has taken a tough line on crime so far during this presidential
campaign.
This has best been captured by the phrase: Il faut ressortir le
kärcher – we need to get the power hose out.
Pécresse was using a metaphor, first employed by former Interior
Minister and President Nicolas Sarkozy back in 2005. The implication is that if
elected, she will “power wash” the crime-ridden suburbs of French cities.
A Kärcher, pronounced “car-share”, is a German company that
manufactures power washers.
Primary - Primaire
A primaire, pronounced “pree-mare”, translates to
English as “primary” – a process by which political parties select their
candidate to run for the presidency.
France’s Ecologist Party (EELV) and Socialist Party both held primaries
in 2021, but the drawn out battle to become candidate for The Republicans drew
the most media attention, with Valérie Pécresse seeing off other hopeful’s like
the EU’s former chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier.
Signatures of support/sponsorship - Parrainages
Parrainages, pronounced “pah-rain-arj”, are
signatures of support that presidential candidates in France must collect if
their names are to appear on the ballot on the day of the vote.
To officially stand as a presidential candidate, you need to collect at
least 500 signatures from elected officials like councillors, mayors, MPs and
senators. These signatures must be drawn from at least 30 different départements,
with no more than 50 signatures coming from the same one.
Potential candidates have up until March 4th to collect the required
signatures and submit proof to the Constitutional Council.
Five year term - Quinquennat
Quinquennat, pronounced “can-ken-ah”, is the
name of the five-year terms served by French presidents.
Five-year mandates were introduced for the first time for the 2002
presidential election, following a constitutional referendum two years
earlier. Prior to this, French presidents served seven-year terms, known
as septennats.
La fin du quinquennat approche – the end of
the presidential term is approaching
Ballot/vote/election - Scrutin
Scrutin, pronounced “scroo-tan”, is a word used to
describe “the vote”.
Le jour du scrutin – the day of the vote.
Poll - Sondage
Sondage, pronounced “son-dahj”, is generally used to mean “opinion
poll”.
They are frequently used in French media coverage of elections and
provide a guide as to which issues are important for voters and which
candidates are the most popular.
They should however be taken with a pinch of salt. Experts note that a
number of variables can influence the result of a poll, including timing,
phrasing, whether it is conducted online or in-person and the make-up of the
sample.
Elysée
Elysée, pronounced “Elle-ee-zay”, is used to reference
the Elysée Palace – the residency of the French president since 1848.
It is used as shorthand for talking about the French executive branch
more generally – in the same way that people talk about decisions coming from
the White House or Downing Street.
Emmerder
French President Emmanuel Macron stirred controversy with an interview
that he gave to Le Parisien newspaper in January, with the phrase: Les
non-vaccinés, j’ai très envie de les emmerder – I really want to piss
off the unvaccinated.
The word emmerder, pronounced “eh-merd-eh” can also be
translated as “bother”, “annoy”, “hassle”, “raise hell” – and is considered
very rude.
Macron was criticised for his use of coarse language – although many
French politicians before him have also used inappropriate language
while in office.
Some election vocabulary to help you to follow the news.
ENGLISH | FRENCH |
voting system | système électoral |
election to choose the President | élections présidentielles |
election to choose the regional council | élections régionales |
election campaign | Campagne électorale |
Polling station | Bureau de vote |
to vote for/against | Voter (pour/contre) |
to cast a blank vote | Voter blanc |
to vote tactically | Voter utile |
to vote by secret ballot | Voter à bulletin secret |
a vote | Un vote |
a voter | Electeur |
registered voter | Électeurs inscrits |
ballot paper | Bulletin de vote |
ballot box | Urne (de vote) |
polling booth | Isoloir |
to go to the poll | Se rendre aux urnes |
Counting of votes | Dépouillement |
voting card | Carte d’électeur |
to elect | Élire |
voting age | Âge légal pour voter |
right to vote | Droit de vote |
campaign promises | Promesses électorales |
opinion poll | Sondage d’opinion |
candidate | Candidat |
constituency | Circonscription |
first ballot | Premier tour |
second ballot | Second tour |
turnout at polls | Taux de participation |
referendum | Référendum |
by-election | Élection partielle |
results | Résultats |
abstention rate | le taux d’abstention |
election fraud | Fraude électorale |
re-election | Réélection |
to stand for election | Se présenter aux élections |
to win the election | Remporter les élections |
politics, policy | la politique |
politician | le politique |
Left | Gauche |
Right | Droite |
Center | Centre |
Green party | Ecologiste |
Political party | parti politique |
Extreme | extrème |
It’s that time again, The French are going to the polls to elect their
new president, the president who will take over running the country from
Emmanuel Macron/
The first round of the 2022 French presidential election is set to be
held on 10 April 2022.
Should no candidate win a majority, a run-off election between
the top two candidates will be held on 17 April 2022.
1) Who
was the first president of the French 5th Republic in 1958?
Charles de Gaulle
Winston Churchill
François Cartier
Franklin D
Roosevelt
Jacques Cantana
2) What is the name of the official
residence of the French President ?
La Maison Blanche
Le Gare du Nord
L'Elysée Palace
Le Champs Elysée
Matignon
3) Which president caused a mini scandal
when he touched Queen Elizabeth on the shoulder during a State visit to the UK?
Jacques Chirac
Nicolas Sarkozy
François Hollande
François
Mitterand
Georges Pompidou
4) Which president said that he personally
negotiated in a hostage situation when he was mayor of a small town in the
Paris area?
Charles de Gaulle
François
Mitterand
Nicholas Sarkozy
Valéry Giscard
d'Estaing
Georges Pompidou
5) The salary of the French president is
194, 300 US dollars a year (including expenses). Which other country's
president earns more than that?
Venezuela
South Korea
China
Russia
Ireland
6) Which president died while in office ?
François
Mitterand
Charles de Gaulle
Georges Pompidou
Nicholas Sarkozy
Francois Hollande
7) Which President had a secret daughter
who appeared at his state funeral?
Charles de Gaulle
Valéry Giscard
d'Estaing
Georges Pompidou
François
Mitterand
François Hollande
8) Which president said, "How can you
govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese" ?
Charles de Gaulle
François
Mitterand
Jacques Chirac
Valéry Giscard
d'Estaing
Georges Pompidou
9) Who boasted in his autobiography to
have had a romantic relationship with Princess Diana?
François Hollande
François
Mitterand
Nicholas Sarkozy
Valéry Giscard
d'Estaing
Jacques Chirac
10) Which
president married a pop singer in the first year of his term?
Nicholas Sarkozy
François
Mitterand
Valéry Giscard
d'Estaing
Francois Hollande
Georges Pompidou
11) How many days does the French
presidential election take place over?
One day. Any day,
there is no particular tradition.
One weekend
(Saturday and Sunday)
The last Tuesday
in April.
Over 2 weekends (
on the Sundays)
Two days; the
second Friday and Saturday of April
12) Which president abolished the death
penalty
François
Mitterand
Charles de Gaulle
Georges Pompidou
Valéry Giscard
d'Estaing
Nicolas Sarkozy
13) Which president is the only one to have
studied abroad?
François Hollande
Nicolas Sarkozy
Jacques Chirac
George Washington
Charles de Gaulle
14) The
French president also holds another title, what is it?
Emperor of France
Co-Prince of
Andorra
Duke of
Luxembourg
High Lord of
Paris
Bishop of St
Michel
ANSWERS
1) Who
was the first president of the French 5th Republic in 1958?
Correct Answer: Charles de Gaulle
2) What is the name of the official
residence of the French President ?
Correct Answer: L'Elysée Palace
3) Which president caused a mini scandal
when he touched Queen Elizabeth on the shoulder during a State visit to the UK?
Correct Answer: Jacques Chirac
4) Which president said that he personally
negotiated in a hostage situation when he was mayor of a small town in the
Paris area?
Correct Answer: Nicholas Sarkozy
5) The salary of the French president is
194, 300 US dollars a year (including expenses). Which other country's
president earns more than that?
Correct Answer: Ireland
6) Which president died while in office ?
Correct Answer: Georges Pompidou
7) Which President had a secret daughter
who appeared at his state funeral?
Correct Answer: François Mitterand
8) Which president said, "How can you
govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese" ?
Correct Answer: Charles de Gaulle
9) Who boasted in his autobiography to
have had a romantic relationship with Princess Diana?
Correct Answer: Valéry Giscard d'Estaing
10) Which
president married a pop singer in the first year of his term?
Correct Answer: Nicholas Sarkozy
11) How many days does the French
presidential election take place over?
Correct Answer: Over 2 weekends ( on the Sundays)
12) Which president abolished the death
penalty?
Correct Answer: François Mitterand
13) Which president is the only one to have
studied abroad?
Correct Answer: Jacques Chirac
14) The French president also holds another title, what is it?
Correct Answer: Co-Prince of Andorra