Government of France in the context of "Ariane 4"

Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco, is a sovereign city-state and microstate in Western Europe. Situated on the French Riviera, it is a semi-enclave bordered by France to the north, east, and west, with the Mediterranean Sea to the south; the Italian region of Liguria is about 15 km (9.3 mi) east. With a population of 38,423 living in an area of 2.08 km (0.80 sq mi), Monaco is the second smallest sovereign state in the world, after Vatican City, as well as the most densely populated. It also has the world's shortest national coastline of any non-landlocked nation, at 3.83 km (2.38 mi). Fewer than 10,000 of its residents are Monégasque nationals. While the official language of Monaco is French, Italian and Monégasque are also widely spoken and understood.

Monaco is governed under a form of semi-constitutional monarchy, with Prince Albert II as head of state, who holds substantial political powers. The prime minister, who is the head of government, can be either a Monégasque or French citizen; the monarch consults with the Government of France before an appointment. Key members of the judiciary are detached French magistrates. The House of Grimaldi has ruled Monaco, with brief interruptions, since 1297. The state's sovereignty was officially recognised by the Franco-Monégasque Treaty of 1861, with Monaco becoming a full United Nations voting member in 1993. Despite Monaco's independence and separate foreign policy, its defence is the responsibility of France, notwithstanding two small military units.

A prefect (French: préfet, plural préfets, both [pʁefɛ]) in France is the State's representative in a department or region. Regional prefects are ex officio the departmental prefects of the regional prefecture. 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 when presiding over the government's Council of Ministers, following a proposal by the Prime Minister and the Minister of the Interior. 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. The prefects in Lille, Rennes, Bordeaux, Marseille, Lyon and 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 is the head of the local zone. Overseas France has a similar zones system.

The president of France, officially the president of the French Republic (French: Président de la République française, [pʁezidɑ̃ d(ə) la ʁepyblik fʁɑ̃sɛːz]) or president of the Republic (Président de la République), is the executive head of state of France, and the commander-in-chief of the French Armed Forces. As the presidency is the supreme magistracy of the country, the position is the highest office in France. The powers, functions and duties of prior presidential offices, in addition to their relation with the prime minister and government of France, have over time differed with the various constitutional documents since the Second Republic.

The president of France is the ex officio co-prince of Andorra, grand master of the Legion of Honour and of the National Order of Merit, and protector of the Institut de France in Paris. The officeholder is also honorary proto-canon of the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran in Rome, although some have rejected the title in the past.

The minister of state (French: Ministre d'État; Monégasque: Ministru de Statu) is the head of government of Monaco, appointed by and subordinate to the Prince of Monaco, following a proposal by the Government of France.

During their term of office, the officeholder is responsible for directing the work of the government and in charge of foreign relations. As the monarch's representative, the prime minister also presides (with voting powers) over the Council of Government, directs the executive services and commands the police and military.

In France, politics functions within the framework of a semi-presidential system determined by the French Constitution of the French Fifth Republic. The nation declares itself to be an "indivisible, secular, democratic, and social Republic". The constitution provides for a separation of powers and proclaims France's "attachment to the Rights of Man and the principles of National Sovereignty as defined by the Declaration of 1789".

The political system of France consists of an executive branch, a legislative branch, and a judicial branch. Executive power is exercised by the president of the republic and the Government. The Government consists of the prime minister and ministers. The prime minister is appointed by the president, and is responsible to Parliament. The government, including the prime minister, can be revoked by the National Assembly, the lower house of Parliament, through a motion of no-confidence; this ensures that the prime minister is practically always supported by a majority in the lower house (which, on most topics, has prominence over the upper house).

The prime minister of France (French: Premier ministre français), officially the prime minister of the French Republic (Premier ministre de la République française), is the head of government of the French Republic and leader of its Council of Ministers, although the officeholder does not chair its meetings, as the president does.

The prime minister is the holder of the second-highest office in France, after the president of France. The president appoints the prime minister but cannot dismiss them, only request their resignation. The Government of France, including the prime minister, can be dismissed by the National Assembly. Upon appointment, the prime minister proposes a list of ministers to the president. Decrees and decisions signed by the prime minister, like almost all executive decisions, are subject to the oversight of the administrative court system. Some decrees are taken after advice from the Council of State (Conseil d'État), over which the prime minister is entitled to preside. Ministers defend the programmes of their ministries to the prime minister, who makes budgetary choices. The extent to which those decisions lie with the prime minister or president often depends upon whether they are of the same political party and whether it holds a majority in the National Assembly. If so, the president may serve as both the head of state and de facto head of government, while the prime minister serves as his deputy.

The Minister of the Interior (French: Ministre de l'Intérieur, pronounced [ministʁ d(ə) lɛ̃teʁjœʁ]) is the interior minister of the government of France, traditionally responsible for internal security and territorial administration. The minister ensures the maintenance and cohesion of the country's institutions throughout its national territory.

The current Minister of the Interior is Laurent Nuñez, who has held the position since 12 October 2025 under Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu.

In France, a Prefecture of Police (French: Préfecture de police), headed by the Prefect of Police (Préfet de police), is an agency of the Government of France under the administration of the Ministry of the Interior. Part of the National Police, it provides a police force for an area limited by department borders. As of 2012, two such prefectures exist:

• The Paris Police Prefecture, created in 1800
• The Bouches-du-Rhône Police Prefecture, created in 2012