# Prefect (France)

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{{Short description|State's representative in a French department or region}}
{{Expand French|topic=gov|Prefect (France)|date=January 2021}}
[[File:French Prefect.jpg|thumb|215px|[Pascal Mailhos](/source/Pascal_Mailhos), then prefect of the [Haute-Garonne](/source/Haute-Garonne) department, in [Toulouse](/source/Toulouse) in 2014]]
A '''prefect''' ({{langx|fr|préfet}}, plural {{lang|fr|préfets}}, both {{IPA|fr|pʁefɛ|}}) in [France](/source/France) is the State's representative in a [department](/source/Departments_of_France) or [region](/source/Regions_of_France). Regional prefects are ''ex officio'' the departmental prefects of the regional [prefecture](/source/Prefectures_in_France). Prefects are tasked with upholding the law in the department they serve in, including controlling the actions of local authorities. Prefects are appointed by decree by the [President of France](/source/President_of_France) when presiding over the [government](/source/Government_of_France)'s Council of Ministers, following a proposal by the [Prime Minister](/source/Prime_Minister_of_France) and the [Minister of the Interior](/source/Minister_of_the_Interior_(France)).<ref>{{in lang|fr}} [http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexteArticle.do;?idArticle=LEGIARTI000006351639&cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006061224&dateTexte=20080714 Decree 64-805 of 29 July 1964], current version.</ref> They serve at the government's discretion and can be replaced at any meeting of the Council of Ministers.

To uphold the law, they are authorised to undertake a wide variety of actions, such as coordinating police forces, enforcing immigration rules, controlling authorities' finances, as well as suing local collectivities in the name of the State.<ref>{{Cite web |language=fr |title=Immigration : Retailleau serre la vis auprès des préfets pour « reprendre le contrôle » |url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/immigration-la-circulaire-choc-de-retailleau-qui-serre-la-vis-pour-reprendre-le-controle-20241029 |website=Le Figaro |date=2024-10-29 |access-date= |author=Christophe Cornevin}}</ref><ref>[https://www.francetvinfo.fr/societe/religion/laicite/polemique-sur-le-burkini/burkini-dans-les-piscines-de-grenoble-le-prefet-de-l-isere-saisira-le-tribunal-administratif-en-cas-d-autorisation-par-le-conseil-municipal_5140231.html "Burkini dans les piscines de Grenoble : le préfet de l'Isère saisira le tribunal administratif en cas d'autorisation par le conseil municipal"], ''francetvinfo'' (in French), 15 May 2022.</ref> The prefects in [Lille](/source/Lille), [Rennes](/source/Rennes), [Bordeaux](/source/Bordeaux), [Marseille](/source/Marseille), [Lyon](/source/Lyon) and [Strasbourg](/source/Strasbourg) each have additional tasks as heads of their regional defence and security zone (''zone de défense et de sécurité''). In the Paris area, the [prefect of police](/source/Prefecture_of_Police) is the head of the local zone.<ref>[https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/article_lc/LEGIARTI000043370071 Article R.1211-4 du Code de la Défense].</ref> [Overseas France](/source/Overseas_France) has a similar zones system.<ref>[https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/article_lc/LEGIARTI000043364510 Article R.1211-8 du Code de la Défense].</ref>

[Subprefect](/source/Subprefect)s ({{lang|fr|sous-préfets}}) are responsible for the subdivisions of departments, known as [arrondissements](/source/Arrondissements_of_France), when the arrondissement is not that of the prefecture. The office of a [prefect](/source/prefect) is known as a prefecture and that of a subprefect a [subprefecture](/source/Subprefectures_in_France). From 1982 to 1988, under the [Socialist](/source/Socialist_Party_(France)) administration of President [François Mitterrand](/source/Fran%C3%A7ois_Mitterrand), prefects were called ''commissaires de la République'' (the Republic's commissioners) and subprefects ''commissaires adjoints de la République'' (the Republic's deputy commissioners).<ref>See the [http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do;jsessionid=BD570844AD6537973AD6A9464532FC35.tpdjo14v_1?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000000879744&dateTexte=20040430 1982 decree] (in French) amended by a 1988-02-29 decree.</ref>

==Roles==
[[File:Jean-Luc Videlaine-IMG 9042.JPG|thumb|upright|Jean-Luc Videlaine, then prefect of the [Finistère](/source/Finist%C3%A8re) department, in dress uniform at [Bastille Day](/source/Bastille_Day) 2015 in [Brest](/source/Brest%2C_France)]]
thumb|upright|Uniform hat of a French prefect during the Second World War
[[File:France-zone-defense-2016.png|thumb|upright|The seven [metropolitan France](/source/metropolitan_France) defence and security zones (and their respective seats): Paris, Nord (Lille), Ouest (Rennes), Sud-Ouest (Bordeaux), Sud (Marseille), Sud-Est (Lyon) and Est (Strasbourg).]]
The post of prefect was first created on 17 February 1800 by then-[First Consul](/source/Consulate_(France)) [Napoleon Bonaparte](/source/Napoleon).

Their roles were initially similar to those of the pre-revolutionary [intendants](/source/Intendant_(government_official)).<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/topic/prefect-French-political-history Prefect] at [Encyclopedia Britannica](/source/Encyclopedia_Britannica).</ref> Prefects were initially charged with supervising local governments in their department, ensuring that taxes flowed to Paris and supervising conscription at the local level.<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/place/France/The-Napoleonic-era France: The Napoleonic era] at [Encyclopedia Britannica](/source/Encyclopedia_Britannica).</ref>

Currently, the main role of the prefect is defined in article 72 of the [Constitution of France](/source/Constitution_of_France):

{{quote|In the local governments of the Republic, the representative of the State, representing each member of the Government, is in charge of national interests, of administrative checks, and the respect of Law.}}

The exact role and attributions are defined in [decree](/source/decree)s, most notably decrees of 1964, 1982, 2004, each replacing the preceding one.

The prefect of the ''département'' containing the ''[chef-lieu](/source/Administrative_centre) de région'' is also the ''préfet de région'', or the prefect of the ''région''.

Prefects operate under the [Minister of the Interior](/source/Minister_of_the_Interior_(France)). Their main missions include:
* representing the State to local governments;
* security
** the coordination of [police](/source/French_National_Police) and [gendarmerie](/source/French_Gendarmerie) forces;
** handling major [crises](/source/crisis);
** emergency [defence](/source/Civil_defense) procedures;
* safety
** the decision to evacuate zones facing natural disasters; the organisation of relief operations;
* responsibility for official documents, such as
** the production of identity documents, including [identity card](/source/identity_card)s and [passport](/source/passport)s;
** the issuing of [driving licences](/source/Driver's_license), and their administrative withdrawal in case of certain offences;
** the application of [immigration](/source/immigration) rules;
*ensuring respect for [legality](/source/legality): officials working for the prefect verify the legality of decisions made by local governments and submit doubtful cases to [administrative court](/source/administrative_court)s or to financial auditing courts.

Prefects may issue administrative orders in areas falling within the competency of the national government, including general safety. For instance, they may prohibit the use of certain roads without special [tyres](/source/Tire) in times of [snow](/source/snow). The prohibition on smoking or leaving the motor running while filling the fuel tank of a motor vehicle is another example of a matter typically decided by a prefectoral administrative order.

On official visits, prefects wear [uniform](/source/uniform)s. In [metropolitan France](/source/metropolitan_France) and [Saint Pierre and Miquelon](/source/Saint_Pierre_and_Miquelon), the uniforms are dark blue; in the rest of [overseas France](/source/overseas_France), the uniforms are white.<ref>{{cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=Arrêté du 5 novembre 2019 fixant la tenue d'uniforme des fonctionnaires du corps préfectoral |url=https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000039357964 |website= |location= |publisher=[Légifrance](/source/L%C3%A9gifrance) |access-date= |lang=fr |quote= Tenue opérationnelle complète (métropole et Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon) - Tenue opérationnelle allégée pour la métropole et habituelle outre-mer. (…) La veste est en lainage granité ou en tissu léger bleu nuit pour la métropole, en tissu léger blanc pour l'outre-mer, de forme croisée}}</ref>

For much of the time after 1800, the departments largely functioned as transmission belts for policies developed in Paris. As such, prefects originally had fairly extensive powers of supervision and control over departmental affairs. This was especially true during the Consulate and the [First](/source/First_French_Empire) and [Second](/source/Second_French_Empire) Empires, when even the most trivial local matter had to be referred to the prefect.  Since 1982, local government has been progressively decentralised, and the prefect's role has largely been limited to preventing local policies from conflicting with national policy.

At the [commune](/source/Communes_of_France) level, prefects appoint a [special delegation](/source/Special_delegation_(France)) in cases of dissolution or resignation of the [municipal council](/source/Municipal_council_(France)).

==Special cases==
* In [New Caledonia](/source/New_Caledonia) and [French Polynesia](/source/French_Polynesia), the prefect's roles, with certain differences in status, are fulfilled by a high commissioner; in [Wallis and Futuna](/source/Wallis_and_Futuna), by a superior administrator.
* The [French Southern and Antarctic Lands](/source/French_Southern_and_Antarctic_Lands) used to be run by a superior administrator, but since 2004 are run by a prefect. The prefect, however, is not based in the territories, but in [Réunion](/source/R%C3%A9union).
* The capital [Paris](/source/Paris), which is both a municipality ([commune](/source/Communes_of_France)) and a department, is an exception. While it has a prefect, who is also prefect of the [Île-de-France](/source/%C3%8Ele-de-France) region, another prefect handles law enforcement in Paris and some surrounding areas, as well many other administrative duties: the [Prefect of Police of Paris](/source/Paris_Police_Prefecture). In Paris, the law enforcement powers exercised in other French cities and towns by the [mayor](/source/Mayor_(France)) belong to the Prefect of Police. Additionally, for most of the time from 1800 to 1977, the prefect of Paris, and his predecessor, the prefect of the [department of Seine](/source/Seine_(department)), had direct control over city government, since Paris was the only commune in the country without a mayor.
* A [Prefect of Police of Bouches-du-Rhône](/source/Bouches-du-Rh%C3%B4ne_Police_Prefecture) was also created in 2012 by the new Socialist administration, seated in [Marseille](/source/Marseille), with similar powers to that of the Paris Prefect of Police.
* The authority of the State over the sea is exercised by the [maritime prefect](/source/maritime_prefect) of the relevant region.

==External links==
* {{in lang|fr}} [http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do;?cidTexte=LEGITEXT000006061195&dateTexte=19820511 Decree of 14 March 1964], regarding the powers of prefects.
* {{in lang|fr}} [http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do;?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000000879744&dateTexte=20040430 Decree of 10 May 1982], regarding the powers of prefects.
* {{in lang|fr}} [http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=LEGITEXT000005765702&dateTexte=20080714 Decree of 29 April 2004], regarding the powers of prefects.

==References==
<references/>

Category:Prefects of France
Category:French civil servants
Category:Government occupations
Category:Government of France
Category:1800 establishments in France

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Prefect (France)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prefect_(France)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prefect_(France)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.