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Presentation of the main texts (2/3): the Constitution of the Fifth Republic
This sheet presents the main texts that guarantee fundamental rights. It explains the notions of Constitution and constitutional block (bloc de constitutionnalité).
Key points of the sheet
- A Constitution is a founding act. With it, a society sets its identity and its organisation. The Constitution of 4 October 1958 is the founding text of the Fifth Republic. It is the one applied today.
- The articles of the Constitution set the organisation of the State and the features of the political regime. They also set the main fundamental rights and freedoms and how they are guaranteed for all citizens.
- General de Gaulle's Government wrote it in less than three months, during a political crisis linked to the Algerian war. It was approved by referendum with 82% of the votes on 28 September 1958, then adopted on 4 October 1958.
- The Constitution is very hard to change. For example, in 1962 a constitutional referendum decided that the president is elected by direct suffrage.
- The Constitution has a Preamble and 108 articles in 17 parts. The Preamble refers to 3 founding texts.
- These texts are the Declaration of 1789, the Preamble of 1946 and the Charter for the Environment of 2004. With the Constitution, they form the constitutional block (bloc de constitutionnalité).
- The constitutional block is the highest legal reference. All French laws must respect it. The Constitutional Council makes sure the Constitution is respected.
- In the Preamble, the French people proclaim their attachment to the rights of man and to the principles of national sovereignty, defined by the Declaration of 1789, confirmed and completed by the 1946 preamble. The Republic offers the overseas territories that wish it new institutions, based on the common ideal of liberty, equality and fraternity.
Words to know
- Constitution
- It is a founding act by which a society sets its identity and its organisation.
- referendum (référendum)
- Citizens vote "yes" or "no" to a question asked by the President of the Republic.
- constitutional block (bloc de constitutionnalité)
- It is the 1958 Constitution and three founding texts; it is the highest legal reference.
- indirect suffrage (suffrage indirect)
- It is an election by electors (grands électeurs).
- direct suffrage (suffrage direct)
- It is an election by the citizens themselves.
- Constitutional Council (Conseil constitutionnel)
- It is in charge of making sure the Constitution, the supreme norm in French law, is respected.
- The Charter for the Environment of 2004 (La Charte de l’environnement de 2004)
- It is one of the 3 founding texts named in the Preamble of the Constitution.
Test yourself: 3 questions
By what percentage of the votes was the Constitution approved by referendum in 1958?
In French, the language of the exam: Avec quel score la Constitution est-elle approuvée par référendum en 1958 ?
The Constitution was approved by referendum with 82% of the votes on 28 September 1958.
How many articles does the Constitution of 4 October 1958 have?
In French, the language of the exam: Combien d'articles compte la Constitution du 4 octobre 1958 ?
The Constitution has a Preamble and 108 articles organised in 17 parts.
Which text from 2004 is part of the constitutional block?
In French, the language of the exam: Quel texte de 2004 fait partie du bloc de constitutionnalité ?
The Charter for the Environment of 2004 is one of the 3 founding texts of the constitutional block.
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Questions on the ministry's list that rest on this sheet
- What year is the Constitution of the Fifth Republic from?
- Which route can be used to change the Constitution?
- What is the role of the Conseil constitutionnel (Constitutional Council)?
- What is the current Constitution of France called?
- What is the Constitution?
- What does the Constitution contain?
More in this topic (Fundamental rights)
- Presentation of the main texts (1/3): the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen
- Citizenship
- A fundamental right: the right to make decisions about your own body
Source
Sheet “Présentation des principaux textes (2/3) : La Constitution de la Vème République” 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.