Two political orientations within the executive

Cohabitation refers to a situation in which the President of the Republic belongs to a political camp opposed to the majority in the National Assembly, on whose support the Prime Minister relies.

How the institutions function

The President retains their constitutional powers. The Government determines and conducts the policy of the Nation and remains accountable to the National Assembly. The exercise of executive power therefore requires coexistence between different political orientations.

Key point: cohabitation means neither a change of Constitution nor the disappearance of the presidency of the Republic.