The Prime Minister as Majority Leader

The article analyses the ambiguous role played by the prime minister as “majority leader” under the Fifth Republic, a title that is often referred to but is not mentioned in the Constitution. Although this role is frequently attributed to him in political speeches, its recognition depends on the political balance of forces, on the political capital of the prime minister and on his ability to mobilise his majority. With the strengthening of presidential power in 1962 and, more recently, the establishment of the five-year mandate, the leadership of the prime minister has become a complex power game influenced by the relations with the president and the changing institutional arrangements.