File n° 20 

The political groups are the formal representation of political parties and movements in the National Assembly. They are nonetheless distinct from these and in fact the Rules of Procedure make provision for the setting-up and the organizing of political groups in a way which is completely autonomous of the legal system applied to political parties.

I. – rules for the setting-up of political groups

The Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly state that “M.P.s may form themselves into groups according to their political affinities”.

To be created, a group must meet two conditions:

―   It must bring together a minimum number of M.P.s, fixed at twenty in the National Assembly since 1988;

―   It must transmit to the President's office a political statement signed by its members and put forward by the chairman they have chosen.

An M.P. may only be a member of one political group.

It is also possible, with the authorization of the Bureau of a group, to be a part of that group, not as a fully-fledged member but as an aligned member.

The aligned members are not counted in the minimum number necessary for the setting-up of a group but they are included in the group numbers concerning all other aspects of parliamentary life.

Nonetheless it is not compulsory to be a member of or to be aligned to a group. M.P.s who are in such a position are listed as “belonging to no group” and are usually referred to as “non-enrolled”.

Changes may occur after the initial setting-up of a group. In the case of new membership or alignment, the double signature of the chairman and the M.P. in question are required whilst in the case of expulsion or resignation only the signature of one or the other is necessary.

The Rules of Procedure also state that no group which presents itself as a group lobbying for private, local or professional interests and forcing its members to accept a binding vote, can be created.

II. – the internal organisation of political groups

The groups are free to decide upon their own internal organization and their own procedures (they may thus draw up their own statutes and standing orders). The groups are serviced by an administrative secretariat which they recruit but whose conditions of access to and working arrangements in the National Assembly are decided upon by the Bureau. The National Assembly provides the groups with a financial contribution to ensure their proper running. This contribution varies according to the number of members in the group.

Political groups usually meet once a week.

The political position of groups at the National Assembly is symbolized by their seating in the plenary chamber, from the “left” to the “right” of the President’s desk.

At the beginning of a Parliament, the President brings together their representatives in order to “divide the chamber up politically”. This in fact means the creation of sectors which will be given over to each group for the seating of their members in the chamber. Each group then provides each of its members with a seat within the sector. This seat will then be fitted with the member’s individual voting panel.

III. – the Role of political groups
 in the working of the National Assembly

The role of political groups in the working of the National Assembly and in the organization of its work can be seen in many areas.

1. – The representation of political groups in the Bureau and in standing committees

The groups play a role in the setting-up of the internal bodies of the National Assembly, by providing, in accordance with the legal rules or established customs, the appointments to many positions.

The Bureau is thus elected with “every endeavour being made to ensure that it reflects the political make-up of the Assembly”, i.e. on the basis of an agreement ensuring a balanced distribution between the groups of the different positions (Vice-presidents, Questeurs, Secretaries).

In the standing committees the groups have a number of seats proportional to their size, with each group free to distribute its members between the various standing committees within its quota.

The participation of groups is also required in the setting-up of any body based on proportional representation (ad hoc committees, committees of inquiry, parliamentary offices) or in the distribution of positions based on rules respecting the pluralism of political groups (mixed joint committees, representation in extra-parliamentary bodies, attribution of the chairmanship of study or friendship groups).

2. –  Participation in debates in plenary sitting

The exercise of certain rights concerning the work in plenary sitting, especially those concerning the rights of speaking, are carried out through the political groups.

This is the case when the Conference of Presidents decides on the organization of a general discussion on bills, of debates on Government statements as well as on motions of censure. In these cases an allotted speaking time is given to each group, which then, in practice, has the responsibility of distributing it amongst the speakers it appoints.

In the same way, the organization of question time is based on the allotment of a time slot (Government questions) or of a quota (oral questions without debate) to each group whose management is in the hands of the group itself.

Similarly, the explanations of votes on the complete text of a bill are made through a single speech given by a representative appointed by each group.

IV. – the prerogatives of the chairmen of political groups

1. –  The Conference of Presidents

The chairmen of groups are members by right of the Conference of Presidents and thus take part in the discussion on the drawing-up of the order of business and on the organizational measures which are associated with it. The special status of this participation should be underlined, as when a vote occurs within the Conference of Presidents, quite a rare event in fact, each chairman of a political group is granted a number of votes equal to the number of members of his group (minus those who already participate in the Conference in another capacity: vice-presidents, chairmen of committees).

2. – The prerogatives of the chairmen of political groups in the legislative procedure

In addition, the chairmen of political groups have a substantial number of prerogatives concerning the legislative procedure and the holding of plenary sittings. Thus the Rules of Procedure (or, in certain cases, custom) recognize their right, in particular, to:

― Ask for the setting-up of a ad hoc committee (or to oppose it);

― Obtain, by right, the adjournment of a sitting in order to organize a meeting of their group;

―  Hold a public ballot when they ask for it;

― Ask, personally during the sitting, for the verification of the quorum when a vote is held;

― Ask for the inclusion in the additional order of business, of Members’ bills or, since 1995, to provide the agenda of the sittings allotted to their group among the sittings reserved for a parliamentary order of business;

― Propose the implementation of the simplified procedures for examination (or oppose it);

― Obtain, by right, a debate in plenary sitting of a motion concerning European instruments;

― Obtain, once a year, the right to have a motion proposing the setting-up of a committee of inquiry debated in plenary sitting.

In addition, the electoral code makes provision that, during the organization of a general election campaign, the distribution of broadcasting time provided by the national public radio and television channels, shall be carried out by agreement between the chairmen of the parliamentary political groups of the National Assembly or, if such agreement cannot be reached, by the Bureau, specially enlarged to include the chairmen of the political groups.