French Guiana, as part of France, is part of the European Union — the largest landmass for an area outside of Europe (since Greenland left the European Community in 1985), with one of the longest EU external boundaries. Along with the Spanish enclaves in Africa of Ceuta and Melilla, it is one of only three European Union territories outside Europe that is not an island.
As an integral part of France, its head of state is the President of the French Republic, and its head of Government is the Prime Minister of France. The French Government and its agencies have responsibility for a wide range of issues that are reserved to the National Executive, such as defense and external relations.
Politics in French Guiana is dominated by the Guianese Socialist Party.
Political Structure
The President of France appoints a Prefect (resident at the Prefecture building in Cayenne) as his representative to head the local government of French Guiana.
There are two local executive bodies: the 19-member General Council and the 34-member Regional Council, both elected. They will soon be reunited into one only Council, since they have authority on exactly the same territory.
French Guiana sends two deputies to the French National Assembly, one representing the commune (municipality) of Cayenne and the commune of Macouria, and the other representing the rest of French Guiana. This latter constituency is the largest in the French Republic by land area.
French Guiana also sends two senators to the French Senate.
Representation
French Guiana is not a separate territory but both an overseas Région and overseas department of France, with the same government institutions as areas on the French mainland. The administrive centre is Cayenne.
France is represented by prefect Daniel Ferey, but the President of the general council is Alain Tien-Liong and the President of the regional council is Antoine Karam.
General Council of Guiana
The general council is composed of 19 seats; whose members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms.
Composition
Party / Seats:
- Miscellaneous Left / 7
- Guianese Socialist Party / 3
- Independents / 3
- Miscellaneous Right / 3
- Union for a Popular Movement / 3
- Walwari / 1
Regional Council of Guiana
The regional council is composed of 31 seats; whose members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms.
Composition
Party / Seats:
- Guianese Socialist Party / 29
- Union for a Popular Movement / 7
- Walwari / 7
Parliamentary Representation
Guiana elects two Senators to the French Senate. The current Senators are Georges Patient and Jean-Étienne Antoinette, both members of the Guianese Socialist Party.
Current Deputies
Guiana also elects two deputies to the French National Assembly, the last elections were held in June 2007. The Walwari has one deputy, Christiane Taubira and the PSG has one deputy, Chantal Berthelot who defeated long-time UMP incumbent Léon Bertrand.
Constituency / Member / Party:
- 1st / Christiane Taubira / Walwari
- 2nd / Chantal Berthelot / PSG
Elections
French Guiana elects a legislature on a regional/departmental level. The legislature consists of two councils with diverging powers.
The Regional Council (Conseil régional) has 31 members, elected for a four year term by proportional representation. The General Council (Conseil général) has members elected for a six year term in single seat-constituencies.
French Guiana has a multi-party system, with numerous parties in which no one party often has a chance of gaining power alone, and parties must work with each other to form coalition governments.
Political Issues
A chronic issue affecting French Guiana is the influx of illegal immigrants and clandestine gold prospectors from Brazil and Suriname.
The border between the department and Suriname is formed by the Maroni River, which flows through rain forest and is difficult for the Gendarmerie and the French Foreign Legion to patrol. There have been several phases launched by the French government to combat illegal gold mining in French Guiana, beginning with Operation Anaconda beginning in 2003, followed by Operation Harpie in 2008, 2009 and Operation Harpie Reinforce in 2010.
Administrative Divisions
French Guiana is divided into 2 arrondissements, 19 cantons (not shown here), and 22 communes:
- Awala-Yalimapo
- Mana
- Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni
- Apatou
- Grand-Santi
- Papaïchton
- Saül
- Maripasoula
- Camopi
- Saint-Georges
- Ouanary
- Régina
- Roura
- Saint-Élie
- racoubo
- Sinnamary
- Kourou
- Macouria
- Montsinéry-Tonnegrande
- Matoury
- Cayenne
- Remire-Montjoly
Arrondissement of Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni:
Administrative Divisions of French Guiana
Arrondissement of Cayenne: