French political system.

[maddox]

Elections are once in 5 years. Unless a government is found unfit to discharge the duties.
The first election was in 1795.

Citizens are voting for their representatives, and those fullfill the duties ,ranging from town concils and mayors to department/colonial governers.
A body of deparment/colonial governers elect a parliament. Ministers are chosen by popularity votes.

The function of parliament is to decide on the proposals of the ministers ,to vote on new laws and to keep an eye on the ministers to avoid ministers, or premier breaking the constitution.

The function of the ministers is to guide the relevant cabinets in the development of the Glorious French Republic so that the will of the people is satisfied.

The Premier leads his ministers, and has the last word concerning ministers proposals before these proposals go to the parliament.

Citizens are civilians that gained the right to vote.  Civilians gain the right to vote after doing 3 years of Volunteer Civic Service. The Glorious French Republic is required to find a suitable and benefitional to France duty for every volunteer.

French civilians are people that are born from a French civilian, or people without a French parent succeeding in the rigorous tests marking these people suitable as Civic Duty Volunteers.

[maddox]

Most French civilians in Metropolitan France are citizens. This is a combination of access to civic volunteering possibilities, the fact that French civilians on the dole will be mandated to do a civil duty, even if that means 3 years of mandated gutter cleaning or basketweaving. Of course if the civilian declines this dole related civic duty, the dole will be cut, something only people of means and no intention to vote will do.

If a civilian on the dole voluteers before a mandated duty is found, the benefits are worth the trouble in most cases. When it isn't, unfortunatly, are spread wide open by the press.

This situation is enterily different in colonies. The French parent requirement still stands, and the rigorous tests to circumvent this requirement are only fullfillable with the best education money can buy.
Of course, volunteering for the armed forces gets a cheap version of the needed education, but colonial forces are the last to recieve new equipment, and can be expected to be volunteered for less savory hard labor jobs.
Also, rarely a volunteer for the armed forces can do his civic duty in the home country.