Separation des pouvoirs

The separation of powers is a fundamental principle of French political organization, theorized by Montesquieu in the 18th century. It distinguishes three powers: the legislative power (which makes laws, exercised by Parliament), the executive power (which enforces laws, exercised by the President and the Government), and the judicial power (which oversees the application of laws and settles disputes, exercised by the courts). This separation aims to prevent the concentration of power and to guarantee individual freedoms. It is at the heart of how the Fifth Republic functions.