Congress of France

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The French Congress (French: Congrès du Parlement français) is the name given to the body created when both houses of the present-day French Parliament – the National Assembly and the Senate – reunite at the Château of Versailles to vote on revisions to the Constitution.

1 Composition and organization
2 Constitutional revision
3 Stamp collecting
4 References
5 External link

[edit] Composition and organization

The Congress is composed of senators and deputies reunited in the meeting hall (salle des séances) of the southern wing of the Château of Versailles. Its office and its president are those of the National Assembly.

[edit] Constitutional revision

According to Article 89 of the constitution of the Fifth Republic, revisions to the constitution may be instigated by either deputies or senators (this is called "proposition de révision"), or by the President of the Republic through proposals submitted by the Prime Minister (this is called "projet de révision").

The normal procedure of constitutional revision is through national referendum. However, in the case of "projet de révision", the President may turn to a more flexible and less demanding procedure: the vote of Congress. Reunited at Versailles, the members of parliament can approve constitutional revisions with a three-fifths majority vote, after which the head of state enacts the changes within fifteen days.

[edit] Stamp collecting

The reuniting of the French Congress is the occasion for the creation of a temporary post office and a special cancellation mark. Mail sent from this office is highly sought after by stamp collectors who often ask their senator or deputies to send them mail from the Congress.