FRANCE
Parliamentary Chamber: Sénat

ELECTIONS HELD IN 2001

<<< Return to the Historical Archive page of parliamentary election results for FRANCE <<<

Chamber:
  Sénat


Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):
  23 September 2001


Purpose of elections:
  Elections were held for one-third (102) of the seats in the Senate on the normal expiry of the members' term of office.


Background and outcome of elections:
  The purpose of the three-yearly vote held on 23 September 2001 was to fill 102 seats in the Senate, 94 of which were seats for "B" series metropolitan departments (from the department of Indre-et-Loire to that of Pyrénées-Orientales).

The coalition of the left improved its score in the elections. The Socialist Group gained seven seats, while the Communist Group added four seats to its total. The Greens are now represented in the Senate for the first time, following the election of a woman senator.

The Rally for the Republic (RPR) remains the most important group in the Senate, despite the loss of three seats. As for the RPR's other fellow members in the right's Senate majority, the Centrist Union (UC) picked up seats (+4), while the Republicans and Independents lost 6 seats.

In all, there are 60 first-timers in the new Senate, including 15 women Senators.

On 2 October 2001, the Senate re-elected Mr. Christian Poncelet as President.

STATISTICS

Round no 1: Distribution of seats  
Political Group Total
Socialist Party (PS) 29
Union for French Democracy (UDF) 28
Rally for the Republic (RPR) 26
Communist Party (PC) 8
Various Right 5
Liberal Democracy (DL) 3
Left Radical 2
Greens 1

Comments:
  The numerical strength of the various Senate groups, including attached and associated members, is now as follows :
  • Rally for the Republic (RPR) : 96
  • Socialists : 83
  • Centrist Union (UC) : 53
  • Republicains and Independents : 40
  • Republican, Communist and Citizen : 23
  • Democratic and European Social Rally (RDSE) : 19
  • Unattached : 6
    One seat is currently vacant
    		•

    Distribution of seats according to sex:  
    Men: 285
    Women: 35
    Percent of women: 10.90

    Distribution of seats according to age:  
    31 to 40 years 2
    41 to 50 years 34
    51 to 60 years 124
    61 to 70 years 106
    Over 70 years 54


    Distribution of seats according to profession:

    		  
    Teachers 63
    Civil servants (incl. former) 46
    Medical professions 37
    Business/Trade/Industry 31
    Farmers 31
    Executives 23
    University Professors 17
    Non-professionals 15
    Legal professions 12
    Liberal professions 12
    Journalists/writers/publishers 9
    Engineers 9
    Private sector employees 6
    Manual workers 2
    Others 4

    <<< Return to the Historical Archive page of parliamentary election results for FRANCE <<<

    Copyright © 2001 Inter-Parliamentary Union