Le senateur francais - 1875-1995

The french senator - 1875-1995

• Auteur / Autrice : François Chevalier
• Direction : Pierre Pactet
• Type : Thèse de doctorat
• Discipline(s) : Droit public
• Date : Soutenance en 1996
• Etablissement(s) : Paris 11

Résumé

De 1875 a 1995, le senateur occupe une place de choix au sein du paysage constitutionnel et politique francais. Cette constance remarquable merite l'attention. L'etude de la permanence des principes du recrutement senatorial comporte deux aspects. Le premier consiste a souligner la continuite de son organisation qui s'est imposee a travers trois regimes. L'analyse doit constater aussi l'absence d'alternative plausible, ou l'impossibilite de mettre en place une solution de remplacement. S'il faut, ensuite, se demander si un representant doit etre representatif, une constatation se degage : le systeme senatorial est affecte par des inegalites, tant au niveau departemental que communal. Celles-ci sont inevitables. La consequence de cette situation est une composition et une tradition politiques originales et differentes de celles de la chambre basse. L'explication tient au fait que le senateur est le reflet d'elections intermediaires volontiers protestataires qui le portent naturellement a occuper un role de contre-pouvoir indispensable. Un portrait socio-professionnel des senateurs complete ce panorama. Enfin, la conclusion demontre que la decentralisation renforce les assises de la seconde chambre et confirme la legitimite, difficilement contestable desormais de ses membres.

From 1875 to 1995, the senator is getting a first choice position in the constitutional and political french life. Such a prominent constan cy is worth thinking over. The study of permanence of senator's recruiting comprises two aspects. The first one consists in laying stress on its organisation's continuity which enforced through three regimes. Also the analysis have to find out the absence of plausible option or the impossibility to place a substitution's solution in position. After, if it's necessary to ask if a member of parliament must be representative, a fact is coming out : the senatorial system is affec ted by inequalities at the department's level as well as at the town's level. This inequalities are unavoidable. This situation's consequence is a political and original composition and tradition, different from those of the lower chamber. The explanation shows that the senator is reflecting intermediate elections, often protesting, which are bringing him to assume an essential counter-power mission. A socio-professional description of senators is completing this panorama. At least the conclusion is demonstrating that decentralisation strengthens second chamber's foundations and confirms the henceforth hardly contestable legitimity of its members.