THE FRENCH PARLIAMENT IS THE BICAMERAL LEGISLATURE OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC,CONSISTING OF THE SENATE AND THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.EACH ASSEMBLY CONDUCTS LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS AT A SEPARATE LOCATION IN PARIS.THE PALAIS DU LUXEMBOURG FOR THE SENATE AND THE PALAIS BOURBON FOR THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.
EACH HOUSE HAS ITS OWN REGULATIONS AND RULES OF PROCEDURE,HOWEVER,THEY MAY OCCASIONALLY MEET AS A SINGLE HOUSE,THE FRENCH CONGRESS,CONVENED AT THE PALACE OF VERSAILLES,TO REVISE AND AMEND THE CONSTITUTION OF FRANCE.


ORGANIZATION AND POWERS
PARLIAMENT MEETS FOR A SINGLE NINE-MONTH SESSION EACH YEAR UNDER SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES THE PRESIDENT CAN CALL AN ADDITIONAL SESSION.WHILE THE PARLIAMENTARY POWER HAS BEEN DIMINISHED SINCE THE FOURTH REPUBLIC,THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CAN STILL CAUSE A GOVERNMENT TO FALL IF AN ABSOLUTE MAJORITY OF THE ASSEMBLY MEN VOTES A MOTION OF NO CONFIDENCE.AS A RESULT,THE GOVERNMENT NORMALLY IS FROM THE SAME POLITICAL PARTY AS THE ASSEMBLY AND MUST BE SUPPORTED BY A MAJORITY THERE TO PREVENT A VOTE OF NO-CONFIDENCE.
HOWEVER,THE PRESIDENT APPOINTS THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE MINISTERS AND IS UNDER NO CONSTITUTIONAL,MANDATORY OBLIGATION TO MAKE THOSE APPOINTMENTS FROM THE RANKS OF THE PARLIAMENTARY MAJORITY PARTY,THIS IS A SAFE-GUARD SPECIFICALLY INTRODUCED BY THE FOUNDER OF THE FIFTH REPUBLIC,CHARLES DE GAULLE,TO PREVENT THE DISARRAY AND HORSE-TRADING CAUSED BY THE THIRD AND FOURTH REPUBLICS PARLIAMENTARY REGIMES;IN PRACTICE THE PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTERS DO COME FROM THE MAJORITY ALTHOUGH PRESIDENT SARKOZY DID APPOINT SOCIALIST MINISTERS OR SECRETARY OF STATE-LEVEL JUNIOR MINISTERS TO HIS GOVERNMENT.
RARE PERIODS DURING WHICH THE PRESIDENT IS NOT FROM THE SAME POLITICAL PARTY AS THE PRIME MINISTER ARE USUALLY KNOWN AS CO-HABITATION.THE PRESIDENT RATHER THAN THE PRIME MINISTER HEADS THE CABINET OF MINISTERS.