France has both a president and a prime minister because it operates under a semi-presidential system, established by the Constitution of 1958. The president is the head of state and is responsible for national defense, foreign policy, and overall government direction, while the prime minister is the head of government and manages domestic policy and day-to-day administration. The president is directly elected by the people and appoints the prime minister, who must have the support of the majority in the National Assembly (parliament). This division balances power: the president handles broad national and international matters, and the prime minister focuses on government operations and parliamentary affairs. During periods when the president and parliamentary majority are from different political parties (known as cohabitation), the prime minister gains more authority over domestic policies, and the president limits focus mostly to defense and foreign affairs.
Thus, the president and prime minister share executive powers with distinct but complementary roles to ensure political stability and effective governance.
