French Constitutional Law

French Constitutional Law provides the first systematic presentation in English of judicial review of legislation in contemporary France. Created by the Constitution of the Fifth Republic in 1958, the Conseil Constitutionnel has had an increasingly important place in French legal and political life, especially since 1981.

Part One of the book is an introduction to the Conseil and to the principles it has developed on the allocation of law-making powers between Parliament and the Government, parliamentary procedure, fundamental freedoms, and equality. Part Two is a collection of key materials translated into English, including constitutional texts and leading decisions of the Conseil Constitutionnel.