_#_Legal system: civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative but not legislative acts
_#_National holiday: Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
_#_Executive branch: president, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
_#_Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament (Parlement) consists of an upper house or Senate (Senat) and a lower house or National Assembly (Assemblee Nationale)
_#_Judicial branch: Court of Cassation (Cour de Cassation)
_#_Leaders:
Chief of State—President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981);
Head of Government—Prime Minister Edith CRESSON (since 15 May 1991)
_#_Political parties and leaders:
Rally for the Republic (RPR, formerly UDR), Jacques CHIRAC;
Union for French Democracy (UDF, federation of PR, CDS, and RAD),
Valery Giscard d'ESTAING;
Republican Party (PR), Gerard LONGUET;
Center for Social Democrats (CDS), Pierre MEHAIGNERIE;
Radical (RAD), Yves GALLARD;
Socialist Party (PS), Pierre MAUROY;
Left Radical Movement (MRG), Yves COLLIN;
Communist Party (PCF), Georges MARCHAIS;
National Front (FN), Jean-Marie LE PEN
_#_Suffrage: universal at age 18