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How a law is voted (1/2)
The Government can present a government bill (projet de loi). Parliament (députés or senators) can present a private member's bill (proposition de loi).
Key points of the sheet
- For a government bill, a ministry prepares a text under the control of the Prime Minister. The Council of State examines it, then the Council of Ministers adopts it.
- The bill is submitted to a parliamentary committee (commission parlementaire). It examines the text and appoints a rapporteur to change it (amendments).
- The text is then discussed and amended in public sessions. Each article and each amendment is voted one by one, then the whole text is approved.
- The National Assembly and the Senate must approve an identical text so that it can be applied. The law is the expression of the general will.
- Parliamentary shuttle (navette parlementaire): the text goes back to the National Assembly, then to the Senate, and can still be discussed and amended. If they disagree, a joint committee of 7 députés and 7 senators looks for a compromise text.
- If the committee does not reach an agreement, the National Assembly has the last word.
- 60 députés or 60 senators can refer the text to the Constitutional Council. It checks that the text respects the Constitution.
- The President of the Republic promulgates the law. Then it is published in the Journal Officiel.
Words to know
- government bill (projet de loi)
- It is a bill presented by the Government.
- private member's bill (proposition de loi)
- It is a bill presented by députés or senators.
- parliamentary committee (commission parlementaire)
- It examines the bill and gives a report on the subject.
- rapporteur
- It is the person appointed by the committee to change the text.
- amendments (amendements)
- They are changes to the text of the bill.
- parliamentary shuttle (navette parlementaire)
- The text goes back to the National Assembly, then to the Senate, and can still be amended.
- joint committee (commission mixte paritaire)
- It has 7 députés and 7 senators and looks for a compromise text.
- Constitutional Council (Conseil constitutionnel)
- It checks that the text of the law respects the Constitution.
Test yourself: 3 questions
Who makes up a joint committee (commission mixte paritaire)?
In French, the language of the exam: Qui compose une commission mixte paritaire ?
The joint committee is made up of 7 députés and 7 senators.
Without agreement in the joint committee, who has the last word?
In French, the language of the exam: Sans accord en commission mixte paritaire, qui a le dernier mot ?
If the committee does not reach an agreement, the National Assembly has the last word.
How many députés can refer a law to the Constitutional Council?
In French, the language of the exam: Combien de députés peuvent saisir le Conseil constitutionnel ?
The Constitutional Council can be referred to by 60 députés or 60 senators.
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Questions on the ministry's list that rest on this sheet
- Does the President of the Republic have all the powers?
- What is the law the expression of?
- What is the legislative power? It is the power to:
- What is the role of deputies?
- What is one role of the Government?
More in this topic (Democracy and the right to vote)
Source
Sheet “Comment voter une loi (1/2)” of the French Ministry of the Interior: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr. Content published under the Etalab Open Licence 2.0. This page is a plain-language adaptation made by Hexaciv, which is not an official site: if in doubt, the ministry's text is the one that counts.
Ministry sheet read on 23 October 2026, still identical on 25 October 2026.